A novel strategy for rapid identification of the fruits of Illicium verum and Illicium anisatum using electronic nose and tongue technology

Jiao-Long Wang,Mei-Bian Hu,Chun-Jie Wu,Wen-Xiang Fan,Yu-Jie Liu,Liang Li,Zhi-Qiang Wei

doi:10.4314/tjpr.v17i4.16

Abstract

Purpose: To develop an effective and rapid strategy for the identification of fruits of I. verum and I. anisatum based on their odor and taste.Methods: Electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue) technology was used to identify the fruits of I. verum (FIV) and I. anisatum (FIA). Samples of FIA, FIV, and FIA : FIV mixtures in different proportions (1 : 3, 1 : 1, and 3 : 1) were prepared to evaluate the identification abilities of E-nose and Etongue methods. Samples were powdered and sifted through a standard sieve (aperture size 355 ± 13 μm) for E-nose analysis. Each sample was refluxed with water for 1 h before E-tongue analysis. The acquired data were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant factor analysis (DFA).Results: Based on the signals acquired by E-nose and E-tongue analyses, a total of 90 data points each were used for PCA. The three principal component values for E-nose analysis were PC1 = 93.89 %, PC2 = 6.08 %, and PC3 = 0.03 %, and those for E-tongue analysis were PC1 = 98.72 %, PC2 = 0.68 %, and PC3 = 0.57 %. The sample data were significantly divided into two groups representing FIV and FIA. Furthermore, E-nose and E-tongue assessments combined with PCA and DFA analyses effectively identified FIV, FIA and their mixtures.Conclusion: The use of E-nose and E-tongue technology is an effective and rapid strategy to identify the fruits of I. verum and I. anisatum and their mixtures. This strategy may also offer an effective method for detection of adulterants.Keywords: Illicium verum, Illicium anisatum, Discrimination, Electronic nose, Electronic tongue, Safety, Principal component analysis, Discriminant factor analysis

Highlights

Illicium verum Hook (I. verum) is an evergreen tree that belongs to the Illiciaceae family and is mainly distributed in southern China and Vietnam [1,2]
The fruit of I. verum, commonly known as star anise, is an important aromatic according to the theory of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
The three principal components were PC1 = 98.72%, PC2 = 0.68%, and PC3 = 0.57%. These results suggest that Etongue measurement combined with principal component analysis (PCA) effectively discriminated between fruits of I. verum (FIV) and FIA

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Illicium verum Hook (I. verum) is an evergreen tree that belongs to the Illiciaceae family and is mainly distributed in southern China and Vietnam [1,2]. Analytical methods used to address this problem (e.g., gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy, and thinlayer chromatography) are costly with regard to time and require large amounts of material standards [4,9,11] These drawbacks prompted us to investigate an effective and rapid strategy for discriminating between the fruits of I. verum and I. anisatum based on their odor and taste. Following the method introduced by Yang et al [13], an αAstree E-tongue system (Alpha M.O.S., France) with Astree II software (Alpha M.O.S, Version 2012.45) was used to investigate the taste of the fruits of I. verum and I. anisatum. Principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant factor analysis (DFA) were used for discrimination analysis of the samples

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

Conflict of interest