Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food production sectors in the world contributing to 47% of seafood production. Asian countries play a significant role in aquaculture production which is fundamental to regional economic growth. Asian countries are exporters and importers of aquaculture products. The complex market supply chains can and do enable fraudulent activities which affect profitability and sustainable development. Seafood provenance refers to whether seafood is produced sustainably and properly labelled, specifically referring to its geographic origin and production methods. Aquaculture is emerging as one of the major food production sectors. Accordingly, businesses and consumers have shown a growing interest in knowing where their seafood comes from. Seafood provenance, therefore, is immensely important not only to ensure public health and environmental biosecurity, but also for the sustainability of the aquaculture industry as it is linked to the livelihood of millions of people.
Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), in collaboration with universities and industry collaborators in Australia, developed a suite of provenance technologies that analyse the intrinsic isotopic and elemental fingerprints of seafood. The technology can accurately determine the origin of aquaculture products with over 85% accuracy. This technology has two versions. Firstly, a lab-based fingerprinting technology provides a detailed analysis of the isotopic and elemental fingerprints of seafood. Secondly, a portable scanning method relies on handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning to generate a profile of the elemental fingerprint in a seafood sample in real time, and a powerful digital tool that will help the seafood industry combat food fraud and identify mislabelled seafood products easily, allowing wholesalers, retailers and consumers to make informed decisions for their purchase.