Advances in the Identification Methods of Food-Medicine Homologous Herbal Materials

As a key component of both traditional medicine and modern healthcare, Food-Medicine Homologous Herbal Materials have attracted considerable attention in recent years. However, issues related to the quality and authenticity of medicinal materials on the market often arise, not only compromising their efficacy but also presenting potential risks to consumer health. Therefore, the establishment of accurate and efficient identification methods is crucial for ensuring the safety and quality of Food-Medicine Homologous Herbal Materials. This paper provides a systematic review of the research progress on the identification methods for Food-Medicine Homologous Herbal Materials, starting with traditional methods such as morphological and microscopic identification, and focusing on the applications of modern techniques, including biomimetic recognition, chromatography, mass spectrometry, chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling, hyperspectral imaging, near-infrared spectroscopy, terahertz spectroscopy, and DNA barcoding. Moreover, it provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental principles, advantages, and limitations of these methods. Finally, the paper outlines the current challenges faced by identification methods and suggests future directions for improvement, aiming to offer a comprehensive technical perspective on identifying Food-Medicine Homologous Herbal Materials and foster further development in this field.