THE USE OF TARGETED ANALYSIS TO VERIFY THE GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF GROUND PAPRIKA

This study investigated the use of targeted analysis to verify the geographic origin of ground paprika samples. In total, 36 samples were analyzed from all over the world (17 from Europe, 17 from Asia, one from North America, and one from Africa). Deliberately chosen methods that use equipment commonly available in control laboratories were used for the analysis. The samples were examined for total fat content, total protein content, sugar concentration, the concentration of selected elements, ASTA coloring, ash content, and pH of the extract. The results were processed using multivariate analysis, which showed that, based on these investigated parameters, it is possible to differentiate ground paprika samples from different regions. In addition to being able to separate samples originating from Asia from those originating from Europe, it was also possible to distinguish samples from Europe with protected geographical indications, such as paprika from Hungary, Spain, and Slovakia.