Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy: A convenient and rapid tool to distinguish cheese made with milks from different animal species

Authenticity is of great importance in the food industry. There is a need for rapid, reliable methods that can ‘fingerprint’ foods and show their composition. In this study, we trialled spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) as a convenient method to distinguish between cheeses of different animal origins. SORS is a rapid non-destructive method that can be applied to food products in various packaging materials such as plastic. The technique also has the capability to monitor larger volume of sample in contrast with conventional Raman spectroscopy. Eight cheese products were examined in relation to, and discrimination between them was based upon, protein and fat content, phospholipids and carotenoids. Chemometrics analysis further enabled differentiation of even closely related cheese types. SORS has great potential as a rapid, real-time tool for screening of foods for authenticity, and in the future, this could be extended to monitoring for food quality targeting specific molecules.