Food authentication is a rapidly growing field due to increasing public awareness concerning food quality and safety. This review presents critically the analytical techniques which are used for authenticity assessment, explaining how and why they give plausible solutions. Classification of different methodologies is based on authenticity indicators providing insight into future developments. Analytical breakthroughs and novel techniques that emerged recently are discussed, along with their applications on food authentication. We have discussed current limits and gaps, related to informatics needs for data analysis of large quantities. Reporting standards and reference database are elaborated indicating urgent needs for the progress of this field. A scientometric evaluation highlighted the research trends and emerging approaches of this evolving field. Popular analytical techniques are commented, while the potential of the field is depicted in the temporal evolution of the research output focusing on geographical distribution of research activity and preferred journals used for dissemination.

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The stable isotope ratios ( 13 C/ 12 C, 15 Recently, several papers have been published about the application of stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) using isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to animal products. The aims of these studies were to obtain dietary reconstruction, to study animal movement patterns, 1-5 and to characterise the geographical origin. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Another important aim could be to study and quantify the alteration of stable isotope ratios (SIRs) in milk by substituting a C 3 plant diet with maize. This could be important in order to protect milk and milk derivatives produced using traditional or 'organic' practices of pasture compared with products produced with cheaper diets based on maize derivatives. There have been recent reports about this in defatted meat, [17][18][19] in related fat, 17 in several animal tissues such as blood, plasma, liver, kidney, cow hair 20 and in sheep faeces. 21 In these papers it was shown that there is a strong correlation between the SIR of carbon and the amount of maize in the diet. It was also shown that the degree of this alteration depends on the component or body tissue considered, due to its biochemical composition and turnover rate. 22 On the other hand, variations in the SIRs in milk and milk derivatives following suitable experimental design have not been so extensively explored. Metges et al. 23 investigated the 13 C/ 12 C of CO 2 breath, bulk milk and serum by exchanging a C 3 plant with a C 4 plant diet, and vice versa. Wilson et al. 24 studied the contribution of body protein to milk protein, changing abruptly from a C 3 to a C 4 diet. More recently, Knobbe et al. 25 followed the variation in stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition under different feeding regimes. It was concluded that, to obtain more detailed information on the influencing factors, the analysis of the SIRs of other elements such as oxygen and hydrogen may be necessary.In this study we considered around 130 cows stabled in two farms and supplied with diets made up of different kinds of C 3 plants and different amounts of maize. The different feed ingredients, the overall diet and the relevant milk (casein, lipid and some bulk samples) were subjected to analysis of 13

Multi-element (H,C,N,S) stable isotope ratio analysis was tested for its suitability as a means for geographical provenance assignment of lamb meat from several European regions. The defatted dry matter (crude protein fraction) from lamb meat was found to be a suitable probe for "light" element stable isotope ratio analysis. Significant differences were observed between the multi-element isotope ratios of lamb samples from different regions. The mean hydrogen isotopic ratios of the defatted dry matter from lamb were found to be significantly correlated with the mean hydrogen isotopic ratios of precipitation and groundwater in the production regions. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios were influenced by feeding practices and climate. Sulfur isotopic ratios were influenced by geographical location and surface geology of the production region. The results permitted differentiation of lamb meat, from most production regions, by inspection. However, more sophisticated evaluation of the data using multivariate methods, such as linear discriminant analysis, achieved 78% correct classification.

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