Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomics as an Enhanced Tool for the Detection of Pomegranate Juice Adulteration

Abstract

Pomegranate juice is one of the most popular fruit juices, is well-known as a “superfood”, and plays an important role in healthy diets. Due to its constantly growing demand and high value, pomegranate juice is often targeted for adulteration, especially with cheaper substitutes such as apple and red grape juice. In the present study, the potential of applying a metabolomics approach to trace pomegranate juice adulteration was investigated. A novel methodology based on high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis was developed using targeted and untargeted screening strategies to discover potential biomarkers for the reliable detection of pomegranate juice adulteration from apple and red grape juice. Robust classification and prediction models were built with the use of unsupervised and supervised techniques (principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA)), which were able to distinguish pomegranate juice adulteration to a level down to 1%. Characteristic m/z markers were detected, indicating pomegranate juice adulteration, and several marker compounds were identified. The results obtained from this study clearly demonstrate that Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics have the potential to be used as a reliable screening tool for the rapid determination of food adulteration.

Quality Evaluation of Oviductus Ranae Based on PUFAs Using HPLC Fingerprint Techniques Combined with Chemometric Methods

“…PLS-DA is a multivariate analysis method with supervised statistical models [43]. It is a regression extension of PCA [41,44], which maximizes the variance covariance between classes by priori classification of given objects and it minimizes the variance covariance within classes under simultaneous consideration of all the analyzed features [45].…”

FoodOmicsGR_RI: A Consortium for Comprehensive Molecular Characterisation of Food Products

“…Our consortium started this work with an exhaustive literature review. This resulted in the publication of topical reviews on metabolomics of different foods, such as the olive drupe and olive oil [ 5 , 6 , 7 ], grape and marc spirits [ 8 ], fruit juices [ 9 ] and wine [ 10 ]. Consortium members have also contributed to the documentation of the full body of research work dealing with NMR-based food analysis and metabolomics by publishing a monograph on the subject [ 11 ], and covering subsequent work in the field via extensive literature reviews [ 12 , 13 ].…”

“…Untargeted methods, combined with fit-for-purpose chemometric approaches, strengthen the breadth of traditional targeted analysis [ 25 , 26 ] and reveal new prospects for food authenticity investigations. Combining universal analytical approaches with high throughput analytical techniques such as High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS), we were able to develop feasible untargeted methodologies for the large-scale determination of unknown compounds in food fingerprinting studies [ 9 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. The coupling of Liquid Chromatography with time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry has proved its powerful analytical performance in these studies, offering a satisfying combination of selectivity and sensitivity at high resolution and subsecond scan speeds [ 28 ].…”

“…Our consortium has extensively applied MS-based metabolic profiling to categorise foods such as wine, olive oil, olives, milk, apples grapes, Chios mastic and other foods. Authenticity studies regarding adulteration and geographical and varietal origin have been efficiently addressed by applying different MS-based screening strategies (target, suspect and non-target) [ 9 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 95 , 96 ]. Hence, efficient classification and discrimination methodologies were developed regarding food samples of different variety, geographical/animal origin or agronomic background, by combining analytical information with advanced chemometrics [ 28 , 29 ].…”

Food Authentication: Techniques, Trends and Emerging Approaches

“…Anthocyanins, phenolic acids, sucrose and malic acid showed significant differences among cultivars, while climatic conditions and the cultivation system were responsible for changes in polyphenol contents. In this vein, metabolomics has also been proposed as a powerful screening tool for authenticity assessment [7]. Targeted and nontargeted metabolomics approaches were used to detect pomegranate juice adulteration with apple and red grape juice.…”