How to Validate Natural-Sourced Ingredients by Carbon-14 Analysis
A recent article published in Food Engineering & Ingredients magazine written by Jordan Turner explains the importance and the benefits of carbon-14 analysis for R&D teams and manufacturers to validate natural-sourced ingredients. Ms. Turner is Beta Analytic’s Marketing Coordinator.
What is Carbon-14 Analysis?
Because the carbon-14 isotope is present in all living materials, carbon-14 testing is an accurate method used to calculate the percentage of naturally sourced versus petrochemical-derived ingredients in a given material. That is to say, natural-sourced ingredients will contain a known level of carbon-14, whereas fossil fuel-derived materials will not contain any.
Carbon-14 testing is the only method that can identify the presence of petrochemical-derived adulterants in a product claiming to be 100% naturally sourced.
Natural-sourced or Petrochemical-derived?
The growing demand for natural and biomass-based products has led to an increase in mislabeling and economically motivated adulteration. Hence, to prove their ingredients are naturally sourced, companies are opting for carbon-14 testing. Test results allow companies to validate their natural-sourced ingredients and scientifically support their label claims while preserving the product’s integrity.
The Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), an international standard for food ingredients, uses the isotope signatures method, including carbon-14, to determine the biobased content of food ingredients to differentiate renewable carbon versus synthetic sources of ingredients.
For more information, please read Beta Analytic’s full article “Validating the natural source of ingredients by Carbon-14 testing” published in April 2022.
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To request for more information on carbon-14 analysis of food ingredients, please call (+1) 305-662-7760 or email Beta Analytic using this form.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 and is filed under Beta Analytic Updates, Flavors Carbon-14 Analysis, Natural Product Testing .