Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

FSA's Country of Origin of Food Study Finds No Misleading Claims

July 29, 2014

The United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency (FSA) today published the results of a study to look at the origin of foods claiming to be from the UK and Ireland. Titled Assessing Country of Origin Labelling, the study did not identify any cases of food on sale with misleading country of origin claims.

The study, which used a screening technique known as stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA), followed up with investigating traceability documentation. It examined 96 food samples (beef, pork, lamb, apple juice, tomatoes and honey) claimed to be from the UK, or from the Republic of Ireland. Samples were taken from mid-December 2013 to early January 2014.

"It’s vital that consumers are provided with a true picture as to where the food they buy comes from," said Andrew Rhodes, the FSA's chief operating officer. He said the aim to the study was to check whether people were receiving accurate information on the origin of their food, and suggested that consumers and businesses should find the results reassuring.

"We also wanted to gain experience of using the relatively new SIRA technology as a tool to show the country of origin of foodstuffs," Rhodes added. "We found SIRA effective in raising questions about where a food comes from but we relied on traceability information to further investigate origin. Defra and the FSA are continuing to work with the research community and industry to improve our ability to test the origin of foods and we look to build on this useful piece of work in the months ahead."

The samples were mostly taken from retail or wholesale outlets, although four samples of raw beef burgers were obtained from caterers, FSA officials said. They explained that although the samples were not fully representative of the market, within the limitations of a small study, the samples "provided a reasonable spread across retailers and across the four countries of the UK." Samples were taken from both top-end food ranges and economy ranges.

An FSA news release said that of the 96 samples screened using SIRA, 78 were shown immediately to be consistent with the origin claimed and 18 were identified for follow-up investigation. Traceability and other evidence were requested for 17 of these samples. In all 17 cases, the evidence supplied supported the country of origin claim.

SIRA has been shown to have real potential a screening test that can help target investigation, the release stated, adding that it is already a realistic possibility for enforcement authorities to use SIRA screening for some foods.

 


Author(s): Heidi Parsons

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Contamination Control
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Facilities
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    International
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Top view of several sandwiches

FDA Provides Update on Listeria Outbreak Related to Products of Fresh & Ready Foods LLC

Image of container spilling red powder

FDA Approves Three Food Colors from Natural Sources

FSM podcast

Ep. 193. Christian Ararat: A Global Perspective on Auditing, Certifications, AI, and Beyond

Events

June 12, 2025

Additive Bans Ahead: Your Guide to Avoiding Risk and Maintaining Agility

Live: June 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn how ingredient bans will impact product development, labeling, and sourcing.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Congress Strikes Down Country of Origin Labeling for Red Meat

    See More
  • WTO Concludes that U.S. Country-of-Origin Meat Labeling is Unfair

    See More
  • Country-of-Origin Meat Labeling Plans Slaughtered Again by Congress

    See More
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing