Effective strategy for distinguishing raw and vinegar Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus based on electronic eye and electronic tongue combined with chemometrics

Abstract Introduction Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus (SCF), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used in treating virtual injury and strain since ancient times. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia reveals that SCF includes raw (RSCF) and vinegar‐processed (VSCF) decoction pieces. Objective This study developed an effective method combining the electronic eye (e‐eye), electronic tongue (e‐tongue), and chemometrics to discriminate RSCF and VSCF from the perspective of chemical composition, color, and taste. Material and methods First, RSCF were collected and processed into VSCF, and their color parameters, e‐tongue sensory properties, high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra‐HPLC (UPLC) characteristic fingerprints, and nominal ingredients were determined. Multivariate statistical analyses, including principal component, linear discriminant, similarity, and partial least squares discriminant analyses, were conducted. Results HPLC and UPLC fingerprints were established, demonstrating a > 0.900 similarity. The content determination indicated increased schisantherin A, schisantherin B, and schisandrin A contents in VSCF. The e‐eye data demonstrated a > 1.5 total color difference before and after processing ΔE * ab , indicating the significantly changed sample color and appearance before and after processing. The e‐tongue technology was used to quantitatively characterize the taste of RSCF and VSCF. The t ‐test revealed significantly reduced sourness, aftertaste‐bitter, and aftertaste‐astringent values of SCF after vinegar processing. Principal component and partial least squares discriminant analyses indicated that e‐eye and e‐tongue realize the rapid RSCF and VSCF identification. Conclusion The proposed comprehensive strategy of electronic eye and electronic tongue combined with chemometrics demonstrated satisfactory results with high efficiency, accuracy, and reliability. This can be developed into a novel and accurate method for discriminating RSCF and VSCF.