title: Taste characteristics based quantitative and qualitative evaluation of ginseng adulteration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adulteration of American ginseng with Asian ginseng is common and has caused much damage to customers. Panel evaluation is commonly used to determine their differences, but it is subjective. Chemical instruments are used to identify critical compounds but they are time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, a fast, accurate and convenient method is required. A taste sensing system, combining both advantages of the above two technologies, provides a novel potential technology for determining ginseng adulteration. The aim is to build appropriate models to distinguish and predict ginseng adulteration by using taste characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that ginsenoside contents decreased linearly (R(2) = 0.92) with mixed ratios. A bioplot of principal component analysis showed a good performance in classing samples with the first two principal components reaching 89.7%, and it was noted that it was the bitterness, astringency, aftertaste of bitterness and astringency, and saltiness leading the successful determination. After factor screening, bitterness, astringency, aftertaste of bitterness and saltiness were employed to build latent models. Tastes of bitterness, astringency and aftertaste bitterness were demonstrated to be most effective in predicting adulteration ratio, mean while, bitterness and aftertaste bitterness turned out to be most effective in ginsenoside content prediction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taste characteristics of adulterated ginsengs, considered as taste fingerprint, can provide novel guidance for determining the adulteration of American and Asian ginseng.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shaoqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Liangcheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xinlei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D036145:Ginsenosides; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: American ginseng; Asian ginseng; adulteration; prediction model; taste characteristics