A comparative study on rapid qualitative and quantitative determination of olive oil adulteration

Authenticity of olive oil is a significant concern for producers, consumers, and policymakers. To help address this issue, a rapid, efficient, and accurate flow injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprinting approach, combined with SVM and PLS classification and regression models, was proposed for the identification and quantitative analysis of olive oil adulteration. Based on the comprehensive comparative analysis, SVM outperformed those of PLS-DA, achieving higher values for accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, as well as positive predictive and negative predictive values, in identifying adulterated olive oil samples. Furthermore, compared with PLSR model, the SVR model demonstrated superior performance in determining the content of adulterated olive oil, with a higher coefficient of determination and lower Root Mean Square Error. In conclusion, FIMS fingerprinting technology in combination with SVM can be effectively implemented for rapid, reliable, and accurate identification and quantification of olive oil adulteration.