Classification of Vietnamese Cashew Nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) Products Using Statistical Algorithms Based on ICP/MS Data: A Study of Food Categorization

ABSTRACTInfestation of food crops by fungi has led to serious economic losses in the international market. There is a paucity of information on the multi-mycotoxin profile of cashew nuts from different geographical locations in Nigeria and South Africa. This work aims at comparing the fungal metabolite profile of cashew nut from two African countries using HPLC-FLD and LC-MS/MS. The differences in distribution of the fungal metabolites across the two countries were also examined. A total of 75 (39; Nigeria, 36; South Africa) roasted cashew nuts were purchased from 14 different locations in Nigeria and 10 major supermarkets in South Africa. The samples were subjected to HPLC analysis for aflatoxin and zearalenone and LC-MS/MS analysis for multiple metabolite profiling. Total aflatoxins (0.03-0.77 µg/kg and 0.01-0.28 µg/kg) and zearalenone (123.2 and 788.6 µg/kg) were quantified in nut samples from South Africa and Nigeria, respectively. In contrast, LC-MS/MS analysis showed that none of the major fungi metabolites except for one (citrinin) was present in detectable amount in Nigerian cashew nuts (31.3 μg/kg). Other microbial metabolites present in the nuts were; Aspergillus metabolites (< LOD to 398 × 104 μg/kg and < LOD to 1760 μg/kg); flavoglaucin (5.4-177.4 μg/kg and 45.5-18,368 μg/kg), 7-hydroxykaurenolide (5.5-45.8 μg/kg and 3.5-33.7 μg/kg), chloramphenicol (0.3-4.5 μg/kg) for South African and Nigerian cashew nuts, respectively. The incidence rate of the fusarium toxins beauvericin and bikaverin were higher in Nigerian cashew nut (100% and 17%) than the South African nuts (8% and 8%), 7-Hydroxykaurenolide and chloramphenicol were found in all the cashew nut samples. A total of 15 unspecific metabolites (17-100%) were recorded in the nuts from both countries. Information on the metabolite profile of cashew nuts will provide useful information for policy makers, border agencies and other health-related Institutes.

2-Alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACBs) have long been considered as unique radiolytic products that can be used as indicators for irradiated food identification. A recent report on the natural existence of 2-ACB in non-irradiated nutmeg and cashew nut samples aroused worldwide concern because it contradicts the general belief that 2-ACBs are specific to irradiated food. The goal of this study is to test the natural existence of 2-ACBs in nut samples using our newly developed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method with enhanced analytical sensitivity and selectivity ( Ye , Y. ; Liu , H. ; Horvatovich , P. ; Chan , W. Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric analysis of 2-alkylcyclobutanones in irradiated chicken by precolumn derivatization with hydroxylamine . J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013 , 61 , 5758 - 5763 ). The validated method was applied to identify 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB) and 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone (2-TCB) in nutmeg, cashew nut, pine nut, and apricot kernel samples (n = 22) of different origins. Our study reveals that 2-DCB and 2-TCB either do not exist naturally or exist at concentrations below the detection limit of the existing method. Thus, 2-DCB and 2-TCB are still valid to be used as biomarkers for identifying irradiated food.

Comparison of supercritical CO2 extraction and pressurized fluid extraction for isolation of alkaloids from Anacardium occidentale with the study of its anti-inflammatory activity

Projection pursuit and PCA associated with near and middle infrared hyperspectral images to investigate forensic cases of fraudulent documents

While time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) image generation has been useful in the determination of the spatial distribution of chemistry in a broad application area, the amount of secondary ion signal available in each pixel remains small, hampering the use of multivariate analysis (MVA) approaches. The pre‐treatment of data commonly comprises two approaches to increase pixel signal intensity prior to MVA: mass channel summation and pixel summation. Recent advances in instrumentation have lead to much greater signal per image pixel such that a true spectrum can be discerned at each point across the sample. In this study, we determine the outcomes of these two pre‐treatments prior to principal components analysis (PCA) and maximum autocorrelation factor (MAF) analysis in comparison with high signal intensity data. Both PCA and MAF analyses of the high signal intensity data are presented with MAF being identified as the most effective approach. Image data was reduced in intensity to determine the effectiveness of MVA with lower spectral intensity. MAF was found to outperform PCA on such data, although both techniques were useful in the identification of the chemistry present. The data were then mass summed, using a number of different approaches, to reduce mass resolution, leading to a detrimental effect on PCA analysis, but little discernable change to MAF output. Reducing the spatial resolution by summing spectra from adjacent pixels, however, lead to a severe blurring of the MAF image structure, with PCA performing well. Conclusions and recommendation for pre‐treatment and MVA technique selection are presented. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

This paper considers use of the 236U isotope to monitor the spent uranium from nuclear fallout using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in soil samples collected in the vicinity of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Sector field ICP-MS (ICP-SFMS) and quadrupole based ICP-MS without and with hexapole collision cell (ICP-CC-MS) were used for uranium isotope analysis. In addition, a multiple ion collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS) was used for high-precision isotope ratio measurements. A 238U+ ion sensitivity of 18 GHz ppm−1, 12.4 GHz ppm−1 and 16 GHz ppm−1, respectively, was observed in ICP-SFMS, ICP-CC-MS and MC-ICP-MS with ultrasonic nebulizer. An absolute sensitivity of 3600 counts fg−1 was achieved for uranium by using a direct injection high efficiency nebulizer for solution introduction in ICP-SFMS. The detection limit for 236U was in the fg g−1 range and abundance ratio sensitivity for 236U/238U was 5 × 10−6, 3 × 10−7, 6 × 10−7, and less than 3 × 10−7 in ICP-SFMS, MC-ICP-MS, quadrupole ICP-MS and ICP-CC-MS at mass resolution m/Δm = 300, respectively. Interlaboratory comparison yielded a good accuracy (0.4–1.6%) of 236U/238U isotope ratios ranging from 1.5 × 10−3 to 3.2 × 10−4 measured in samples containing 100 ng of uranium. The 236U/238U isotope ratios and spent uranium fraction were determined in Chernobyl soil samples using single ion detector ICP-MS and multiple ion collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS). In comparison to 235U/238U isotope ratio, the 236U/238U isotope ratio provided more sensitive and accurate determination of the portion of spent uranium from Chernobyl NPP in spent/natural uranium mixture in soil samples down to 0.1%. The concentration of Chernobyl spent uranium in upper 0–10 cm soil layers in investigated areas in the vicinity of Chernobyl NPP amounts to 2.4 × 10−9 g g−1 to 8.1 × 10−7 g g−1 depending mainly on the distance to the Chernobyl reactor.

The combination of advanced techniques with multivariate analysis methods are being used with great confidence by forensics experts due to their high precision and accuracy. The prime objective of present work was to explore the potential of chemometric tools in discriminating and predicting the blue pen inks when applied on Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) data of pen strokes of different brands and models commercially available in Pakistani markets. The pen strokes on fine A4 paper and recycled A4 paper were obtained from 86 samples including ballpoints, gel, oil- gel and roller ball pens. ATR-FTIR spectra were first characterized for different functional groups present in ink pigments however, they were apparently indistinguishable having some common functional groups. After spectra preprocessing the principal component analysis (PCA) and agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHC) showed that pen strokes could be distinguished. Both PCA and AHC analyses showed that ballpoints and gel pen could be discriminated and grouped separately. PCA analyses also showed the discrimination between local and foreign brands of ballpoints. Finally, classification method partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was successfully applied for the classification and subsequently for the identification of type of pen used in personnel’s signature to mimic a forensic case. To evaluate PLS-DA classification performance, the classification parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and precision were also derived from confusion matrix. Overall, this work emphasized the worth of multivariate analysis in classification and prediction of type of writing pen in a document as a forensic study.

A rapid and accurate method of UFLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with multivariate statistical analysis was established for the identification of Ainsliaea fragrans from different origins in this study. The A. fragrans from different producing areas of Jiangxi, Yunnan, Henan and Jiangsu were determined by UFLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS in the negative ion mode. And the data of the study were analyzed by the Markerview and other software for the PCA and OPLS-DA cluster analysis as well as t test. The results of the principal component analysis(PCA)showed that the main components from different origins were well distinguished. And the results of multivariate statistical showed the differences and similarities between different producing areas. Besides, 40 different compounds were identified in the negative ion mode. This method for identifying A. fragrans from different producing areas has the advantages of rapid accuracy and simplicity, which laid the foundation for the evaluation of the quality of the A. fragrans.

Rhubarb (Rheum ribes L.) is used globally as both a food supplement and a vegetable. The lipophilic fingerprints of wild rhubarb of Turkiye origin were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with chemometrics, including hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). GC-MS results identified a total of 72 lipophi6lic compounds, including fatty acids, fatty acid esters, simple hydrocarbons and other organics, in all parts of the plant. PCA and HCA analyses revealed intraspecific lipophilic component variation among six wild rhubarb populations, as well as significant variation among lipophilic fingerprints in leaves, fruits, flowers, and roots. Among the compounds, palmitic acid, α-linolenic acid, ethyl palmitate, ethyl oleate, linoleic acid ethyl ester and n-tetracosane were important for the overall lipophilic fingerprints of all parts of the rhubarb. These findings highlight the potential of using HCA and PCA analysis in combination with GC-MS fingerprints as an effective analytical approach.

The study investigates a consistent technique for tracing the cashmere breeds and their geographical origins using mineral element fingerprinting from Inner Mongolia, China. 237 cashmere samples were collected from three different regions (Ordos, Chifeng and Alxa League) and four breeds (Albas, Mingan, Hanshan, Alxa white cashmere goats). Concentrations of 21 mineral elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and assessed using multivariate statistical methods such as principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Among them, six elements (Mg, Mn, As, Sr, Ce and U; with Ce in regions and Sr in breeds, while the other five are common) discriminated significant regional and breed-specific differences (P < 0.05). Their concentrations ranged from 189.25-639.49 µg g-1, 7.48-16.24 µg g-1, 19.03-66.73 µg/100 g, 311.26-888.30 µg/100 g, 56.03-113.92 µg/100 g and 1.64-9.87 µg/100 g respectively across the regions with highly enriched Alxa samples. These six mineral elements served as key identifiers for traceability with high variable importance in projection (VIP > 1.0). The OPLS-DA model achieved excellent classification accuracy for both origin (R 2 = 0.97) and breeds (R 2 = 0.787). This novel study presents an integrated ICP-MS and OPLS-DA approach for authenticating geographical origins and breeds, providing a robust analytical basis for preventing fraud, certifying products and ensuring supply chain transparency in the luxury textile sector.

Water quality degradation in river systems has caused great concerns all over the world. Identifying the spatial distribution and sources of water pollutants is the very first step for efficient water quality management. A set of water samples collected bimonthly at 12 monitoring sites in 2009 and 2010 were analyzed to determine the spatial distribution of critical parameters and to apportion the sources of pollutants in Wen-Rui-Tang (WRT) river watershed, near the East China Sea. The 12 monitoring sites were divided into three administrative zones of urban, suburban, and rural zones considering differences in land use and population density. Multivariate statistical methods [one-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis (PCA), and absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) methods] were used to investigate the spatial distribution of water quality and to apportion the pollution sources. Results showed that most water quality parameters had no significant difference between the urban and suburban zones, whereas these two zones showed worse water quality than the rural zone. Based on PCA and APCS-MLR analysis, urban domestic sewage and commercial/service pollution, suburban domestic sewage along with fluorine point source pollution, and agricultural nonpoint source pollution with rural domestic sewage pollution were identified to the main pollution sources in urban, suburban, and rural zones, respectively. Understanding the water pollution characteristics of different administrative zones could put insights into effective water management policy-making especially in the area across various administrative zones.

Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) has established itself as a preeminent technique in analytical science, providing powerful capabilities for trace element and isotope analysis due to its outstanding sensitivity, accuracy, and multi-element detection. This review offers a comprehensive overview of ICP-MS, covering its fundamental principles and instrumentation. The technique functions by ionizing samples in an argon plasma and separating ions according to their mass-to-charge ratios, achieving detection limits at the parts-per-trillion level. ICP-MS finds applications across diverse areas, including environmental monitoring, food authentication, pharmaceutical and drug testing, forensic investigations, and biomedical research on toxic elements and metal bioaccumulation. Its capacity for isotopic ratio determination and species-specific analysis provides valuable insights into contamination pathways, metabolic mechanisms, material provenance, and cellular heterogeneity. By combining high sensitivity with precision and versatility, ICP-MS continues to advance modern analytical science, enabling comprehensive, high-throughput elemental and isotopic characterization across environmental, industrial, biomedical and life science domains.

A lexicon of flavor and texture terms was developed to describe the sensory characteristics of cashew nuts. A highly trained and experienced descriptive analysis panel (n = 10, ages 22–58 each with at least 60 hr of descriptive work in nuts) was used to create the lexicon for cashews. After initial identification and discussion of terms, 22 flavor terms, 4 texture terms, and 3 feeling factors to describe the sensory attributes of cashews were identified. The lexicon was validated by demonstrating that the panel could detect differences among 18 different cashew samples, including raw, oil‐roasted, dry‐roasted, skin‐on, store‐brand, national‐brand, and rancid types when using the identified lexicon. The differences in products were analyzed using analysis of variance and principal component analysis. Differences in flavor and texture were observed across all product categories and the lexicon was validated.Practical applicationsThe lexicon is intended for use in cashew research and by the cashew industry as a way for communicating differences in cashew flavor and texture in a common language.

The cajui Anacardium spp., which is similar to the caju Anacardium Ocidentale L., is a species adapted to edaphic-climatic conditions of the biome Cerratinga (Cerrado e Caatinga). Its fruit is composed of one swollen stalk (pedicel) which is formed by nutritional reserves rich in vitamin C and drupe (cashew nut). It is also rich in protein and lipids, but with smaller size. This paper focuses on investigating the applicability of the biplot graphical analysis in the process of selective breeding of cajui population. The cajui working population in Embrapa Meio Norte comprises of 11 genotypes collected in areas of natural habitat in the state of Piaui. The experiment was designed in randomized complete blocks with two plants per plot and four replications. A graphical analysis (biplot) was used to study the relationships between variables and behavior of the experimental genotypes. This was implemented to principal component analysis based on singular value decomposition biplot. The total variable weight can be predicted from length of peduncle, basal and apical diameter of peduncle, and variables of easy mensuration. Genotypes M40A, M23, M14, and M17 are similar to each other and they have high amounts of brown, apical and basal diameter of the peduncle, total weight, and peduncle length. They are considered as candidates selected for consumption in natura and industrial processing. The graphical analysis (biplot) showed robustness in the presentation of relationships between variables considered and the indication of the selection candidate genotypes in the population studied.

The rapid expansion of Vietnam’s instant noodle market, coupled with risks of adulteration and contamination, necessitates robust analytical methods for brand description and safety assessment. In this study, we applied inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) to quantify 14 macro‐ and trace‐element concentrations (e.g., Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Hg) in 80 noodle samples from four leading Vietnamese brands (Gau Do, Omachi, Hao Hao, 3 Mien). One‐way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD revealed significant inter‐brand differences in elemental profiles. Principal component analysis (PCA) distilled the elemental dataset into two components explaining 93.6% of total variance: PC1 (48.8%) was driven by Na, Cr, Fe, and Ni, while PC2 (44.8%) contrasted macro‐minerals (Ca, K, Mg) against contaminants (Pb, Mo). The resulting observation plot produced four distinct, non‐overlapping clusters corresponding to each brand, demonstrating the discriminative power of elemental fingerprinting. Method validation confirmed high precision (RSD &lt; 5%), accuracy (recoveries 92–106%), and low detection limits (LODs 0.005–0.02 mg/kg). A consumer health risk assessment for heavy metals showed all levels below international safety thresholds, though lead concentrations warrant caution. Our findings validate ICP‐MS/PCA as a rapid, reliable tool for food authentication. Future work should extend sampling, incorporate cross‐validation, and compare with complementary techniques such as FTIR and isotopic analysis.