BUILDING on a successful year of new method launches, Belfast-based Bia Analytical has added tarragon to its expanding testing portfolio, offering an extensive range of authenticity tests to help in the fight against food fraud.
Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), a member of the sunflower family, is a species of perennial herb which grows in the wild across most of Europe and North America. The species name, dracunculus, means "little dragon," and is named for its coiled roots.
Known for its distinctive aniseed-like taste, tarragon finds a multitude of uses in culinary dishes worldwide.
But much like other ground dried herbs, tarragon is at risk of economically motivated adulteration (EMA), which occurs when someone intentionally leaves out, takes out, or substitutes a valuable ingredient or part of a food.
Bia Analytical works with trusted partners to address industry wide concerns by developing a robust authenticity test for both the leaf-form and powdered form of tarragon.
This test has been rigorously validated to detect adulterants in tarragon using industry-leading, cutting-edge spectroscopy and data science-based testing methods.
Spectroscopy combined with chemometric modelling is becoming the most reliable method for adulteration detection in food.
This technology enables Bia Analytical to provide results within a guaranteed three working day turnaround time, empowering food producers and their suppliers to make decisions and retain consumer confidence in their products.
Bia Analytical was established in June 2020 to support the food sector in detecting food fraud by providing accredited authenticity testing services. It has been operating since 2018 at Queen’s University’s Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) in Belfast.
Earlier this year the company rolled out ground-breaking technology for meat authenticity analysis, developed over a 10-year period by Professor Chris Elliott and his team. that will empower businesses to make quick decisions and provide additional confidence in the integrity of their products.
Bia Analytical now offers rapid authenticity testing for a number of herbs and spices including black pepper, turmeric, sage, paprika, oregano, garlic, cumin, ginger, white pepper, coriander, thyme, parsley, basil, fennel, cinnamon/cassia, chilli powder, rosemary, mint and saffron, tarragon and common wheat flour – with methods for new food groups currently in development.
