A new law proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture connected strongly geology and chemistry with balsamic vinegar. In fact, in order to prove the exact place of origin of raw material, this year genetic tests started on the product, improving the quality of this black gold. Basically, the stable isotopes ratio will be analyzed through a process of isotopic mass spectrometry; so it’s safe to say that: isotopes tell the truth!
First of all: what are the isotopes? Isotopes are the variant of a specific element that differ only by the number of neutron in the core. Each element has its own isotopic distribution, such as carbon that in case has an istopic number of 12 it has a distribution of 98%, 13 has a distribution of 1%. The carbon 14 is used to determine the exact location and age of death of fossils. However, these values can be altered by geographical and biochemical factors, this is why they are fundamental in testing.
But, what are these tests? The spectrometry of isotopic mass, or IRMS, has the capacity to determine the number of stable isotopes, such as hidrogen or carbon. The samples of are burned, in order to reduce the number of extra and useless elements, and brought to gas form. From the isotopic report it can be distringuished the various animals, or plants, or biological molecules in general; that’s why it gained a fundamental importance in determining the quality of food.
It can also identify the way that have been used to grow the raw materials: fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals additives. As we said: isotoped tell the truth!
What are the isotopes tested? During a mass spectrometry it’s analyzed the isotopic relations of stable elements: hidroge (2H/1H), carbon (13C/12C), nitrogen (15N/14N), oxygen (18O/16O) and sulphur (34S/32S). The value of the isotopic relation is expressed in δ‰ according to the following formula:
δ =[(Rsample−Rstandard)/Rstandard]×1000, where R is the relation between the heaviest isotope and the lightest one.
The result will allow the scientists to prove where the material, such as cooked must, was growth and will permit the producers to testify the authenticity of their product, quality starts from the beginning, and consumers will be pleased because they will know that they are consuming the best that our black gold has to offer.
So be grateful because: ISOTOPES TELL THE TRUTH!