Page 52 - AMEFT Journal 2021-4

INGREDIENTS
Composition of spoonfuls with various spices for healthy food preparing.
Authenticating natural-sourced food ingredients with Carbon-14 analysis
Introduction
Carbon-14 analysis is an established and accurate method by which prod- uct manufacturers, suppliers, and dis- tributors can authenticate their natu- ral-sourced ingredients. Testing reveals what percentage of an ingredient was sourced from biomass. It can also be used to identify whether a product or ingredient contains synthetic alter- natives. Authentication provides evi- dence companies can use to support label claims by proving their products and ingredients are natural and do not contain synthetics. Carbon-14 testing, applicable to food ingredients, flavors, supplements, and beverages, differen- tiates between petrochemical-derived and natural-derived material.
Carbon-14 Analysis: Are Your Ingredi- ents Natural or Synthetic?
Carbon-14 is an isotope present in living organisms. It is found in materi- als originating from biomass but is not present in materials that come from fossil, or petrochemical, sources. Car- bon-14 analysis is used to measure the presence or absence of biomass- sourced versus petrochemical-derived materials in products or ingredients. The biomass, or biobased, content of
a material is measured using an Ac- celerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) under the ASTM D6866 standardized method. Results are calculated in the form of a percentage, identifying ma- terials as either biobased (natural or biomass-sourced) or partially or whol- ly synthetic (petrochemical-sourced) in composition. Ingredients will have a nonexistent or low percentage of biobased content if they are made in whole or part from petrochemical materials. Products containing natural ingredients will have a higher percent- age of biobased content. Carbon-14 testing is the most effective way to verify whether an ingredient is natural- ly sourced or petrochemical-derived.1
What Are the Benefits of Measuring the Biobased Content of Ingredients?
For companies seeking to prove their products and ingredients are natural and not falsified by econom- ically-motivated adulteration, iden- tifying synthetic materials in their products can be a highly-valuable tool to ensure their label claims are accu- rate and customers are not being de- ceived. In order to meet growing cus- tomer demand for natural products, companies may claim their product is natural when they are actually made
from petrochemical-derived synthetic adulterants.2 Synthetic ingredients are cheaper and easily mistaken for their natural counterparts. Commonly adulterated food ingredients include turmeric, almond oil, saffron, vanilla extract, among several others.3 Car- bon-14 testing can validate claims that ingredients are natural by measuring the biobased content of a product. The method provides a way for companies to prove their ingredients are truly nat- ural and biomass-sourced.
Case Study: Garlic Oil
Garlic oil is a common ingredient in food flavorings and nutraceutical prod- ucts such as dietary supplements. It is one of many ingredients susceptible to adulteration and label falsification. This is due to the essential oil’s high demand and production in addition to environ- mental factors leading to increased pric- ing for authentic garlic.4 A case study conducted by Beta Analytic investigated the prevalence of adulteration in five samples of garlic oil to showcase the importance of analytical testing and quality control measures to preserve product and brand integrity.5 In addi- tion, the case study demonstrated the value of verifying the natural source of ingredients via Carbon-14 testing as op-
52 AMEFT 4 2021
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