AZO MATERIALS: Using Raman Microscopy to Detect Counterfeit Coconut Water

Description

The majority of the coconut water supplied to the West comes from only five countries and this increase in popularity has resulted in an imbalance between supply and demand. This has led to criminal activity in the supply chain. As a result, scientists at the University of Manchester are studying the adulteration of coconut water using a Renishaw inVia™ confocal Raman microscope.

In 2017, 400 tonnes of coconut water were seized at the port of Felixstowe, England, by a national food-crime investigation. Subsequent testing revealed that of the twelve imported brands, seven had been adulterated.

The group that is conducting the research into fake coconut water is led by Prof. Roy Goodacre, from the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology. Mr Paul Richardson, his research student, used a Renishaw inVia Raman microscope to detect and quantify the adulteration of fresh coconut water stretched with water-sugar mixes.