title: Geographical identification of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by linear discriminant analysis applied to the UV-visible spectra of aqueous extracts.
abstract: We attempted geographical classification of saffron using UV-visible spectroscopy, conventionally adopted for quality grading according to the ISO Normative 3632. We investigated 81 saffron samples produced in L'Aquila, Città della Pieve, Cascia, and Sardinia (Italy) and commercial products purchased in various supermarkets. Exploratory principal component analysis applied to the UV-vis spectra of saffron aqueous extracts revealed a clear differentiation of the samples belonging to different quality categories, but a poor separation according to the geographical origin of the spices. On the other hand, linear discriminant analysis based on 8 selected absorbance values, concentrated near 279, 305 and 328nm, allowed a good distinction of the spices coming from different sites. Under severe validation conditions (30% and 50% of saffron samples in the evaluation set), correct predictions were 85 and 83%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy. Electronic address: angeloantonio.darchivio@univaq.it.
authors.forename: Angelo Antonio
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: D'Archivio
authors.affiliation: Hortus Novus, Via Collepietro, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy. Electronic address: maria.magg@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Maria Anna
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Maggi
mesh_terms: D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry*; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005843:Geography; D007558:Italy; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D017365:Spices / Q000032:analysis*
keywords: Geographical origin; ISO quality standard; Linear discriminant analysis; Saffron; UV–visible spectroscopy