Discrimination between ginseng from Korea and China by light stable isotope analysis.
Ginseng is a health food and traditional medicine highly valued in Asia. Ginseng from certain origins is higher valued than from other origins, so that a reliable method for differentiation of geographical origin is important for the economics of ginseng production. To discriminate between ginseng samples from South Korea and PR China, 29 samples have been analyzed for the isotopic composition of the elements H, C and N. The results showed δ(2)H values between -94 and -79‰, for δ(13)C -27.9 to -23.7‰ and for δ(15)N 1.3-5.4‰ for Chinese ginseng. Korean ginseng gave δ(2)H ratios between -91 and -69‰, δ(13)C ratios between -31.2 and -22.4‰ and δ(15)N ratios between -2.4 and +7‰. Despite the overlap between the values for individual isotopes, a combination of the isotope systems gave a reasonable differentiation between the two geographic origins. Especially the statistically significant difference in δ(2)H ratios facilitated the differentiation between Korean and Chinese ginseng samples.
Department of Environmental Resources and Technology, Austrian Institute of Technology, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria. micha.horacek@ait.ac.at
Micha
M
Horacek
Ji-Sook
JS
Min
Sang-Cheol
SC
Heo
Gerhard
G
Soja
D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D003903:Deuterium / Q000032:analysis; D007723:Korea; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D003903:Deuterium