Tag Archives: chromatographic methods

Susanne Kuehne, Decernis
Food Fraud Quick Bites

Listen To Your Elder(berries)

By Susanne Kuehne
No Comments
Susanne Kuehne, Decernis

As a tasty source of Vitamin C, B6, antioxidants, iron and more, elderberries have been a growing part of the latest health, immune boosting and wellness trends. Currently, the demand exceeds the supply for elderberries. For the past four to five years, this growth in popularity has been inviting adulteration of elderberry with other dark berries such as blueberries, as well as dyes, black rice and other materials. According to the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program, such fraud can be detected by a variety of chromatographic methods.

Food fraud, elderberry
Find records of fraud such as those discussed in this column and more in the Food Fraud Database. Image credit: Susanne Kuehne.

Resource

  1. Schultz, H. (September 23, 2020) “Nature’s Way finds more evidence of widespread elderberry adulteration”. Nutra Ingredients-USA.
Susanne Kuehne, Decernis
Food Fraud Quick Bites

Not So Grape Expectations

By Susanne Kuehne
No Comments
Susanne Kuehne, Decernis
Grapeseed
Find records of fraud such as those discussed in this column and more in the Food Fraud Database. Image credit: Susanne Kuehne

Due to health benefits, grape seed extract has become more and more popular. Cheaper plant extracts, for example peanut skin extract, show very similar results with chromatographic methods, and therefore adulteration of grape seed extract may remain undetected. The American Botanical Council’s Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program released a laboratory guidance document that reviews analytical methods for detecting adulteration of grape seed extract with proanthocyanidin-rich extracts from other botanical sources.

Resource

  1. Kupina, S.A., et al. (2019). “Grape Seed Extract Laboratory Guidance Document”. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX.