Spices could come from roots, bark, fruit buds, seeds, or stems from different trees or plants. In contrast, herbs are the plant's leafy parts without the woody stems that can either be fresh or dried.
Spices are one of the oldest food products that are still enjoyed by the whole world today. It is a big business anywhere globally, and it is no wonder why it has become the subject of food fraud for several years now.
But how to tell that the spices in the market or grocery store are fake? To answer this, reporters from Euronews went to Belgium to ask scientists at the Joint Research Centre's Fraud Detection Unit and asked Alexandre Veuve, the manager of the spice specialist and gourmet store Le Tour Du Monde En Epices in Brussels.
Food Fraud on Spices
As an expert in the spices industry, Veuve said that their store always guarantees that their products are of the highest quality and, most importantly, authentic.
But he also acknowledges that some people commit food fraud and that it has become quite common in the industry of spices over the years. Generally, food fraud is most common on quite expensive spices like the saffron, which is worth as much as gold, so it is obvious that there are many scams involving it, Veuve said.
Moreover, powdered versions of spices are also the target of food fraud, as they are the easiest to be falsified. Veuve said that they always buy the spices whole and create the powdered versions of the spices themselves to avoid buying the pirated spices.
Scientists at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in the Netherlands hosts the European Food Fraud Unit wherein they test and analyze samples of imported spices in Europe using advanced technologies to determine which products are real or not. The results of their analysis are then used for police investigations.
One of the most powerful methods they use is DNA analysis, which maps the genetic makeup of the spices that indicates their authenticity, whether they are purely spices or mixed with foreign elements. Usually, food fraud in spices is done by adding less expensive plants or dyes to make it appear more authentic and attractive.
One analysis revealed that saffron spices were mixed with safflower sold as saffron, while another is the Curcuma or turmeric that was actually not a Curcuma but paprika that was dyed to look like Curcuma, according to molecular biologist Antoon Lievens.
Read Also: Does Eating Spicy Food Make Someone Smell Bad?
Detecting Food Fraud
The detection of food fraud could involve spectroscopy, which does not need a special sample preparation but can give immediate results by examining the molecules of the sample using a laser beam. A foolproof method based on a ray of light touching the sample makes the molecules vibrate, said analytical chemist Jone Omar.
He noted that when used on pure food, it will yield a pure spectrum, but the vibration spectrum becomes different when there is adulteration or other elements present.
This is the same non-invasive method used in identifying real artworks, revealing if inorganic materials are present.
Read More: Study Shows Cinnamon Can Improve Blood Sugar in People With Prediabetes
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