Combining Isotopic Signatures of n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) and Light Stable Elements (C, N, O, S) with Multi-Elemental Profiling for the Authentication of Provenance of European Cereal Samples

The aim of this work (from the FP6 project TRACE) was to develop methods based on the use of geochemical markers for the authentication of the geographical origin of cereal samples in Europe (cf. EC regulations 2081/92 and 1898/06). For the first time, the potential usefulness of combining n(87Sr)/n(86Sr) and delta13C, delta15N, delta18O and delta34S isotopic signatures, alone or with key element concentrations ([Na], [K], [Ca], [Cu] and [Rb], progressively identified out of 31 sets of results), was investigated through multiple step multivariate statistics for more than 500 cereal samples collected over 2 years from 17 sampling sites across Europe representing an extensive range of geographical and environmental characteristics. From the classification categories compared (north/south; proximity to the Atlantic Ocean/to the Mediterranean Sea/to else; bed rock geologies) the first two were the most efficient (particularly with the ten variables selected together). In some instances element concentrations made a greater impact than the isotopic tracers. Validation of models included external prediction tests on 20% of the data randomly selected and, rarely done, a study on the robustness of these multivariate data treatments to uncertainties on measurement results. With the models tested it was possible to individualise 15 of the sampling sites.

GOITOM ASFAHA Daniel;  QUETEL Christophe;  THOMAS Freddy;  HORACEK Micha;  WIMMER Bernhard;  HEISS Gerhard;  DEKANT Christian;  DETERS-ITZELSBERGER Peter;  HOELZL Stefan;  RUMMEL Susanne;  BRACH-PAPA Christophe;  VAN BOCXSTAELE Marleen;  JAMIN Eric;  BAXTER Malcom;  HEINRICH Katharina;  KELLY Simon;  BERTOLDI Daniela;  BONTEMPO Luana;  CAMIN Federica;  LARCHER Roberto;  PERINI Matteo;  ROSSMAN Andreas;  SCHELLENBERG Antje;  SCHLICHT Claus;  FROESCHL Heinz;  HOOGEWERFF Jurian;  UECKERMANN Henriette; 

2011-05-19

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

JRC59105

0733-5210,   

http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jcs,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC59105,   

10.1016/j.jcs.2010.11.004,