Indicator Displacement Array (IDA) is a rapid on-site test technique based upon a panel of different colourimetric indicators (e.g. different types of pH indicators, and/or different colour-labelled receptor binding sites). It gives a multi-component data set which can be read using a smartphone.
In this study (here – purchase required) the authors applied IDA to authenticating Longjing tea. Longjing is a legal Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in China and has a premium retail value. The name cannot be used for teas from the same botanical species, using the same production methods, if they originate from other regions. There has been a history of fraudulent “Longjing” labelling. The authors report that they have developed and validated a chemometric identification model for Longjing tea using IDA. They have also designed a panel of IDA sensors that are food-contact safe, meaning that their design is suitable for routine use within the tea supply chain. They conclude that IDA sensors could be similarly developed and applied to other applications where the origin of food or ingredients needs to be verified at point-of-use.
Photo by Bluesea Tea on Unsplash
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