Elemental composition of spices and herb products on the Kosovo market

This study investigated fourteen elements in eight commercially available spices and herbs marketed in Kosovo, by using microwave-assisted acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The samples included single-herb products (oregano, parsley, dried parsley leaves, and turmeric) and mixed poultry seasoning blends. Elemental levels varied with botanical origin and formulation. Leafy herbs showed higher levels of calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc, whereas mixed seasonings exhibited elevated sodium levels, reflecting formulation effects. Chemometric analyses (Pearson correlation, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis) discriminated herb-based products from mixed seasonings. From a food safety perspective, the measured elemental levels provide screening-level information on the compositional variability of commercial spice-herb products, while regulatory compliance can be interpreted only for elements in food categories explicitly covered by current European Union legislation.