With substitution estimated at 30% globally, it is costing Australian seafood exporters millions of dollars and eroding consumer trust. Rates of mislabelling and substitution in the global seafood and aquaculture sector remain unclear as the tools required to identify product origin and species information accurately are limited and often not economically viable.
Source Certain is a proud member of Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) and Women in Seafood Australia (WISA).
Source Certain holds a long-term commitment to the Australian seafood industry, working with industry bodies and producers to build consumer trust, protect industry value and identify substitution and false claims.
Key issues facing seafood supply chains
Misleading sustainability claims
Seafood products often come with sustainability labels or certifications. Food fraud can involve false sustainability claims or misuse of these labels to mislead consumers and increase sales.
Mislabelling of farmed fish
Fraudulent suppliers may mislabel farmed fish as wild-caught to command higher prices and take advantage of consumer preferences for wild-caught seafood.
Country of origin misrepresentation
This involves labelling seafood as originating from a specific region known for high-quality, when it may come from elsewhere, which could include illegal or unethical practices.
Species substitution
Low-value or less desirable fish species may be labelled as more expensive, carrying a premium brand.
Origin verification for the seafood industry
Source Certain is working with Australian seafood producers and wider industry groups to bolster consumer and industry confidence. We have an ongoing program with the Australian prawn industry and the Australian Farmed Barramundi Association. Our verification service provides scientific evidence of product origin back to the wild fishery or an individual pond on an aquaculture farm. It can verify if seafood labelled ‘Australian’ is genuine and underpin the integrity of sustainable sourcing claims made at the point of origin.
We can sample seafood at any point in the supply chain to provide assurance of origin claims from production to retail and identify ‘problem areas’ where substitution has occurred.
Explore our seafood case studies
Source Certain’s robust and trusted science offers assurance to retailers and stakeholders by adding a layer of credibility to sourcing claims that consumers can trust. In the export market, our service guarantees supply chain partners that the product they are trading is sourced from where it claims to originate.
Solution
Source Certain’s provenance science verifies
the origin of products via scientific analysis of physical product samples to mitigate these risks.