Trends in digital detection for the quality and safety of herbs using infrared and Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

Herbs have been used as natural remedies for disease treatment, prevention, and health care. Some herbs with functional properties are also used as food or food additives for culinary purposes. The quality and safety inspection of herbs are influenced by various factors, which need to be assessed in each operation across the whole process of herb production. Traditional analysis methods are time-consuming and laborious, without quick response, which limits industry development and digital detection. Considering the efficiency and accuracy, faster, cheaper, and more environment-friendly techniques are highly needed to complement or replace the conventional chemical analysis methods. Infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy techniques have been applied to the quality control and safety inspection of herbs during the last several decades. In this paper, we generalize the current application using IR and Raman spectroscopy techniques across the whole process, from raw materials to patent herbal products. The challenges and remarks were proposed in the end, which serve as references for improving herb detection based on IR and Raman spectroscopy techniques. Meanwhile, make a path to driving intelligence and automation of herb products factories.

Herbal diets: Directions for improving health and wellness

“…Establishing constant and dependable concentrations of active ingredients or indicators in herbal medicine products is the first step toward standardizing and identifying herbs (Wang et al, 2023). This may entail methods like particular chemical assays, spectroscopy (UV-Vis, IR), or chromatography (HPLC, GC) (Chen et al, 2023).…”

Advancing herbal medicine: enhancing product quality and safety through robust quality control practices

“…Quality control is a systematic approach that involves monitoring and controlling various aspects of herbal product development, manufacturing, and distribution to guarantee consistent product quality ( Ding et al, 2008 ). Quality control measures are essential in any industry or organization as they play a significant role in ensuring that products or services meet the expected standards and specifications ( Osman et al, 2019 ; Chen et al, 2023 ). Effective quality control measures involve evaluating processes and identifying areas for improvement ( Qin et al, 2012 ; Zhao et al, 2018 ; Gong et al, 2023 ).…”

Spectroscopy, a Tool for the Non-Destructive Sensory Analysis of Plant-Based Foods and Beverages: A Comprehensive Review

“…The IR region is conventionally divided into three sub-regions: starting from the visible, there are the near-infrared, which is "near" to the visible region (NIR, 12,820-4000 cm −1 ); the mid-infrared (MIR, 4000-400 cm −1 ); and the far-infrared (FIR, 400-33 cm −1 ) [45]. The basic components of a NIR spectrometer are: a light source, beam-splitter system, sample container, detector for intensity detection and the electrical conversion of light, and a data processing system for spectral data [46].…”