Using combinations of principal component scores from different spectral ranges in near-infrared region to improve discrimination for samples of complex composition

The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of PCA to discriminate between two geographical origins of sesame samples, when scores independently generated from separate spectral ranges are optimally combined. An accurate and rapid analytical method to determine the origin is essentially required for the correct value estimation and proper production distribution. Sesame is chosen in this study because it is difficult to visually discriminate the geographical origins and its composition is highly complex. For this purpose, we collected diffuse reflectance near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic data from geographically diverse sesame samples over a period of eight years. The discrimination error obtained by applying linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was improved when separate scores from two spectral ranges were optimally combined, compared to the discrimination errors obtained when scores from singly merged two spectral ranges were used.