Is your sage safe?

Whole sage leaves (dried or fresh) are not commonly or easily adulterated, as there is likely to be an obvious visual difference which the consumer could easily identify. However, sage in a finer form (ground/powdered) presents a significant adulteration risk.  

A recent UK-based study found that over 25% of sage samples were heavily adulterated (click here to read more). Sage may be adulterated with cheaper alternative plant material such as olive leaves, strawberry-tree leaves, myrtle leaves or hazelnut leaves.

Dried herbs may be adulterated with cheaper bulking agents, to achieve higher profit margins for pricier herbs. In South Africa, the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act (Act 54 of 1972), Regulations governing microbiological standards for foodstuffs and related matters, as amended (R692 of 1997) prohibits the sale, manufacture or import for sale of any dried herb product that has been adulterated so as to increase the mass or volume of such foodstuff with the aim of deceiving the consumer. Furthermore, the Consumer Protection Act (Act 68 of 2008) sets out consumers’ rights to safe, high-quality goods. Therefore, routine screenings should form an important part of the sage supply chain to ensure compliance with these Acts, and to action timely corrective measures should a batch be compromised.

The microscopic or histological investigation of herb products can successfully detect a range of sage adulterants, based on the distinctive morphological properties of sage. The typical microscopic features of sage are tangled masses of long hairs that may be smooth or warty, with dark centres and fibrovascular bundles (Figure 1). These fibrovascular bundles have split or shredded ends and oil glands, as pictured in Figures 2 and 3 below.

Although sage adulteration is not believed to be harmful or hazardous to the consumer’s health, adulterants may impart an unpleasant taste to the product.

We offer a range of herb and spice authentication services. To view our testing catalogue, click here  or contact us for more information

Other articles you may be interested in: In the spotlight: Origanum adulteration.