From:  Organic seeds production and differentiation from conventional systems: compositional signatures, analytical approaches and quality concerns

 Comparison table for the different analytical techniques with potential application for organic seeds evaluation.

TechniquesAnalytical methodAnalytical principleAdvantagesLimitationsSensitivitySpecificityApplicability for organic seed authentication
Physicochemical analysis/physiological seed qualityPhysicochemical and seed testing methods (germination, seed mass, moisture, purity tests)Physical tests (visual and/or other organoleptic characterization) and physiological seed parameters assessmentSimple (almost no sample preparation), standardized, low cost; widely used in seed certificationLimited discriminatory power for production systems; influenced by environmental and varietal factorsUseful for evaluating seed quality and viability but insufficient alone for distinguishing organic vs. conventional seeds
Imaging and optical sensing techniques (X-ray, thermal imaging, hyperspectral imaging, machine vision)Spatial and spectral images formed from electromagnetic radiation incidence over seed tissues, reflecting structural and compositional featuresRapid, non-destructive; capable of detecting internal defects and seed structure; compatible with machine learning classificationRequires specialized instrumentation and calibration models; classification often indirect↑↑Promising screening tools; hyperspectral imaging has shown potential for distinguishing organic seeds in some crops
Electronic nose technologiesDetection of volatile organic compounds using sensor arraysRapid detection of volatile fingerprints; minimal sample preparationSensor drift and environmental sensitivity; requires calibration models↑↑Potential complementary tool for seed classification based on volatile signatures
Isotopic and elemental analysisStable isotope analysis (IRMS)Measurement of stable isotope ratios (eg, 15N/14N) based on mass-to-charge separation of ionized moleculesStrong link of isotopic signatures to agronomic practices (eg, fertilization); high reproducibilityInfluenced by geographic and climatic factors; requires expensive instrumentation↑↑↑One of the most promising approaches for distinguishing organic and conventional production systems
Elemental profiling (ICP-MS, ICP-OES, AAS)Quantification of macro- and trace elements based on the interaction of atoms/electromagnetic energy in atomic spectroscopy techniquesMulti-element capability; high sensitivity; suitable for fingerprinting approaches reflecting soil composition, fertilization, and environmental inputsElemental composition influenced by soil type and geography; requires specialized use↑↑↑Useful as complementary markers for classification of farming systems
Spectroscopic methodsSpectroscopic techniques (NIR, MIR, Raman, NMR)Measurement of molecular vibrational or magnetic properties generating chemical fingerprints of food matricesRapid, non-destructive; minimal sample preparation; suitable for high-throughput screeningRequires chemometric modelling; spectral overlap may reduce specificity↑↑↑Effective for fingerprint-based classification and preliminary authentication screening
Mass spectrometry techniques (MALDI-TOF, DART-MS)Ionization and detection of molecules based on mass-to-charge ratio to generate molecular profilesHigh molecular specificity; suitable for proteomic and metabolomic profilingInstrument cost and complexity; often requires advanced data processing↑↑↑↑Useful for identifying molecular markers associated with production systems
Chromatographic and omics approachesLC-MS, GC-MS, metabolomics, proteomicsSeparation and identification of metabolites or proteins generating comprehensive molecular fingerprintsHigh analytical resolution; enables biomarker discovery and pathway analysisExpensive instrumentation; complex data interpretation↑↑↑↑Highly suitable for discovering discriminative markers of organic production systems

Sensitivity scale: ↑ low, ↑↑ moderate, ↑↑↑ high, ↑↑↑↑ very high. Specificity scale: ○ low, ◎ moderate, ◉ high.