It might one day be possible to prove the organic radicchio on display is truly organic. Researchers in Great Britain think they've developed a test that can vouch for authenticity by measuring the amount of nitrogen in the product. The procedure uses gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to measure the amount of “heavy” nitrogen, an isotope found in significant amounts in crops grown with natural fertilizers, such as manure. A very basic form of the test, profiled in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, had accuracy rates of 60% for tomatoes, 30% for lettuce and 10% for carrots.
