Food authentication is an issue that has become increasingly important over recent years due in part to the legislative trend away from compositional legislation to label declaration. In the US and Europe working groups have been established to bring scientists, industry and the government together to exchange information about food authenticity. This book surveys the range of analytical methods applied to investigate and confirm authenticity or adulteration. Food manufacturers need to ensure that their products meet the demands of legislation in the countries where they are sold, where as governments need to ensure that tested and valid methods are available to meet the needs of industry and to protect the public from misleading or fradulent labelling. The book assesses the applicability of various methods according to the needs of these different groups. The text should be of interest to analytical chemists, quality assurance personnel, and enforcement officers in local and national governments.

The issue of food authenticity is not new. For centuries unscrupulous farmers and traders have attempted to 'extend', or othewise alter, their products to maximise revenues. In recent years the subject has reached new prominence and there even have been situations where food authenticity has featured as a newspaper headline in various countries. Food legislation covering the definition, and in some cases composition, of various commodities has been in place in developed countries for many years and paradoxically it is the legislative trend away from emphasis on composition and more on accurate and truthfullabeliing that has been one driving force for the authenticity issue. Another, and many would speculate as the more potent, driving force is the move towards fewer and larger supermarket chains in many countries. Such trading companies with their images of quality products, buying power and commercial standing, exercise considerable commercial power which has been claimed as a significant source of financial pressure on food prices and food commodity product quality. For whatever reason, recent food authenticity issues have become news and consumers, the media and enforcement authorities are showing more interest than ever before in the subject.