NIR SPECTROSCOPY AND CHEMOMETRICS IN THE ORGANIC ORIGANUM VULGARE L

In recent years, the consumption of organic foods has considerably increased. The basic difference between organic and non-organic food products is the way in which they are produced and processed, and the authenticity of these products is a current trend in food science and analytical chemistry. In this sense, the objective of this work was to propose an analytical methodology based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) coupled with partial least squares with discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) for authentication of organic Origanum vulgare L., a spice known for its characteristic aroma and among the most popular condiments in the world, receiving prominence for its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, NIR/PLS-DA was able to promote a rapid and non-destructive analysis in the authentication of organic samples. Important spectral regions for this authentication were highlighted by VIP scores being from 1350 to 1430 nm, and from 1450 to 1480 nm where it is observed absorption due to ROH, ArOH, CONH2, RNH2, CONHR, CH, CH2, and CH3.