Multi-element fingerprinting approach for geographical authentication of Amomum tsaoko seed

The dried ripe fruit or seed of Amomun tsaoko is a crucial food additive, spice and materia medicai in eastern and southeastern Asia, particularly in China. The geographical origin is related to its overall quality of it and has a strong effect on its commercial value. In this study, an efficient absolute quantitative approach using sixty-nine elements was established for the A. tsaoko seed by ICP-MS. An elemental profile of A. tsaoko seed including fifty-eight elements was constructed, and the correlational pattern of elements was developed. The macro essential elements exhibited a narrow range, while the nonessential elements all presented broad range of mean, except Na, S and Cr. According to mass fractions of As, Cd, Hg and Pb, the A. tsaoko seeds were edible safe. And the lanthanide could not be an available marker for A. tsaoko seed by only itself. Meanwhile, the multi-elements fingerprinting including thirty-two elements (Li, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ge, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, W, Pb) and fifteen elements (B, Mg, Al, P, S, K, Ca, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Sr, Mo, Ba) had been constructed for geographical authentication of A. tsaoko seed. The combination with thirty-two elements could also play a crucial part in the quality control, because there were three toxic elements As, Cd, Pb contained inside.