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In this paper (purchase required) the authors developed an LC-MSMS method to identify and quantify fourteen illegal dyes in chili products, including chili powder, chili sauce, chili flavour, and snacks. They validated the method following the guidelines of CIR EU 2021/808 (the prescriptive requirements for methods for veterinary drug residues in animal products) at four concentration levels ranging from 5 to 70 µg/kg,. The method's applicability was further confirmed through successful proficiency testing (PT) participation.

An analysis of 2350 samples purchased on the Egyptian market over four years revealed that 18.62 % of chili powders, 14.05 % of sauces, 12.87 % of flavorus, and 11.32 % of snacks contained illegal dyes. Sudan IV and Red B were the most frequently found dyes in chili powders (15.86 % each), while Sudan I was the most common in sauces (13.72 %), flavours (12.54 %), and snacks (9.36 %).

Photo by Min Ling on Unsplash

This application note from Canadian testing company Purity-IQ builds upon published methods to describe the use of proton NMR in authenticity testing of herbs and spices.  Proton NMR, with non-targeted metabolomic profiling, can be used for botanical species authentication but also to detect product anomalies.  It is particularly useful for detecting dyes, as both natural and synthetic dyes tend to contain spectrally-distinctive aromatic ring structures.  In this application, the principle was demonstrated by the clear differentiation of paprika spiked with Sudan dyes, turmeric spiked with metanil yellow, and beet/grape extracts spiked with black rice extract.

Image from the application note.