Spice and Herb Frauds: Types, Incidence, and Detection: The State of the Art

Abstract

There is a necessity to protect the quality and authenticity of herbs and spices because of the increase in the fraud and adulteration incidence during the last 30 years. There are several aspects that make herbs and spices quite vulnerable to fraud and adulteration, including their positive and desirable sensorial and health-related properties, the form in which they are sold, which is mostly powdered, and their economic relevance around the world, even in developing countries. For these reasons, sensitive, rapid, and reliable techniques are needed to verify the authenticity of these agri-food products and implement effective adulteration prevention measures. This review highlights why spices and herbs are highly valued ingredients, their economic importance, and the official quality schemes to protect their quality and authenticity. In addition to this, the type of frauds that can take place with spices and herbs have been disclosed, and the fraud incidence and an overview of scientific articles related to fraud and adulteration based on the Rapid Alert System Feed and Food (RASFF) and the Web of Science databases, respectively, during the last 30 years, is carried out here. Next, the methods used to detect adulterants in spices and herbs are reviewed, with DNA-based techniques and mainly spectroscopy and image analysis methods being the most recommended. Finally, the available adulteration prevention measurements for spices and herbs are presented, and future perspectives are also discussed.

Identification of Spices and their Adulterants by Integrating Machine Learning and Analytical Techniques: A Representative Study

“…The growing demand for the C. annum has resulted in a surge of adulteration methods, jeopardizing its purity and safety. [47,48] Physical adulteration refers to the act of adding foreign compounds to C. annum powder, which changes its appearance, texture, or overall composition.…”

“…Various type of physical adulterants identified in C. annum powder are as following: [47] • Brick powder: Included to augment hue and volume.…”

Cultural Influences on African Migrant Pregnant and Postnatal Women’s Dietary Behaviours and Nutrition Support Needs in the UK

“…However, these nutritional compromises could pose health risks to women during preconception and pregnancy, as the substitutes often come with elevated levels of unhealthy fats, added sugars, and salt [45]. Examples of these substitutes include instant seasoning mixes as alternatives to traditional seasonings which often contain high levels of salt and artificial flavour enhancers; canned or processed meat such as sausages or bacon which are often high in sodium, saturated fats, and preservatives; dried herb blends which often contain added salt and preservatives; and garlic and onion power which may lack the same nutritional benefits as fresh produce [46].…”

Typification of Green Coffee and Selected Spices Based on the Analysis of Volatile Compounds and Supervised Learning

“…Spices were used by ancient Egyptians and during the Middle Ages, for flavoring and medicinal purposes, but also for food preservation [1]. Spices have a considerable antioxidant activity that is attributed to the high content of polyphenols, terpenoids and flavonoids [2] and nowadays, some spices are higher in value than others, given their special flavoring, aromatic or coloring properties these have [3]. Muzolf-Panek and Struper-Szablewska [2] reported that the high antioxidant activity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum), is associated with flavonoids, and in general with the total phenolic content.…”

“…2 concerning the numerous food scandals that happen nowadays [12]. Among foods of plant origin, spices and beverages, such as coffee, are often subjected to adulteration for many reasons, mostly for their economic value, health-beneficial properties, and their origin [3,12]. Therefore, there is a growing demand by the Food authorities and industry for genuine products.…”