###### Abstract  
Authenticating poppy seed oil is essential to ensure product quality and prevent economic and health-related fraud. This study developed a non-targeted approach using FT-IR spectroscopy and pattern recognition analysis to verify the authenticity of poppy seed oil. Thirty-nine poppy seed oil samples were sourced from online stores and local markets in Turkiye. Gas chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) analysis revealed adulteration in 23% of the samples, characterized by unusual fatty acid composition. Spectra of the oil samples were captured with a portable 5-reflection FT-IR sensor. Soft Independent Model of Class Analogies (SIMCA) was used to create class algorithms, successfully detecting all instances of adulteration. Partial least square regression (PLSR) models were then developed to predict the predominant fatty acid composition, achieving strong external validation performance (\(\text{R}_{\text{CV}}\) = 0.96-0.99). The models exhibited low standard errors of prediction (SEP = 0.03-1.40%) and high predictive reliability (RPD = 2.9-6.1; RER = 8.4-13.1). This rapid, non-destructive method offers a reliable solution for authenticating poppy seed oil and predicting its fatty acid composition, presenting valuable applications for producers and regulatory authorities. This approach aids in regulatory compliance, protection of public health, and strengthening of consumer confidence by ensuring the authenticity of the product. poppy seed oil; FT-IR; authenticity verification; portable sensor; chemometrics; food product labeling +
Footnote †: journal: Applied sciences  
The increasing demand for poppy seed oil, low production yields, and resulting high market prices have raised concerns about adulteration issues within the industry [5]. Generally, adulteration is a process in which poppy seed oil is blended with other oils characterized by similar features, usually with more economically advantageous sunflower, canola, corn, or soybean oils [5; 6]. Such practices have deeper ramifications in economic terms; therefore, authentication of poppy seed oil is of great importance to the stakeholders in the industry and regulatory agencies. Mislabeling diminishes the expected nutritional value of the product and presents other potential health risks, including allergic reactions from undisclosed chemical alterations [6; 7]. While traditional authentication methods rely on stable markers or metabolite profiles, the genetic markers in oils degrade significantly in the refining process, thus making it very difficult to trace them, even in adulterated edible oils. Fatty acids, however, constitute the main components of edible oils and demonstrate relatively stable compositions across oil seeds from different origins and oils processed with various techniques [8]. Notably, a 2014 study by [PERSON] and colleagues demonstrated that the fatty acid profile is highly sensitive to tracing adulteration in edible oils. Therefore, fatty acids can be considered important markers and quality parameters for discriminating between various oil seeds and their derived products [9]. Previous studies have employed a wide range of techniques to authenticate edible oils and evaluate their quality parameters. Such techniques include color-based chemical tests, for example, sodium azide test for mustard oil authentication [10] and azo dye test for differentiation of rice bran oil [11], biosensors like electronic tongue (e-tongue) [12; 13] and electronic nose (e-nose) [14]. Advanced analytical techniques have also been employed, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the authentication of peanut and avocado oils [15; 16], gas chromatography (GC) for the detection of mineral oil in edible oils [17], gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the authentication and determination of the geographical origin of olive oil [18], and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for authentication and verification of the geographical origin of palm oil [19].