Application of Stable Isotope Analysis for Detecting the Geographical Origin of the Greek Currants "Vostizza": A Preliminary Study

• Published in: Foods 2023-04, Vol.12 (8), p.1672
• Main Authors: Thomatou, Anna-Akrivi, Mazarakioti, Eleni C, Zotos, Anastasios, Kontogeorgos, Achilleas, Patakas, Angelos, Ladavos, Athanasios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Authenticity; Chromatography; Chronic illnesses; Consumers; Consumption; Cultural heritage; Currants; Fair trade; Flavonoids; Food products; Food science; geographical origin; Greek currants; Isotope ratios; isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS); Isotopes; Local economy; Mass spectrometry; Microclimate; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Origin; Potassium; Regulation; Scientific imaging; Stable isotopes; Sulfur
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods12081672

There is a plethora of food products with geographical indications registered in the European Union without any study about their discrimination from other similar products. This is also the case for Greek currants. This paper aims to analyze if stable isotope analysis of C, N, and S could discriminate the Greek currants "Vositzza", registered as a product of Protected Designation of Origin, from two other currants registered as products of Protected Geographical Indication coming from neighboring areas. The first results show that the stable isotope ratio of sulfur is not detectable due to the very low sulfur content in the samples, and the analysis should be based on the stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen to discriminate these products. The mean value of δ N (1.38‱) of PDO "Vostizza" currants is lower than that of currants grown outside the PDO zone (2.01‱), while the mean value of δ C of PDO "Vostizza" currants is higher (-23.93‱) in comparison to that of currants grown outside the PDO zone (-24.83‱). Nevertheless, the results indicate that with only two isotopic ratios, discrimination could not be achieved, and further analysis is required.