Major food adulteration and contamination events occur with alarming regularity and are known to be episodic, with the question being not if but when another large-scale food safety/integrity incident will occur.
HighlightsTwo tier strategy proposed to detect oregano fraud.FT-IR screening and HR-LC-MS confirmatory methods developed.Unique biomarkers discovered in adulterants by HR-LC-MS.Chemometric calibration models generated.24% of oregano samples tested in UK/Ireland were found to be adulterated.
7The global herb and spice industry, valued at approximately US$4 billion, continues to grow. 8 This industry is continuously under threat from criminals dealing in economically motivated 9 adulteration. Opportunities for criminals to adulterate herbs and spices can occur at any point 10 along the long and complex supply chains. This review looks at the cases and effects of 11 adulteration in the herb and spice industry, and analytical methods being used to detect it and 12 ultimately prevent it. The economy and consumer confidence can be negatively affected 13 following a food fraud scandal. Fraud may also pose a health risk to consumers, even though 14 it is economically motivated, such as the case with nut protein in cumin and paprika.
15Therefore, for these reasons, rapid screening techniques are required to detect and help 16 prevent fraud from occurring in the industry. Advances in technology has resulted in an 17 increase in the use of spectroscopic techniques being used alongside chemometrics for the 18 detection of adulteration in the herb and spice industry. Also, improvements in DNA analysis 19 and mass spectrometry are providing faster and cheaper methods of adulteration detection.
20These advancing techniques aim to protect the herb and spice industry and its consumers 21 from fraud by detecting, deterring and therefore preventing adulteration. 22 23 24 25 26 27
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