Determination of the elemental composition and antioxidant properties of dates (Phoenix dactyliferia) originated from different regions.

Due to the growing interest in running a healthy life, including the diet a special interest has been put in searching for products that are rich in nutrients, macro and micronutrients and vitamins. Dates are the fruits that meet these requirements and show multidirectional pro-health effects. These fruits are a source of potassium and other macro- and micronutrients. They have antioxidant properties thanks to the content of flavonoids and polyphenols. The elemental composition (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, Sr and Zn) and antioxidant properties (total equivalent antioxidant capacity, total polyphenol content, total flavonoid content) of various dates from different regions of the world was determined. The results have shown that the peel and flesh of dates differ significantly in chemical composition. The peel is significantly richer in chemical components of biological importance. Discriminant analysis of the results obtained for dates originated from various regions indicated that the main factor determining the tested chemical composition is the place of cultivation, not the variety.

Cannabis profiling based on its elemental composition--is it possible?

Elemental composition of 85 cannabis samples was established using GF AAS and ICP OES methods. The robustness of the method was determined by analyzing eight independently prepared replicates from a single cannabis plant. The accuracy of the method was established by analyzing four plant certified reference material samples. The ability of discriminant analysis using elemental compositions to distinguish between fiber cannabis samples collected from four different regions of Poland was evaluated. Then, a classification model was developed that correctly classified selected samples of known origin. Cannabis samples confiscated by law enforcement agencies have also been subjected to discriminant analysis. A classification model has been developed for four locations in Poland (Bialystok, Koscierzyna, the environs of Skarzysko Kamienna, and Bydgoszcz), to help determine where samples of unknown origin could have been grown.