Justification of anatomical- and morphological criteria for the plant origin food products identification and quality

Interest in the development of anatomical and morphological authenticity criteria of a number of food products of plant origin is growing due to their falsification. A fairly common falsification is the substitution of laurel noble leaves (Laurus nobilis L.) with similarly alike leaves of medicinal laurel cherries (Laurocerasus officinalis M. Roem.), full or partial replacement of long leaf tea with vegetative organs of other families plants. The microscopy method in combination with histochemical reactions to biologically active substances can become promising not only for identification, but also for assessing the quality of individual food products of plant origin. The aim of the study was to develop anatomical and morphological criteria for the identification and quality of food products of plant origin on the example of black long leaf tea and laurel leaf. Diagnostic features allowing identification and detection of laurel leaf falsification by cherryl leaves are leaf area, stomatal apparatus type, number and location of essential oil containers, tannins localization, calcium oxalate crystals shape and location...