German retailer Aldi Süd has announced that it is looking into isotope analysis as a way to guarantee a specific local or regional origin of fresh produce.
Isotope analysis identifies the ‘isotopic signature’ of the chemical elements within a substance. If the isotopic signature of a plant, or its fruit, matches that of a particular soil sample, it can be ascertained that the plant or fruit has grown in that soil.
To establish the scientific proof, Aldi Süd will task Bilacon, a Berlin-based laboratory analytics and food hygiene company, with comparing the isotopic signatures of fresh produce and local or regional soil samples.
"Our customers should not rely on the quality of our products only," said Ingo Hoffmann, director of Quality Management at Aldi Süd. "They should also be able to trust us on the source of the fruits and vegetables."
Aldi Süd is currently piloting the isotope-analysis process with regionally grown strawberries and asparagus, of which the local origin is especially appreciated by Aldi customers, according to Hoffmann.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Martha Sparrius. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
