title: Isoscapes of carbon and oxygen stable isotope compositions in tracing authenticity and geographical origin of Italian extra-virgin olive oils.
abstract: The authentication and verification of the geographical origin of food commodities are important topics in the food sector. This study shows the spatial variability in δ(13)C and δ(18)O of 387 samples of Italian extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) collected from 2009 to 2011. EVOOs' δ(13)C and δ(18)O values were related to GIS (Geographic Information System) layers of source water δ(18)O and climate data (mean monthly temperature and precipitation, altitude, xerothermic index) to evaluate the impact of the most significant large-scale drivers for the isotopic composition of Italian EVOOs. A geospatial model of δ(18)O and δ(13)C was developed for the authentication and verification of the geographical origin of EVOOs. The geospatial model identified EVOOs from four distinct areas: north, south-central Tyrrhenian, central Adriatic and islands, highlighting the zonation of the expected isotopic signatures. This geospatial approach can be used to define a protocol for analyzing the isotopic composition of EVOOs in order to certify their origin and prevent food fraud. Limits and perspectives of the model are discussed.
authors.affiliation: CNR Institute of Agro-Environmental and Forest Biology, via G. Marconi 2, 05010 Porano, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.chiocchini@ibaf.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiocchini
authors.affiliation: CNR Institute of Agro-Environmental and Forest Biology, via G. Marconi 2, 05010 Porano, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.proratrena@ibaf.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Portarena
authors.affiliation: CNR Institute of Agro-Environmental and Forest Biology, via G. Marconi 2, 05010 Porano, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: marco.ciolfi@ibaf.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciolfi
authors.affiliation: CNR Department of Earth System Science and Technology for the Environment, piazzale Aldo Moro 7, 00185 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: enrico.brugnoli@cnr.it.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brugnoli
authors.affiliation: CNR Institute of Agro-Environmental and Forest Biology, via G. Marconi 2, 05010 Porano, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: marco.lauteri@ibaf.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauteri
mesh_terms: D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D002980:Climate; D007558:Italy; D000069463:Olive Oil / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes
keywords: Climate data; Food traceability; Geospatial modeling; IRMS; Kriging; Plant×environment interactions