Identification of lentils (Lens culinaris Medik) from Eglouvi (Lefkada, Greece) based on rare earth elements profile combined with chemometrics

An analytical approach has been developed to verify the authenticity of premium lentils originating from Eglouvi, Lefkada, Greece. The method relies on the digestion of samples followed by the analysis of their rare earth elements (REEs) content. Lentils originating from Eglouvi exhibit higher content in most REEs compared to lentils from other regions as well as distinct Sc/Y and Sc/Yb concentration ratios. Principal component analysis effectively segregates “Eglouvi” lentils into a distinct cluster. Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) successfully models “Eglouvi” lentils. Significant enhancement in model specificity was achieved upon inclusion of Sc/Y and Sc/Yb concentration ratios as additional variables. The model is capable of detecting adulteration in blends of Eglouvi lentils, with a minimum rejection threshold of 4.6% w/w for Greek lentil adulterants and 6.0% w/w for imported lentil adulterants.