Quality of spices commercialized in the São Paulo State: physico-chemical (incidence of mycotoxins, analysis of artificial dyes) and microscopic (identification of histological elements, investigation of extraneous materials)

Abstract

With increased interest in using natural ingredients in food, spices are strong candidates to replace artificial additives. However, these products may be contaminated with mycotoxins and/or extraneous materials and may be fraudulent with flour, corn, dyes, among others, as they are products of high commercial value. Then, the study of these products are important. The objective of this project is to study 5 spices, commonly used in Brazilian cuisine, turmeric (Curcuma longa L. and Curcuma domestica Valenton), colorific (Urucum, Bixa orellana L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), noz-moscada (Myristica fragrans Houtt), paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) and black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) are: (1) development and/or adaptation and validation of methods for the analysis of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in spices; (2) evaluation of the quality of the spices consumed in the state of São Paulo, in relation to the incidence of ochratoxin A and aflatoxins; (3) development and/or adaptation and validation of methods for analysis of dyes in the studied spices that present color: turmeric, colorific and paprika; (4) adapt microscopic analysis method to minimize solvent use; (5) determine the level of contamination by foreign matter present in the spices (6) elaborate an illustrative technical manual or atlas with images and descriptions of the main characteristics of the contaminants found in this study; (7) to verify adulteration by identifying the histological elements and by analyzing the presence and quantification of dyes in the colored spices; (8) elaborate an illustrative technical manual or atlas with images of the histological elements of the spices that will be studied. (AU)