Determination of adulteration in sumac sourdoughs with chemometric approaches using pca analysis and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy data

In recent years, the increasing demand for sumac and economic interests have revealed some illegal frauds by companies. The most common of these are cheap commercial sweeteners added to processed foods. We compared these added sugars with the market samples and the samples we produced with commercial sugars (invert sugar, glucose and sucrose) as a result of the quality criteria parameters. By supporting these with literature examples, the adulteration rate and the external factors causing it were found. Analyzes such as quality parameters brix, pH, sugar, HMF antioxidant capacity, total phenolic capacity, total flavonoid substance, FTIR spectroscopy were performed between 12 samples collected from different brands and 11 samples (2 control samples) we produced. In the study, the total antioxidant capacity of the samples varied between 21.2 mg QEE/kg -527.64 mg QEE/kg, the total phenolic capacity between 1.86-583.21 mg QEE/kg, and the total flavonoid capacity between 22.7-5755.30 mg QEE/kg. The HMF amount of sumac sour samples was determined between 3.39-8117.65 mg/kg mg/kg, and the total sugar was determined between 1.36%-99.97%. FTIR spectra of sumac sour samples are similar. Adulteration in sumac sours was detected using PCA and SIMCA methods. SIMCA has significant advantages due to its high speed, simplicity and non-destructive structure. Therefore, it can be used as a powerful tool for detection and classification of adulteration in sumac sour through this chemometric method.