Is your pomegranate juice adulterated?

WASHINGTON - Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants and good for health. But is the bottled juice you purchased real or adulterated? A US scientist is now studying samples from across the globe to find out.

You pick up a bottle of pomegranate juice, secure in the belief that it is rich in antioxidants and good for health. But is the juice you’ve purchased really pomegranate juice? Does the product label promise more than it delivers?

Cynthia Larive, professor of chemistry at University of California, is conducting tests to determine whether pomegranate juice or pomegranate juice blends are for real or adulterated.

“We are measuring levels of unique compounds in pomegranate juice and are able to use this ‘molecular fingerprint’ to discriminate against adulterated juice products,” said Larive, according to a California statement.

In the lab, Larive and her graduate student Daniel Orr are measuring levels of different biochemicals, called small-molecule metabolites, present in juices.

They are using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and other tools to measure amino acids, organic acids, sugars, pomegranate pigment compounds, as well as health-producing antioxidant molecules unique to pomegranate juice.

“We have received a collection of pomegranate samples from around the world, as well as commercial juices such as beet, grape, apple and pear - to name just a few,” Larive said.

“We’re looking at whether or not our molecular fingerprint method can be used to identify products claiming to contain pomegranate juice when they don’t, and products claiming to be pomegranate juice when they are not.”

According to Larive, the three methods her lab used on pomegranate juices can be used to authenticate other products like wine and olive oil too.