This study used desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) to analyze and detect and classify biomarkers in five different animal and plant sources of milk. Differences in spectral features were observed between cow, goat, camel, soy, and oat milk. Chemometric modeling (linear discriminate analysis, LDA) classified the mass spectra data with 100% cross-validation accuracy and high sensitivity to adulteration (0.1–5% v/v). DESI-MS offers a rapid, efficient, and environmentally friendly approach for milk fraud control, requiring no complex sample cleanup.

Yunhe Hong, Nicholas Birse, Brian Quinn, Holly Montgomery, Di Wu, Gonçalo Rosas da Silva, Saskia M. van Ruth, Christopher T. Elliott