Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/401644
18 NOVEMBER 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com technique used by forensic scientists to identify bodies at crime scenes is being used by food producers to deter counterfeiting of their products. A person's hair and nails show traces of chemicals they have absorbed from the environment, and the chemical fin- gerprint is unique to each location. By analyzing hair or nails using a technique called stable isotope profiling, criminal investigators can create a timeline of where the victim had been living and traveling in the months or years before being killed. All plants and animals absorb the natural chemicals of their environ- ment, and similar technology can provide irrefutable forensic evidence of where an apple was grown. This evidence can be used to help combat misrepresentation of products in the market place, such as when inferior fruit is mislabeled as a premium brand. A company called Oritain, based in Dunedin, New Zealand, is in the business of "food fingerprinting" and helping to protect the brands of wine, honey, and tree fruit producers, among others. For example, when New Zealand meat producers were accused of supplying contaminated meat in the European Union, Oritain was able to show that the meat originated from elsewhere and the original labels had been removed. Oritan's chief executive officer Grant Cochran said food fraud seems KERIAN MACHINES, INC. 1709 Hwy 81 South, P.O. Box 311 Grafton, ND 58237 701-352-0480 • Fax 701-352-3776 sales@kerian.com • www.kerian.com GENTLE: Separates without damaging peaches, apples, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes ACCURATE: Precisely grades grape tomatoes, cherries, nuts, and small berries, maintaining that accuracy for larger products including cantaloupes and pineapple FAST: Thirteen standard models custom- designed to meet your needs sort from 1,000 lb/hr to 100,000 lb/hr SIMPLE: Effective but simple design provides a rugged, low-cost, low-maintenance machine at a high value to our customers. It can even be used in the field! VERSATILE: Specialized rollers allow for the accurate sizing of round products (potatoes, onions, and citrus), long products (carrots, russets, and cucumbers), and irregular products (bell peppers, jalapeños, and garlic) FRUIT AND VEGETABLE KERIAN SIZER New Equipment & Technology Fighting food fraud WITH FORENSICS Each apple has a chemical fingerprint that links it to the place it was grown. by Geraldine Warner