Handheld near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has again proved a powerful tool in detecting food fraud, this time in oregano samples, according to research published in the journal Food Chemistry. Studies have already shown NIR to be effective in detecting food fraud in Basmati rice and almonds, both potential targets for fraudsters. Now a fresh paper authored by Terry McGrath, working with ASSET Technology Centre, Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's University Belfast has indicated promising results from oregano samples. A low-cost, handheld NIR single device chemometric model was used to test the samples in the inter-laboratory study involving 27 participants from 22 countries using 34 unique devices.