GO-TRAZCAN Operational Group: Taste the difference of authenticity

The overall objective of the project is to add value to local agricultural products by identifying the traceability of their geographical origin, product quality parameters, and sustainable production strategies for cultivation, with the aim of increasing their competitiveness in marketing. The local agricultural product selected for this project is tropical pineapple (Ananas comusus (L.) Merr.). Specific objective:

• Diagnosis of the value chain of tropical pineapple (Ananas comusus (L.) Merr.) agri-food production and identification of strategic opportunities to strengthen the competitiveness of products that do not have an indication of origin from the Canary Islands.
• Development, optimization and validation of the analytical methodology for the determination of the isotopic ratios of carbon (13C/12C) and hydrogen (2H/1H) that will allow the characterization of the isotopic profile of tropical pineapple (Ananas comusus (L.) Merr.) both in locally produced pineapple in the Canary Islands and in imported pineapple in Spain, from different geographical locations.
• Development, optimization and validation of the analytical methodology for determining the composition of trace elements, oligoelements and rare earth elements that will allow the characterization of the inorganic profile of tropical pineapple (Ananas comusus (L.) Merr.) both in locally produced pineapple in the Canary Islands and in imported pineapple in Spain, originating from different geographical locations.
• Development of an objective tool for characterizing the traceability of geographical origin by integrating the analytical parameters determined in specific objectives 2 and 3 into a single matrix, applying a multivariate linear discriminant function analysis to study the analytical differences of tropical pineapple from different geographical locations.
• Characterization of nutritional quality parameters and bioactive compounds, comparing local Canary Island produce with produce from other geographical locations.
• Evaluation of the conditions and parameters of tropical pineapple cultivation in the Canary Islands and development of strategies that increase the crop's sustainability and minimize the product's carbon footprint.
• Development of a working methodology for enhancing the value of Canary Islands agri-food products, characterizing their integrity (authenticity and quality in the food chain) with objective analytical tools that provide added value to Canary Islands products and arguments for defending local products in situations of potential fraud.