.png)
2025 AOCS Posters
Analytical
Stefania Vichi
Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Science
University of Barcelona
Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Catalonia, Spain
Berta Torres Cobos, PhD (she/her/hers)
Postdoctoral Researcher in Food Science
University of Barcelona
Cèlia Asensio-Manzano
Student
University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Soriana B. B. Nicotra
PhD student
University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Neus Aletà
Dr.
IRTA, Catalonia, Spain
Anna Teixidó
Dr.
IRTA, Catalonia, Spain
Mercè Rovira
Researcher
Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology
Constantí, Catalonia, Spain
Agustí Romero
Researcher
Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology
Constantí, Catalonia, Spain
Francesc Guardiola
Full Professor of Nutrition and Food Science
University of Barcelona
Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Catalonia, Spain
Alba Tres
Associate Professor
University of Barcelona
Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Catalonia, Spain
Pine nuts, highly valued for their sensory attributes and nutritional benefits, are widely used in culinary preparations. The most consumed species are Pinus pinea, primarily cultivated in Mediterranean countries, and Pinus koraiensis and Pinus sibirica, mainly produced in Asia. These species, along with their geographical origins, influence the nutritional and sensory attributes of the nuts, affecting market prices and making them susceptible to economically motivated fraud. This underscores the need for effective methods to verify the authenticity of pine nuts.
This study investigates a nontargeted approach based on volatile and semivolatile terpene metabolite fingerprints to verify the botanical and geographical authenticity of pine nuts. A total of 253 samples, including Spanish P. pinea from two different regions and Asian pine nuts from other species, were analyzed using headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The data were processed with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to build classification models.
The results showed that this method could accurately distinguish between Spanish and Asian pine nuts, and as well as differentiate P. pinea from two Spanish regions, with external validation showing 100% and 99% accuracy, respectively. This approach is simple, cost-effective, and automatable, offering a reliable screening tool that could be used to support official controls and combat fraud in the pine nut market.