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Identifying Fraudulent Natural Products: A Perspective on the Application of Carbon-14 Analysis
Haley Gershon1, Anna Lykkeberg1, Florencia Goren1
1Beta Analytic , 4985 Southwest 74th Court , Miami , Florida 33155 , United States.
Abstract:
Across food and supplement industries, there is a growing trend toward products comprised of natural ingredients. As manufacturers strive to offer "natural" products to consumers, adulteration of ingredients with cheaper synthetic alternatives becomes a concern. This perspective highlights the application of carbon-14 analysis to screen for potential adulteration of natural ingredients, such as garlic oil. Carbon-14 testing determines if a product is comprised of solely plant- or animal-based ingredients by measuring the percentage of biomass versus petrochemical-derived sources. Through comparison to other analytical techniques used for quality control, carbon-14 testing stands out as being able to detect petrochemical-derived nature-identical compounds.
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