Apple grower employs traceability technology

One of New Zealand's largest apple growers has adopted Dunedin-designed traceability technology to ensure its fruit was not subjected to food fraud.

Taylor Corporation sells one million cases of apples a year and has employed Oritain Global to independently certify the origin of its fruit.

Oritain's manager of New Zealand operations, Mike Darling, said his technology allowed food producers to support brand promises of quality and excellence with proof of origin.

"Food fraud is a pervasive global issue for all producers who have worked hard to earn a good reputation," he said.

Labels could be tampered with but Oritain used chemical properties in food which it linked to the region where product was grown to prove its origin, preventing fraud, brand tampering or false claims.

Mr Darling said Taylors, a Hawkes Bay company, was the first apple grower in the world to use its technology.

"Taylor Corporation will no longer be dependent solely upon the integrity of the supply chain or the actions of other players in the market to protect the integrity of their fruit."

Orchard owner Kevin Taylor said his company had spent the past 25 years building a reputation of growing and selling quality apples for which buyers and consumers paid a premium.