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Characterisation of the lipid component of seafood products based on chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques has been reported as a promising approach to differentiate farmed from wild-type products. In this study, Italian researchers used a fast method based on Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) coupled to High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) based on a single stage Orbitrap mass analyser, integrated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), to discriminate wild-type from farmed salmon of Salmo salar species. Obtaining the 30 most intense signals (all referred to fatty acids, FA) detected in negative ion DART-HRMS spectra of the lipid extracts of salmon fillets [26 wild-type from Canada, 74 farmed from Canada (25), Norway (25) and Chile (24)] were considered as the variables for PCA. In agreement with other studies, three saturated (14:0, 16:0 and 18:0) FA, along with unsaturated ones having 20 or 22 carbon atoms, were found as the main discriminating variables for wild-type salmons, whereas FA with compositions 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 and several oxidised forms arising from them were found to have a significantly higher incidence in farmed salmon. The methodology was tested against 6 samples of farmed Norwegian salmon, which were all correctly classified.

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A recently developed FT-NIR method in conjunction with partial least squares analysis was applied to retail labelled EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) purchased in College Park, MD, USA to rapidly predict whether they were authentic, potentially mixed with refined olive oil (RO) or other vegetable oil(s), or are of lower quality. 88 retail EVOOs were assessed according to published specified ranges, and only 33 (37.5%) satisfied the three published FT-NIR requirements identified for authentic EVOO products, which included the purity test. The remaining 55 samples (62.5%) did not meet one or more of the criteria established for authentic EVOO. This test was based on limits established for the contents of three potential adulterants: oils high in linoleic acid, oils high in oleic acid, palm olein, and/or refined olive oil. If assessments had been based strictly on whether the fatty acid composition was within the established ranges set by the International Olive Council (IOC), less than 10% would have been identified as non-EVOO.

Read the abstract at: FTIR Method for Authenticity of Extra Virgin Olive Oil