Abstract
Rapid identification is critically important in the protection of endangered species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). One such species is American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), whose remaining wild populations are vulnerable to the effects of poaching. Direct Analysis in Real Time Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (DART-ToF MS) is a mature but underutilized forensic tool suitable for rapidly analyzing plant materials. This tool offers greater convenience over alternative species identification methods commonly requiring extensive sample preparation and instrument run times. In the current study, four categories of ginseng, including wild and cultivated American ginseng, Korean ginseng (P. ginseng), and Chinese ginseng (P. notoginseng), were analyzed by DART-ToF MS. The collected mass spectra were visually compared by heat map prior to application of multivariate statistical analysis to cluster sample groups, yielding a two-step identification model capable of identifying the origin of blind quality assurance samples. With fast sample preparation, data acquisition, and statistical analysis, DART-ToF MS shows great potential as a forensic screening tool in combating poaching and illegal trade of endangered and CITES-listed species such as wild American ginseng. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40068-025-00414-6.