78
8 Yerba Mate, the Global Commerce, and Possible Adulteration …
(2) Diabetics can suffer when speaking of adulterated yerba mate with sugar
addition (because the fraudulent addition is not declared and consequently
unforeseen).
By the analytical angle, the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) technique with associated analysis of data by
means of chemometric approaches—pattern recognition: hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA)—has been proposed when
speaking of the possible recognition of sugar-added yerba mate products with good
results (Lima 2019; Schneider et al. 2018).
8.3 Fraudulent Identification of Origin Concerning Yerba
Mate Products
The desired result, in terms of origin-related fraud, is the increase of market prices in
spite of the real origin of yerba mate products. The fraud may concern not only the
mention of a national identity (basically: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay),
but also the mention of a peculiar region or area into the same country.
The origin of yerba mate products can be difficultly defined on the basis of analytical data. Some studies claim that the use of inductively coupled plasma optical
emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with a chemometric approach can discriminate yerba mate products of
different geographical origins on the basis of the composition of macro- and micronutrients (metals) (Marcelo et al. 2014). Hypothetically, near-infrared spectroscopy
(NIR) may be also used when speaking of the recognition of selected molecules such
as methylxanthines in yerba mate, with the assistance of chemometric approaches
(Mazur et al. 2014). Naturally, methylxanthines cannot be easily added to yerba
mate, but their absolute amount is predicted to decrease if foreign contaminants or
adulterants are present in the product. Also, this system may recognise regional or
national patterns with reference to the possible identification of yerba mate origin
(Marcelo et al. 2014).
8.4 Fraudulent Addition and Mixing of I. Paraguariensis
with Other Ilex Species
The addition or mixture of non-yerba mate leaves to real yerba mate leaves would
ameliorate the taste of the original raw material (in terms of reduced amount of
caffeine and different quantities of saponins). In addition, claimed pharmaceutical
properties may be considered in this ambit. However, the increase of market prices
(in spite of the real origin of yerba mate products) is the undeclared and desired
objective of the EMA action. Moreover, the augment of market amounts is balanced
8 Yerba Mate, the Global Commerce, and Possible Adulteration …
(2) Diabetics can suffer when speaking of adulterated yerba mate with sugar
addition (because the fraudulent addition is not declared and consequently
unforeseen).
By the analytical angle, the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) technique with associated analysis of data by
means of chemometric approaches—pattern recognition: hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA)—has been proposed when
speaking of the possible recognition of sugar-added yerba mate products with good
results (Lima 2019; Schneider et al. 2018).
8.3 Fraudulent Identification of Origin Concerning Yerba
Mate Products
The desired result, in terms of origin-related fraud, is the increase of market prices in
spite of the real origin of yerba mate products. The fraud may concern not only the
mention of a national identity (basically: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay),
but also the mention of a peculiar region or area into the same country.
The origin of yerba mate products can be difficultly defined on the basis of analytical data. Some studies claim that the use of inductively coupled plasma optical
emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with a chemometric approach can discriminate yerba mate products of
different geographical origins on the basis of the composition of macro- and micronutrients (metals) (Marcelo et al. 2014). Hypothetically, near-infrared spectroscopy
(NIR) may be also used when speaking of the recognition of selected molecules such
as methylxanthines in yerba mate, with the assistance of chemometric approaches
(Mazur et al. 2014). Naturally, methylxanthines cannot be easily added to yerba
mate, but their absolute amount is predicted to decrease if foreign contaminants or
adulterants are present in the product. Also, this system may recognise regional or
national patterns with reference to the possible identification of yerba mate origin
(Marcelo et al. 2014).
8.4 Fraudulent Addition and Mixing of I. Paraguariensis
with Other Ilex Species
The addition or mixture of non-yerba mate leaves to real yerba mate leaves would
ameliorate the taste of the original raw material (in terms of reduced amount of
caffeine and different quantities of saponins). In addition, claimed pharmaceutical
properties may be considered in this ambit. However, the increase of market prices
(in spite of the real origin of yerba mate products) is the undeclared and desired
objective of the EMA action. Moreover, the augment of market amounts is balanced