| Abstract: | pp. 875–880 The trace-element composition of kernel in pickled Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) was determined using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer in order to distinguish between Japanese products and Chinese products. Strontium and barium concentrations in the kernels of Chinese products were 10 or more times those of the Japanese ones. When based on 8.0 mg kg?1 of strontium concentration in kernel, 93.2% of sample was distinguished as Japanese products or Chinese ones. Applying principal component analysis using 9 elements (Mn, Zn, Fe, Ni, Ba, Sr, Cu, Co, Cr), the pickled Japanese apricots tend to separate into two countries. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) using 9 elements allowed a reasonable classification of pickled Japanese apricots according to the country of production. The result of the analysis of K-nearest neighbors (KNN) was better than that of LDA. |
