Purity Estimation in Herbs

Herbs and spices are some of the rockstars of food fraud; their complex cross-border supply chains, high price per kilogram, and the fact that they are often sold in powder or particulate forms make them prime targets for adulteration, dilution, and substitution with cheaper materials.

Oregano is often mixed with other similar looking, but cheaper, ingredients like olive and myrtle.

Adulteration of oregano can be detected using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis, but these methods require significant time and effort in sample preparation. Optical microscopy is also used, but identification and counting of individual small particles is tedious.

On the other hand, scanning with a Hyperspectral Imaging system can quickly show the user if non-oregano ingredients are present in the sample and help quantify them.