British scientists succeeded in developing a test that could help find out whether food that’s labeled organic is authentic or not.
The test verifies differences in the nitrogen isotope composition of foods. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is broadly used in traditional agriculture, however prohibited in organic agriculture.
The investigators explained that their test detected dissimilarities in organically and traditionally grown tomatoes, lettuce and carrots. The findings are published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
At present, authentication of organic foods relies on enforcement of manufacture standards by means of certification and inspection, which involves a paper trail from the farm to the plate, the scientists informed. This brand new test could be used to offer supplementary confirmation that products are organic so that the customers and honest growers can be protected.
