Authentication of protected designation of origin artichokes by spectroscopy methods

- 'Alcachofa de Benicarló' can be differentiate from those produced in near areas.
- NIR and XRF spectra and mineral profile were used to built chemometric models.
- XRF is a cheap and green alternative to authentication artichoke from their origin.

Artichoke samples with the protected designation of origin (PDO) 'Alcachofa de Benicarló' were discriminated from those produced in other towns surrounding Valencia and Murcia, outside the PDO frame. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES), near infrared (NIR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were assayed in order to achieve a correct sample classification of the three different origin sample groups (Benicarló, Valencia and Murcia). Chemometrics was used to compare the ability of classification of artichoke from their origin by using concentration data of mineral elements, determined by ICP-OES, NIR spectra and XRF spectra. Multivariate analysis tools, as principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and partial least square discriminant analysis (PLSDA), were used for chemometric data treatment. This study evidenced that the mineral profile of artichokes is a good way for the correct identification of sample origin and that the direct use of XRF spectra of the lyophilised edible part of artichoke can be used as a cheap and green alternative for the authentication of samples produced in the PDO 'Alcachofa de Benicarló' and to differentiate from those produced in near areas.