University of Alicante Studies Iberian Pine Nut to Combat Fraudulent Trade

The Iberian pine nut is one of the most expensive nuts on the market, highly sought after for traditional Easter sweets, making it susceptible to fraudulent trade. Researchers at the University of Alicante (UA) have focused on this product to prevent potential illicit uses and evaluate its nutritional properties.

This research, conducted under the Mediterranean Gastronomy Centre GASTERRA's own programme and in collaboration with the Dénia City Council, aims to provide tools to differentiate the Iberian pine nut from imported species and detect possible commercial frauds.

The research team, comprising Stéphanie Torrijo and Salvador Maestre from the Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology; Alejandro Romero from the Department of Biotechnology; and Segundo Ríos from the Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, has employed advanced 3D geometric morphometry techniques to compare the shape of various pine nut species from different regions worldwide.

Through scanning with Shining EINSCAN-SP technology and analysis with specialised software such as Geomagic and MeshLab, the researchers have identified significant differences among the studied species.

From a nutritional standpoint, the study reveals that the Iberian pine nut has a higher concentration of essential minerals, such as magnesium and potassium, compared to the Chinese pine nut, one of the main market alternatives. In terms of fat content, the imported pine nut has a higher total fat percentage (49.3%) compared to the Iberian pine nut's 38.2%, although the latter is notable for its richness in beneficial fatty acids like oleic acid.

The study also reveals that the Iberian pine nut doubles the magnesium and potassium content compared to the Chinese pine nut, with approximately 500mg/100g. For minor components, the Iberian pine nut also surpasses the Chinese pine nut, except for nickel content.

The lead researcher of the study, Stéphanie Torrijo, highlighted the importance of these findings: "The Iberian pine nut is an emblematic product of our gastronomy, and its high price makes it a target for food fraud. Our study demonstrates that there are morphological and nutritional differences between species, which could help implement better quality controls and ensure the product's authenticity in the market."

The study's results underscore the need for better control mechanisms to prevent commercial fraud, as some imported pine nut species bear morphological similarities to the Iberian pine nut, which could lead to purchasing errors. Additionally, the research suggests the possibility of future studies expanding the analysis to other biochemical variables to more precisely determine quality differences between species.