Prawn samples covering all of Australia’s major fishing and aquaculture areas will be analysed by Source Certain International (SCI)* for their identifying trace metal profiles by mid 2019. The database of trace metal profiles aims to provide the industry with the ability to prove provenance and product integrity. The technical ability to prove a prawn’s origin provides greater confidence for consumers. It also supports industry’s investment in Australia’s prawn marketing program “Love Australian Prawns”.
Legal advice has confirmed that trace metal authentication information may be used by investigating enforcement agencies in criminal investigations in cases of suspected product substitution and mislabelling.
*SCI was selected in a competitive process by an industry panel and contracted in May 2018 under a feasibility project being run for the Australian prawn industry (Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries Ltd and Australian Prawn Farmers Association) and the Australian Government via the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, through the School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University.
