FY2024 FNCA Workshop on CFF project hosted by ANSTO, Australia, was held on October 14-16, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. The Workshop was attended by 33 participants in person and online from 10 countries, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan (observer), Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Fiji (observer), including workshop staffs.

The combating food fraud using nuclear technology project officially started in 2024 after a two-year preparation period. This project aims to undertake research for the establishment of a food provenance technology platform and a federated database for key priority food items to mitigate the incidents of fraud in the supply chain. The outcomes of this project will contribute to the larger area of the Asia and Pacific region through the development of scientific capacity of the participating countries in the application of nuclear analysis techniques in food traceability.

The goal of this workshop was to build upon previous engagements and discuss the methodological framework for the federated database of elemental fingerprints of food produce that each country will utilize during the project. Discussing with the participating countries regarding the implementation plan of the CFF project including selection of food items, sample collection and analysis plan for 2024, the meeting also had a training and knowledge sharing session to discuss the application of nuclear technology on food fraud mitigation.

 

Participants visited various labs to learn about their applications in food and environmental research. Additionally, they received training on handheld XRF scanners for food analysis, a major focus of the CFF project.

From 14-16 October 2024, ANSTO hosted a three-day in-person and virtual training workshop in Sydney to advance project milestones for the FNCA’s food fraud combating initiative.
The projects previous online training workshops in 2023 led to an agreement on the food items each country will use: a common seafood commodity (Tiger Prawn) and one additional item specific to each participating country.
The goal of this workshop was to build upon previous engagements and discuss the methodological framework for the federated database of elemental fingerprints of food produce that each country will utilise during the project. The meeting also included training and knowledge-sharing sessions on the application of nuclear technology for food fraud mitigation, featuring lab visits to observe nuclear analysis techniques in food analysis. Participants visited various labs to learn about their applications in food and environmental research. Additionally, they received training on handheld XRF scanners for food analysis, a major focus of the CFF project.
A total of 33 participants (with near 50:50 gender balance) attended the three-day workshop facilitated by Dr Debashish Mazumder, Project Leader of Combating Food Fraud using Nuclear Technology (CFF) at ANSTO. Two participants from Fiji attended as observers. Fiji showed great interest in the CFF project, and their participation provided valuable opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing. This engagement supports the broader implementation of the CFF project in the Asia-Pacific region, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals on food safety and sustainable agricultural production, as well as gender equality and partnerships.
Each of the three days of the workshop were divided into multiple sessions.

Day 1 Session 1

Chair: Ms. Patricia Gadd, Science Program Leader at ANSTO

In her opening remarks, she provided an overview and history of the ANSTO facility, followed by a brief outline of its values and how they align with the FNCA mission. Dr. Karina Meredith, Leader of Nuclear Science and Technology-Environment at ANSTO outlined ANSTO’s capabilities in environmental research and provided examples of the tangible outcomes of their work. Dr. Meredith also discussed the purpose of the Traceability Platform and its role within the FNCA, followed by an overview of the expected outcomes and benefits of the workshop and resultant collaborations. Dr Tamada, FNCA Coordinator from Japan addressed the delegates via video, speaking broadly about the FNCA and then focusing on the areas of Food Fraud and Provenance.

Day 1 Session 2 & 3

Chair: Ms. Patricia Gadd, Science Program Leader at ANSTO

These sessions contained workshop presentations from ANSTO participants outlining the technical aspects of the provenance project. The first talk was given by Dr. Debashish Mazumder, who provided an overview of the project including the background, reasoning for its establishment and relevance to South-East Asia (and the FNCA) and Fiji. He reiterated the need for a federated “whole-country-wide” elemental fingerprint for the relevant food items and encouraged participants to freely share knowledge, comment, contribute and make the process open and collaborative. The following talks pertained to technical aspects of the hand-held XRF unit used by ANSTO (Olympus Vanta) presented by Mr. Jason Bertoldi, X-ray and radiations safety best practice presented by Ms. Patricia Gadd, development of database systems by Dr. Carol Tadros, which was then followed by dissemination of statistical methodologies and techniques presented by Dr. Jagoda Crawford. Ms. Elizabeth Bell provided guidelines on chain of custody from ANSTO as a case study perspective, followed by a video presentation from Prof. Jesmond Sammut on the importance and benefits of collaboration, both within and between institutions, but also more widely with government and industry partners. A key takeaway of this presentation, being that the larger the collaboration network, the easier it is to capitalise on the amassed specialised knowledge and skill set to obtain funding or broaden scope, ultimately leading to more significant and better outcomes.
Day 1 concluded with a Q&A session where countries took turns expressing their most significant challenges in an open forum, receiving feedback and suggestions. Common themes that emerged included funding issues, sample collection problems (such as trust issues within the industry), and the importance of food safety and provenance to address adulteration issues in the supply chain.

Day 2 Session 1

This session contained an ANSTO and laboratory tour with talks and technical presentations showcasing available capabilities and techniques that support the Food Provenance research at ANSTO.
Mr. Jason Bertoldi and Dr Patrick Adams showcased the handheld XRF analyser and the Itrax-µXRF scanner, respectively. Mr. Jason Bertoldi facilitated a live scanning demonstration on a rice sample provided by Viet Nam, utilising the handheld XRF scanner. He demonstrated how to operate the workstation and the computer software and provided an example of the raw data output from the scanner.
Ms. Narelle Hegarty explained the procedure for preparing raw food samples for IRMS, including the use of standards, precision in weighing, and the pelleting process. She also demonstrated the EA-IRMS equipment used at ANSTO for stable isotope analysis (SIA), providing examples of raw data output and data treatment in the Instrument Room, including troubleshooting.
In IRMS lab, ANSTO, Ms. Narelle Hegarty explained the procedure for preparing raw food samples for IRMS, including the use of standards, precision in weighing, and the pelleting process. She also demonstrated the EA-IRMS equipment used at ANSTO for stable isotope analysis (SIA), providing examples of raw data output and data treatment in the Instrument Room, including troubleshooting.
In Centre for Accelerator Science, ANSTO, Dr. Armand Atanacio showcased the Ion Beam Analysis facility at ANSTO. He explained ANSTO’s capabilities in accelerator science, particularly the use of Ion Beam Analysis for calibrating the handheld XRF used in food provenance work.

Day 2 Session 2 & 3, Day3 Session 1

Chair: Dr. Debashish Mazumder, Project Lead, Food Provenance, ANSTO

These sessions consisted of individual talks by the Delegates presenting each countries’ status and progress.

1. Dr. Roksana Huque, Bangladesh
   Tiger prawn and turmeric samples have been partially collected and sent to ANSTO for analysis. One of the major constraints was the collection of authentic samples from farms and the wild, compounded by insufficient funding.
2. Ms. Henni Widyastuti, Indonesia
   Progress is being made with Vannamei prawn and rice samples. In terms of technical readiness, Indonesia has begun analysing food samples in their labs, despite not having a handheld XRF. It was noted Indonesia needs a legal agreement with ANSTO to send samples for analysis.
3. Mr. Mohd Noor Hidayat Adenan, Malaysia
   Mango and tiger prawn samples have been collected and sent to ANSTO for analysis. Additionally, part of the samples will be analysed at their own IRMS and ICP-MS facilities. ANSTO will provide handheld XRF data once the analysis is complete.
4. Mr. Norman D.S. Mendoza, and Dr. Emmanuel Garcia, The Philippines
   The Philippines has shown significant interest in food provenance and has made notable progress. They aim to include several food items in their provenance research, such as mango, honey, tiger prawn, and coffee. They have begun analysing samples in their labs and will share the data later. Additionally, it as noted The Philippines requires a legal agreement to send samples outside the country for analysis.
5. Dr. Chakrit Saengkorakot, Thailand
   Thailand have initiated the collection of tiger prawn and plum samples for the CFF project. Additionally, they are working on honey traceability and analysing honey samples using IRMS at their facility. Thailand faces challenges in collecting authentic tiger prawn samples from genuine sources; however, they are addressing these issues through discussions with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Department of Fisheries.
6. Ms. Nandin-Erdene Oyunbileg, Mongolia
   Mongolia was initially interested in meat, honey, and milk for the CFF project. Mongolia has low technical readiness for sample analysis, and their lab is yet to be developed. One of the major constraints for establishing the CFF project in Mongolia is the need for education and awareness about food authentication and policies to address food fraud. They also emphasised the need for food safety awareness campaigns, capacity building, collaboration network development, and funding.
7. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Thinh, Viet Nam
   Tiger prawn and rice samples have been collected and sent to ANSTO for elemental analysis. Some of these samples have already been analysed by the ANSTO team and presented by Dr Debashish Mazumder as examples for provenance verification. Preliminary results indicated that both the prawn and rice samples were distinctly different based on their geographical origins. Among the challenges mentioned were technical issues with successfully analysing samples using IRMS in their lab. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss these technical issues with ANSTO’s IRMS experts. Additionally, the Viet Nam delegate highlighted issues such as knowledge gaps and insufficient funding. They also emphasized the importance of education and awareness for food quality control and the need to expand collaborations with government organizations to further the project.

Day 3 Session 2

Facilitator: Ms. Patricia Gadd, Science Program Leader at ANSTO

This session included a summary talk by Dr. Patrick Adams, presentations by the Delegates from Fiji (observers), a discussion on project milestones for the following year by Dr. Debashish Mazumder and closing remarks by Dr. Mitsuaki Yoshida from Japan and Ms. Patricia Gadd from ANSTO.

Presentations from Fiji (observer)

1. Mr. Asaeli Naika
   Mr. Naika discussed the issue of Ciguatera in fish and the associated health hazards. Fiji is interested in implementing provenance technology to address this issue, as well as in forming partnerships and building capacity. There may also be broader applications in the growing agricultural sector, particularly for the export market.
2. Mr. Kemueli Seuseu
   Mr. Seuseu talked about the Fiji National Programs that are pertinent to the FNCA. The main issues highlighted: competing demands for land - food production vs industry, issues with deforestation and run off from mining, erosion of soil and clogging of waterways, pesticides in food and the waterways / drinking water. Mr. Seuseu also spoke of the partnerships between Fiji and IAEA, including programs and training run by the IAEA and the role of partnering universities in data and research, which then guide policy and on-ground actions.

Following the presentation from Fiji observers, Dr Debashish Mazumder provided a statement of milestones and outlined the next steps to be taken for the FNCA Food Safety Program:

• Samples are to be analysed by ANSTO and data returned to countries of origin but also included in centralised repository.
• A small portion of prawn powder samples will be analysed by ANSTO, TINT, and PNRI using the handheld XRF for proficiency testing to ensure data integrity.
• Indonesia and the Philippines have suggested the requirements for the materials transfer agreement with ANSTO to send samples for analysis. Indonesia is currently preparing an agreement for ANSTO to review.
• ANSTO-led manuscript from the common data, authorship shared.
• Testing of the federated database and fingerprints for provenance.
• Workshop in 2025 to be held online (The date for the online meeting for 2025 has not been set at present).

Day 1 (October 14, 2024)