title: Herbs and spices: characterization and quantitation of biologically-active markers for routine quality control by multiple headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with separative or non-separative analysis.
abstract: Herbs and spices are used worldwide as food flavoring, thus determination of their identity, origin, and quality is mandatory for safe human consumption. An analysis strategy based on separative (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and non-separative (HS-SPME-MS) approaches is proposed for the volatile fraction of herbs and spices, for quality control and to quantify the aromatic markers with a single analysis directly on the plant material as such. Eight-to-ten lots of each of the following herbs/spices were considered: cloves (Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry), American peppertree (Schinus molle L.), black pepper and white pepper (Piper nigrum L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Homogeneity, origin, and chemotypes of the investigated lots of each herb/spice were defined by fingerprinting, through statistical elaboration with principal component analysis (PCA). Characterizing aromatic markers were directly quantified on the solid matrix through multiple headspace extraction-HS-SPME (MHS-SPME). Reliable results were obtained with both separative and non-separative methods (where the latter were applicable); the two were in full agreement, RSD% ranging from 1.8 to 7.7% for eugenol in cloves, 2.2-18.4% for carvacrol+thymol in thyme, and 3.1-16.8% for thujones in sage.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sgorbini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy. Electronic address: carlo.bicchi@unito.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bicchi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cagliero
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cordero
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liberto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, via P. Giuria 9, I-10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rubiolo
mesh_terms: D019659:Asteraceae; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000737:chemistry*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011786:Quality Control; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction / Q000379:methods; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Fingerprinting; Herbs; Marker quantitation; Non-separative method (multiple head space-solid phase microextraction-mass spectrometry); Separative method (multiple head space-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography–Mass Spectrometry); Spices