DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron
Saffron is a high-cost spice due to the specific conditions for optimal growth and because of being harvested by hand. The massive income from commercializing saffron substituted with other plant parts or low-cost spices makes this spice the main target of fraudsters. <b>Background</b>:...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Linda Monaci Anna Luparelli William Matteo Schirinzi Laura Quintieri Alexandre Verdu |
| author_facet | Linda Monaci Anna Luparelli William Matteo Schirinzi Laura Quintieri Alexandre Verdu |
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| description | Saffron is a high-cost spice due to the specific conditions for optimal growth and because of being harvested by hand. The massive income from commercializing saffron substituted with other plant parts or low-cost spices makes this spice the main target of fraudsters. <b>Background</b>: Different methods have been developed for detecting saffron adulteration. Most of them are time consuming and complex, and in some types of analysis, the whole untargeted dataset is combined with advanced chemometric tools to differentiate authentic from non-authentic saffron. The official method, combining UV–vis spectroscopy and LC to determine the colour strength and the crocin content, is unable to detect saffron adulterants (safflower, marigold, or turmeric) added at a level lower than 20% (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i>). As a result, innovative approaches based on rapid, high-throughput methods for the identification of adulterated saffron samples are urgently demanded to counteract food frauds. <b>Methods</b>: This paper describes, for the first time, the development of a method combining Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) with the triple quadrupole MS EVOQ based on the detection of specific MS/MS transitions, promoting a rapid, robust and chromatography-free method capable of monitoring safflower and turmeric adulteration in saffron. <b>Results</b>: The method proved to reach low LODs, allowing the determination of tiny amounts of turmeric and safflower powder in saffron as low as 3% and 5%, respectively, speeding up the whole analytical workflow and enabling us to perform 20 analyses in 10 min. Finally, the greenness of the method was also assessed according to the 0.88 score achieved by submitting it to the greenness calculator AGREE. <b>Conclusions</b>: Given its speed, simplicity, and robustness, this method stands out as a strong candidate for routine implementation in testing laboratories as a rapid screening tool to detect saffron adulteration with safflower or turmeric. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2218-1989 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| series | Metabolites |
| spelling | doaj-art-f30f870dc2e447ce85d7df283f2d84982025-08-20T03:27:15ZengMDPI AGMetabolites2218-19892025-05-0115635710.3390/metabo15060357DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in SaffronLinda Monaci0Anna Luparelli1William Matteo Schirinzi2Laura Quintieri3Alexandre Verdu4Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, National Research Council (IBIOM-CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, ItalyInstitute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (ISPA-CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, ItalyInstitute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (ISPA-CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, ItalyInstitute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council (ISPA-CNR), Via G. Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, ItalyBruker France S.A.S. Applied Mass Spectrometry, 34 Rue de l’Industrie, 67166 Wissembourg Cedex, FranceSaffron is a high-cost spice due to the specific conditions for optimal growth and because of being harvested by hand. The massive income from commercializing saffron substituted with other plant parts or low-cost spices makes this spice the main target of fraudsters. <b>Background</b>: Different methods have been developed for detecting saffron adulteration. Most of them are time consuming and complex, and in some types of analysis, the whole untargeted dataset is combined with advanced chemometric tools to differentiate authentic from non-authentic saffron. The official method, combining UV–vis spectroscopy and LC to determine the colour strength and the crocin content, is unable to detect saffron adulterants (safflower, marigold, or turmeric) added at a level lower than 20% (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i>). As a result, innovative approaches based on rapid, high-throughput methods for the identification of adulterated saffron samples are urgently demanded to counteract food frauds. <b>Methods</b>: This paper describes, for the first time, the development of a method combining Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) with the triple quadrupole MS EVOQ based on the detection of specific MS/MS transitions, promoting a rapid, robust and chromatography-free method capable of monitoring safflower and turmeric adulteration in saffron. <b>Results</b>: The method proved to reach low LODs, allowing the determination of tiny amounts of turmeric and safflower powder in saffron as low as 3% and 5%, respectively, speeding up the whole analytical workflow and enabling us to perform 20 analyses in 10 min. Finally, the greenness of the method was also assessed according to the 0.88 score achieved by submitting it to the greenness calculator AGREE. <b>Conclusions</b>: Given its speed, simplicity, and robustness, this method stands out as a strong candidate for routine implementation in testing laboratories as a rapid screening tool to detect saffron adulteration with safflower or turmeric.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/6/357food adulterationfood fraudsaffronauthenticitymass spectrometryDART-TQ-MS/MS |
| spellingShingle | Linda Monaci Anna Luparelli William Matteo Schirinzi Laura Quintieri Alexandre Verdu DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron Metabolites food adulteration food fraud saffron authenticity mass spectrometry DART-TQ-MS/MS |
| title | DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron |
| title_full | DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron |
| title_fullStr | DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron |
| title_full_unstemmed | DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron |
| title_short | DART–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry Method for Multi-Target and Fast Detection of Adulterants in Saffron |
| title_sort | dart triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method for multi target and fast detection of adulterants in saffron |
| topic | food adulteration food fraud saffron authenticity mass spectrometry DART-TQ-MS/MS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/6/357 |
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