VOLUME 71 : 2023

Infrared spectroscopy is a standard method in analytical chemistry that transforms the vibration of atoms  in a compound into images. In the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region extending from 4,000-400 cm-1,  the chemical, structural, and compositional information of a molecule, regarded as its fingerprint region,  in the solid, liquid, and gas phases can be deduced. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers  are predominantly used over conventional dispersive instruments because modern computer technology  allows real-time, fast Fourier transform algorithms. This study explored the utility of gas-phase Fourier  transform infrared spectroscopy for the chemometric differentiation of aromatic rice. The seven cultivars  Basmati, Dinorado, Jasmine, Milagrosa, NSICs Rc148, Rc342, and Rc344 were characterized by different  infrared patterns. Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) generated clusters that define the rice’s  similar characteristics. Correspondingly, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was able to precisely  classify the samples into different varieties (≈99%). The results demonstrated that chemometric analysis  of FTIR spectrograms can be a reliable technique and has a high potential to discriminate aromatic  rice samples based on their infrared fingerprints. The study provided a possible inexpensive and non destructive alternative that has not been explored before to assess the authenticity of rice varieties through  an existing analytical platform.