Authenticity of cereals and cereal-based products: protecting tradition in bread- and pasta-making with modern analytical techniques.

AUTHENTICITY is a complex attribute of food products. A food product can possess several attributes: “search” attributes can be examined before purchase (color and size, for example); “experience” attributes, such as taste, can be evaluated after purchasing; and “credence” attributes are those that a consumer cannot evaluate, like authenticity (Figure 5.1; FAO, 2003). Main issues connected to authenticity of food products concern: (1) the name of the food or its brand; (2) the declaration of ingredients and their quantities; (3) declarations on processing and treatments; (4) claims about the provenance and geographic origin.