Chromatographic fingerprinting with diode array detection for screening regulated plants with potency enhancement...

Analysing plant-based food supplements is particularly challenging due to their complex composition. The inclusion of multiple plant species in a single product often results in overlapping or interfering signals when conventional chromatographic methods are used. To overcome these limitations, a novel approach was applied, integrating chromatographic fingerprinting with chemometric analysis and employing a multi-wavelength detection strategy to improve resolution and accuracy. Binary classification models were built to identify the presence or absence of regulated plant materials in the samples. These models achieved strong performance and were validated through both cross-validation and external test sets, ensuring the robustness of the results. A targeted market study of 25 samples arising from illegal sources was carried out, uncovering several noteworthy and concerning findings. This study focused on supplements marketed for potency enhancement, often linked to unregulated or illicit sources. The results revealed a significant occurrence of herbal adulteration, highlighting the urgent need for systematic screening protocols and stricter regulatory measures.