The Food Authenticity Network has worked with Defra, FSA, FSS, NFCU, SFCIU and the Food Authenticity Centres of Expertise to agree a framework for a co-ordinated response from food authenticity Centres of Expertise to national / international food and feed fraud incidents / investigations.

Official controls of food and feed labelling and compositional standards involves the verification of labelled product information and requires a wide range of analytical and molecular biological techniques to be deployed, many with exacting instrumentation requirements and in-depth scientific interpretation of the datasets generated. In recognition that no single institution could field the complete range of such techniques with the required expertise in all of the food and feed commodity groups, a number of Food Authenticity Centres of Expertise (CoEs) have been acknowledged (see below for list and further information). 

It was envisaged that the virtual network of  CoEs would function in a similar way to a National Reference Laboratory by helping to ensure that authenticity testing methods employed are fit for purpose and offer expert advice to the food authenticity analytical community as required. 

A framework has been produced for collaboration of Food Authenticity Centres of Expertise to facilitate the formulation a collective technical view, in response to a request from UK Government, during an emergency food or feed fraud incident/investigation. A collective technical view will facilitate UK Government in making evidence-based decisions in a timely manner so as to minimise the impact on legitimate businesses and protect consumers. 

The Framework is not a public document but the process flow diagram is presented above to illustrate the process agreed.

PASS is staffed by qualified Public Analysts with a wealth of experience in the enforcement of food law, including providing the expert witness function for the prosecution of offenders.  

Our public analysts provide sampling advice, analytical services and expert opinions to UK local authority customers and offer regional coverage across the UK.

Analysis is provided by the Eurofins laboratory network using methods accredited to ISO 17025 and overseen be an experienced Public Analyst.  The Public Analyst will interpret and report the results.

We contribute to national advisory bodies that support food authenticity programmes.

As part of the Eurofins network of laboratories, we have expertise in all areas of food authenticity testing including DNA, SIRA, NMR-based approaches, HR-LC-MS, GC, microscopy, spectroscopy and classical techniques such as  alcoholic strength determination by pycnometry.

ASSL acts as an official food and feed control laboratory for  local authorities in both Scotland and England and provides a Food Examiner facility for local councils. 

Routine analysis of samples of meat, fish, potable spirits, honey, herbs and spices for authenticity as well as other analysis for composition, additives, contaminants and allergens.

In 1993 ASSL was the first Public Analyst Laboratory in Scotland to become accredited for the chemical analysis of food.  Today, the majority of analysis and examination is covered by an extensive scope of accreditation by UKAS to ISO 17025.

Queen’s University Belfast was recently placed No 1 in the UK for agriculture, veterinary and food science in the Research Exercise Framework (REF 2021) – an independent assessment of research excellence in UK universities. These subject areas fall within the Institute for Global Food Security.

Food and Agriculture at Queen’s were also ranked No 1 in the UK in the 2022 Complete University Guide; 2022 Guardian UK Universities Guide; and 2022 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.

Food Science at Queen’s sits in the World Top 200 in the 2021 Academic Ranking of World Universities list.

GfL is an independent private company for the service and consultancy of the whole food industry, established in 1984.

Covering the entire value chain for fruit and vegetables products, working for growers, distributors, processing and bottling industry as well as retailers. Our Quality Management is based on the norm ISO/IEC 17025 since 1992.

GfL is one of the world wide leading laboratories in the field of fruit and vegetable juice. Authenticity analysis of fruit and vegetable juices as well as related products is our key asset. GfL is active, partially in leading positions, in many organizations and boards. Technical innovation is our motivation to constantly improve and develop analyzing methods and processes.

Analysis conducted Bangor University produced improved protocols for detecting adulteration in commercial rice samples labelled as “Basmati”. These protocols were used to demonstrate that high levels of adulteration were present in UK commercial samples collected by the UK Rice Association in 2003. This foundation work underpinned a test court case in 2005. 

Standard Operating Procedures for both microsatellite and InDels were developed and optimised. They form the basis of most Basmati authentication testing used in enforcement in Europe and Asia at present. We have recently screened available rice standards with novel KASP assays.

Campden BRI has been operating services in food authenticity for over 20 years and has considerable knowledge of the techniques applied in the area, including meat, fish and seafood speciation, olive oil analysis and spice adulteration.

Campden BRI provides services underpinned by methods developed and approved in line with ISO17025.

The food testing laboratory at Cramlington is part of the global SGS group and is a UKAS (ISO17025) accredited analytical laboratory specialising in molecular and immunological detection of contaminants and adulterants in foodstuffs.

Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) has been providing analytical, product development, investigative, training and consultancy services to the global food and consumer goods industries for over 30 years.

RSSL's chemical, physical, biochemical and biological services are wide ranging and provide support through the full product lifecycle. RSSL is routinely inspected by UKAS, FDA and MHRA, which ensures the analytical services meet the needs of industry.

Premier Analytical Services (PAS) are eight accredited laboratories operating as one Centre of Expertise, internationally respected for providing high quality analytical services and unrivalled technical expertise to the food industry.

PAS has many years in both classical analytical chemistry and modern molecular methods including Next Generation Sequencing as well as quantitative PCR design and analysis. PAS utilises the most modern and effective approach to investigate authenticity issues, including the use of NGS, PCR and other molecular techniques.

PAS was the first UK laboratory to attain UKAS accreditation for quantitative GMO analysis by real-time PCR.

Minerva Scientific is a specialist analytical testing laboratory established in 2002 and is recognised as a leading authority on honey testing with over a decade of experience in the field.

Minerva provide a range of honey specific relevant ISO17025 UKAS accredited testing and consultancy services.

Minerva Scientific has MHRA GMP approval for the chemical testing of pharmaceutical and veterinary products.

LGC, founded in 1842, is an international organisation providing excellence in investigative, diagnostic and measurement science, and remains at the forefront of testing approaches, techniques, instrumentation and policy associated with food authenticity.

 LGC, founded in 1842, is an international organisation providing excellence in investigative, diagnostic and measurement science, and remains at the forefront of testing approaches, techniques, instrumentation and policy associated with food authenticity.

LGC is committed to providing open access to best measurement practice guidance for food authenticity testing.

LGC provides:

• A range of expert scientific functions and services in partnership with government, business and academia.

• World-leading measurement science, solving complex global challenges, ensuring trust and confidence in high quality measurement and research.