Trace element analysis was used to analyse a large quantity of Pacific Oysters harvested from Tasmanian Oyster Co. bays to determine if the origin verification technology can distinguish between individual bays and, more specifically, leases within each bay.
The Details
Tasmanian Oyster Co. (TOC) is Australia’s largest vertically integrated oyster business. Its world-renowned oysters are sold in premium Australian supermarkets and the export market. The company has enjoyed significant growth in the last decade, boasting multi-regional farming around Tasmania and adopting new technologies to protect its investment in a high-end, recognisable boutique food product.
Growing an oyster is a two-year, highly involved process that TOC has refined through its 40 years of experience and dedicated personnel.
Source Certain commenced its project with TOC to determine whether their trace element analysis-based origin verification service can distinguish the origin between different bays and leases within each bay through the scientific analysis of oyster flesh.
The program involved collecting 410 Pacific Oyster samples from five bays in Tasmania and analysing them over an eight-day period.
Josh Poke Strategic Projects Manager Tasmanian Oyster co.
Outcomes
Sample collection was conducted by a trained Source Certain team member, accompanied by Tasmanian Oyster Co. personnel.
- Source Certain confirmed the ability to verify to individual leases within a bay of origin.
- Sampling over a set period of time determined there was little to no movement in data due to seasonal variation. This does not include changes in the environment due to natural disasters like floods.
- The above outcome is promising because it means sampling efforts do not need to be constrained to specific periods within the year.
- The chemical fingerprint of Tasmanian oysters showed a significant difference to Western Australian oyster data, demonstrating the ability to differentiate between regions.
Sampling results provided assurance that the data collected is usable regardless of seasonal variation.
Benefits of origin verification
- It assures consumers that the physical product has been verified against its label claims.
- It builds integrity and transparency in the supply chain by offering data-based evidence to support product origin claims.
- It provides a secondary verification of information shared with the market.
- It has the ability to verify specific location claims. I.e. Region, bay, lease.
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