Basil & fennel seeds join Bia Analytical’s portfolio

Belfast, Northern Ireland based Bia Analytical Ltd has increased its authenticity testing portfolio to include basil and fennel seeds, enhancing its expanding range of herbs and spice authenticity tests to help fight food fraud.

The complex network of global herb and spice suppliers remains continuously under threat from fraudsters dealing in economically motivated adulteration, with a multitude of opportunities for criminals to adulterate herbs and spices and falsify country of origin along the supply chain.

Foods such as dried herbs and spices are among the categories most commonly subjected to fraud. Bia Analytical have worked with numerous trusted industry partners to develop new methods of authenticity testing for basil and fennel, covering multiple varieties and countries of origin, further validating the method using typical and atypical samples.

Native to Central Africa and Asia, Basil (Ocimum basilicum), a culinary plant herb in the family Lamiaceae, is used in a wide variety of cuisines and medicines worldwide. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a member of the carrot and parsley family, with a flavour reminiscent of anise or licorice.

Belfast based Bia Analytical can help to reduce food business’ exposure to the risk of food fraud using industry-leading, cutting-edge spectroscopy with chemometric analysis testing methods. Spectroscopy with chemometric analysis are becoming the most reliable method for adulteration detection in herbs and spices.

This technology enables Bia Analytical to provide results within a guaranteed three working day turnaround time, empowering food producers and their suppliers to make decisions and retain consumer confidence in their products.

Bia Analytical now offers rapid authenticity testing for 14 herbs and spices including black pepper, turmeric, sage, paprika, oregano, garlic, cumin, ginger, white pepper, coriander, thyme, parsley, basil and thyme– with methods for new food groups currently in development.

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