Ingredient adulteration and mislabeling of flavors and fragrances are often due to consumer demand for naturally sourced ingredients, the relatively high prices for these commodities, and the often limited availability of plant material. In a recent article, Beta Analytic Marketing Specialist Haley Gershon describes how carbon-14 testing provides reassurance that ingredient origin of flavors and […]
In an article published recently in Nutritional Outlook, Beta Analytic’s Marketing Specialist Haley Gershon described the value of Carbon-14 testing in the food and flavors industry as a tool in identifying economic adulteration in natural products.
ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic presented the results of its garlic oil case study in an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The lab tested five commercially available garlic oil — four were labeled as “natural” and one sample was clearly labeled as “artificial”. All five samples passed GC-MS testing. However, Carbon-14 […]
Menthol is a compound that is used across many industries from confectionary to pharmaceutical products. Its popularity and range of applications stems from its activation of cold-sensitive human tissue receptors. There are both natural and synthetic sources of menthol available today, with synthetic menthol expected to see increasing market growth.
As natural products become more popular, so follows the increasing incentive for adulteration. There are many testing methods available to help authenticate natural products. However, owing to the complexity of many natural products and new adulteration methods, there is no single test that can guarantee 100% authenticity.
Economically motivated adulteration of bitter almond oil is a major concern in the food and beverage industry. Quality control teams need a stringent method to confirm if their bitter almond oil ingredient is natural or has been artificially made from petrochemical derivatives. Although there are several techniques that can detect adulteration, only carbon-14 analysis can […]
Garlic oil is vulnerable to economically motivated adulteration and misleading or false labeling. ISO 17025-accredited natural products testing lab Beta Analytic selected garlic oil as subject of a case study precisely because of these reasons and to highlight the need for strict quality control measures for essential oils.
The definition of “natural” has been a popular topic for years following the growing interest in natural products. The claim lacks clear regulation in many industries, resulting in ambiguity for consumers seeking natural products. While regulations catch up with trends, it is important for businesses with natural products to be able to offer clarity for […]
Raspberry ketone has long been used in the flavor and fragrance industry for its characteristic fruity aroma and more recently as a dietary supplement. Its scientific name is 4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone and it can either be extracted from raspberries or synthesized. Natural product analysis based on Carbon-14 testing is a useful tool for verifying whether raspberry ketone […]
As consumers place growing importance on “natural” ingredients, there are increasing instances of synthetic alternatives, which are often cheaper, being used in place of the more expensive naturally sourced products. Alongside this trend is a growing concern among consumers regarding the use of petroleum-sourced synthetic materials.
