Detection of Safflower Adulteration in Saffron Using Ion Mobility Spectroscopy

Saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.), an exceptionally valuable and expensive spice on an international scale, has become the target of a rapid increase in fraudulent practices. In an effort to decrease expenses, stigmas of safflower (<i>Carthamus tinctorius</i>), which closely resemble saffron, are often added to pure saffron as a typical method of adulteration. Hence, by quantifying the extent of eugenol modifications in the samples and employing ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) to identify and quantify these adulterants in saffron, the objective of this research has been accomplished. The analysis of eugenol showed a significant increase in peak intensity as the concentration of safflower increased in laboratory-prepared samples of pure saffron and safflower as well as the mixture of them (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, v/v). In the subsequent phase, a total of 20 saffron samples procured from nearby markets were examined under an optical microscope to identify any adulteration with safflower. Five samples, which included saffron containing safflower at varying concentrations (8.3%, 14.9%, 19.4%, 25.4%, and 33.7% W/W), were chosen for additional IMS analysis. The results showed that the peak intensity of eugenol climbed from 0.20 to 0.28 mV by augmenting the safflower content in saffron. Therefore, by increasing the level of safflower contamination in saffron, the concentration of eugenol in the IMS rose. The outcomes demonstrated that the selection method effectively detects saffron adulterated with safflower, improving both precision and specificity, and could aid in defining standard quality control procedures for saffron authenticity and quality.