Classification of wine and alcohol vinegar samples based on near-infrared spectroscopy. Feasibility study on the detection of adulterated vinegar samples

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was used to discriminate between wine vinegar (red or white) and alcohol vinegar. One orthogonal signal correction method (OSC) was applied on a set of 73 vinegar NIR spectra from both origins and artificial blends made in the laboratory in order to remove information unrelated to a specific chemical response (tartaric acid), which was selected due to its high discriminant ability to differentiate between wine vinegar and alcohol vinegar samples. These corrected NIR spectra, as well as raw NIR spectra and 14 physicochemical variables, were used to develop separate classification models using the potential functions method as a class-modeling technique. The aforementioned models were compared to evaluate the suitability of NIR spectroscopy as a rapid method for discriminating between vinegar origins. The transformation of vinegar NIR spectra by means of an orthogonal signal correction method prompted a notable improvement in the specificity of the constructed classification models. The classification model developed was then applied to artificial vinegar blends made in the laboratory to test its capacity to recognize adulterated vinegar samples.