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The quality and price of tea produced in different regions varies greatly, and this research investigated whether elemental content determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy can indicate origin of commercial teas. A total of 75 tea samples from tea producing countries throughout the world were analysed for their elemental content, and 18 elements were selected for analysis based on their repeatability performance. Tea origin was determined by multivariate classification of the tea into 5 major geographical regions then two regions, Asian and non-Asian. The Asian vs non-Asian classification of the teas reached an 85% correct prediction rate.

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 The global demand for coconut sugar has increased 500% in the last 10 years, giving producers problems to supply this demand. Coconut sugar like other palm sugars, is marketed as being richer in minerals and with a lower glycaemic index than cane sugar. Its high price leaves it vulnerable to adulteration with cane or even beet sugar. Coconut sugar is from a C₃ plant, hence adulteration with cane sugar from a C₄ plant is easily detected by measuring the ¹³C/¹²C isotopic ratio, which is not the case for beet sugar also from a C₃ plant. Researchers at JRC, Geel have carried out a feasibility study using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence as a screening tool to verify its authenticity. Mass fractions of P, Cl, S, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Br, Rb, and Sr determined in eleven coconut, ten cane, and one beetroot sugar samples, purchased in Belgian, Spanish, Polish, and Italian supermarkets were used for discriminating the different sugars. On average, the mass fractions of all the mentioned elements were higher in coconut than in cane and beetroot sugars. Chemometric models constructed were characterised by zero false positives; three coconut sugars (27%) could not be classified as such, neither as cane sugars.

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