This study (open access) set out to assess the use of portable Near Infra-Red (NIR) spectroscopy as a screening tool for spice authentication, with subsequent confirmation by FT-IR The authors recommend pre-defined decision points, meaning that samples for laboratory confirmatory testing could be selected based on the results of widespread screening tests rather than based (as present) on fraud risk-ranking or audit findings.
The authors tested the approach using market surveys of oregano and cinnamon. Of 39 oregano samples, 7 screened suspect by NIR, 1 of which subsequently confirmed as non-compliant by FT-IR. Of 27 cinnamon samples, 17 screened suspect by NIR, or which 12 confirmed non-compliant by FT-IR. There were no non-compliant samples that that failed to be flagged as suspect by the NIR screen.
Photo by Anju Ravindranath on Unsplash
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