title: H, C, N and S stable isotopes and mineral profiles to objectively guarantee the authenticity of grated hard cheeses.
abstract: In compliance with the European law (EC No. 510/2006), geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs must be protected against mislabelling. This is particularly important for PDO hard cheeses, as Parmigiano Reggiano, that can cost up to the double of the no-PDO competitors. This paper presents two statistical models, based on isotopic and elemental composition, able to trace the origin of cheese also in grated and shredded forms, for which it is not possible to check the logo fire-marked on the rind. One model is able to predict the origin of seven types of European hard cheeses (in a validation step, 236 samples out of 240 are correctly recognised) and the other specifically to discriminate the PDO Parmigiano Reggiano cheese from 9 European and 2 extra-European imitators (260 out of 264 correct classifications). Both models are based on Random Forests. The most significant variables for cheese traceability common in both models are δ(13)C, δ(2)H, δ(15)N, δ(34)S and Sr, Cu, Mo, Re, Na, U, Bi, Ni, Fe, Mn, Ga, Se, and Li. These variables are linked not only to geography, but also to cow diet and cheese making processes.
authors.affiliation: IASMA Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy. federica.camin@iasma.it
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camin
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wehrens
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bertoldi
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bontempo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ziller
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicolini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nocetti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Larcher
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002611:Cheese / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D005524:Food Technology / Q000379:methods*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D007881:Legislation, Food; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D008903:Minerals; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D009584:Nitrogen