Abstract
Food authenticity and provenance have gained increasing importance in the modern food industry due to the persistent threat of food fraud and the complex nature of global food supply chains. Throughout history, food adulteration has evolved from mixing ingredients for profit to sophisticated practices driven by industrialisation, urbanisation, and globalisation. The consequences of food fraud extend beyond economic losses, impacting food safety, consumers' trust, and overall industry stability.
Food authentication has emerged as a critical component of ensuring genuine food products' identity, quality, safety and origin to combat these challenges. This involves using scientific methods and technologies, including DNA analysis, microscopy, spectroscopy, chromatography and stable isotope analysis. Food authentication initiatives are guided by international organisations like the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and regional regulations such as the European Union's (EU) protection of product names through geographical indications. In Japan, where regional agricultural and fishery products hold esteemed value, regulations such as the Rice Traceability Act (RTA) and the Geographical Indication (GI) Act have been established to safeguard product authenticity and traceability. These measures respond to instances of food fraud, such as the 2013 horsemeat scandal, the 2017 fipronil eggs contamination, and the 2008 Osenmai scandal (contaminated rice scandal) in Japan.
The primary objective of this research is to improve supply chain reliability and resilience through robust methodologies that validate the origins of food products. This is achieved by a comprehensive investigation into using stable isotopes as powerful tools for tracing the geographic origins of Japanese brown rice samples, encompassing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulphur, and strontium and their potential implications for provenance studies. Bayesian multiple regression models are then used, integrating diverse attributes, including anthropogenic factors, climatic conditions, environmental influences, geographical considerations, and geological aspects. The study focuses on Japanese brown rice, exemplifying the development of predictive models that offer insights into the rice's origin and authenticity.
In conclusion, this thesis contributes to the field of provenance studies by demonstrating the substantial potential of stable isotopes as tools for tracing the geographic origins of Japanese brown rice. Through measurements, statistical modelling, and interdisciplinary approaches, the thesis advances our understanding of stable isotope geochemistry's applicability in determining the origin of food products.