Posted 11/12/2024

Source Certain, a leading provider of scientific origin verification services, was contracted by BBC World Service Documentaries to conduct trace element analysis (TEA) as part of a recent investigation into the presence of forced labour in tomato purée supply chains operating in the European retail market.

Source Certain, a leading provider of scientific origin verification services, was contracted by BBC World Service Documentaries to conduct trace element analysis (TEA) as part of a recent investigation into the presence of forced labour in tomato purée supply chains operating in the European retail market.

Source Certain specialises in advanced analytical techniques, stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) and TEA to determine product origins to specific farms, plantations, ponds, and fisheries. This capability provides vital information for verifying origin claims and supporting sustainable sourcing practices. The company’s expertise in farm-level origin verification has been validated through extensive commercial application and academic review.

Source Certain employed its TEA method for this investigation to achieve reliable country-level differentiation of tomato paste origins. Chief Operating Officer Rachel Scadding emphasised, “Our precision in reporting origin outcomes with trace element analysis is underpinned by our team’s exceptional understanding of TEA methodology. We pioneered this methodology over 30 years ago and have published numerous peer-reviewed publications on the merits of TEA as an origin verification method for food and non-food products.”

Chief Executive Officer Cameron Scadding noted, “Our forensic investigation was designed with consideration of the complexities that are associated with sourcing reference samples directly from Chinese farms and factories to ensure reliable, actionable results. We have a track record of managing these sorts of investigations. We ensured our analysis was robust, testing a range of products claiming Chinese and Italian origin, as well as tomato paste from other countries, to establish what the elemental profile would look like for tomato paste from those countries. We then compared the 64 supplied in-market tomato paste samples against this profile to establish consistency and compositional linkages. The TEA-based classification model has a 100% classification statistic and a cross-validation result of 99.5%, meaning it can be used to separate these geographical origins. This allowed us to confidently identify discrepancies in origin claims.”

Addressing questions on using TEA over SIRA, Ms. Scadding explained, “As established experts in both methods, we determined that for an organic-based material like tomatoes, there were benefits in only using TEA. This includes its ability to produce accurate origin results without the requirement to also employ a second, more costly and time-consuming method like SIRA, which isn’t as granular in its origin verification ability. This decision was also influenced by numerous independent academic reviews into TEA’s ability to provide accurate origin outcomes. We also respectfully disagree with the opinion that all other origin possibilities must be cross-referenced before producing a result, given a reliable reference profile was established.”

Mr. Scadding added, “We are encouraged that many retailers have initiated further supply chain investigations based on our results and the BBC’s supporting findings. True transparency begins at the farm level, and we recommend comprehensive origin verification testing that includes reference sampling from their supplier’s farms.”

Earlier this year, Source Certain expanded its capabilities by acquiring Agroisolab UK Ltd, an analytical science firm specialising in isotope analysis. “Our presence in the UK strengthens our ability to provide granular origin verification using TEA to European clients, addressing scientific testing needs that SIRA alone cannot fulfil,” said Mr Scadding. “This acquisition supports our mission to enhance transparency within supply chains.”

For nearly two decades, Source Certain’s services and technical team have supported global law enforcement with forensic investigations and expert testimony in courts across multiple jurisdictions.

 

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