The stable isotope signatures of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) in main cultivation regions of China: implications for tracing geographic origin

• Published in: European food research & technology Vol. 237; no. 2; pp. 109 - 116
• Main Authors: Li, Qing, Chen, Lishui, Ding, Qingbo, Lin, Guanghui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2013; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agriculture; Analytical Chemistry; Biotechnology; Carbon; Carbon isotopes; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cultivation; Discriminant analysis; Discrimination; Drinking water; Environmental conditions; Food safety; Food Science; Forestry; Fruits; Geobiology; Hydrogen; Isotopes; Laboratories; Leaves; Nitrogen; Nutrition; Organic matter; Original Paper; Oxygen isotopes; Ratios; Signatures; Stable isotopes; Studies; Topsoil; China; Blackcurrant; Geographic origin; Stable isotopes; China
• ISSN: 1438-2377; 1438-2385
• DOI: 10.1007/s00217-013-1967-0

In this study, blackcurrant fruit and leaf samples from four main cultivation regions of China were collected to analyze their carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen isotope compositions in order to develop an approach for tracing geographic origins of blackcurrant fruits and juice concentrates. The stable isotope compositions of the soils from these locations were also analyzed to link blackcurrant leaves and fruits with the environmental conditions they grew under. In most cases, there were significant differences in the nitrogen isotope ratios of organic matter in fruits, leaves, and topsoil as well as the hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of water in blackcurrant fruits and topsoil among blackcurrant from four sampling sites; thus, the four main cultivation regions of blackcurrant fruits in China could be discriminated through the combination of the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen. However, carbon isotope ratio did not offer any clue for blackcurrant geographic origin. In addition, there were positive correlations of nitrogen isotope signature between blackcurrant fruits and leaves or the topsoil (0–10 cm); thus, the isotope signature of blackcurrant leaves and the topsoil of the cropland could be good indicators of the isotope compositions of blackcurrant fruits when tracing potential geographic origins of blackcurrant fruit concentrated juices or their juice produces. Therefore, stable isotope signatures of blackcurrant materials offer great potentials for tracing geographic origins of blackcurrant fruits or their related produce in China or other cultivation regions.