Blood in Capsules: Multi-Technique Forensic Investigation of Suspicious Food Supplement.

ABSTRACT: This study presents the results of a multi-technique forensic investigation of suspicious soft capsules seized by law enforcement during a criminal case. The unlabeled samples, sold as therapeutic and "regenerative" food supplements, were examined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (ATR-FTIR), chemiluminescence, and brightfield/confocal microscopy. These complementary analytical approaches revealed that the capsules contained biological material of unknown origin, including blood-derived compounds, lipid constituents, and cellular structures. The findings indicate biological adulteration, possibly due to deliberate falsification or severe contamination. To place these results in a broader

SUBMITTER: Rudnicki-Velasquez P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12693171 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature