Since the late 1800’s scientists have been testing spice samples and discovering that they are adulterated. Some spices are high-value products that can be adulterated with lower-value commodities for commercial gain by unscrupulous suppliers. Some common adulterants of spices range from talc powder, ground walnut shells, cassia bark and sand, to wheat starch, saw dust, millet, buckwheat, and cornstarch. Commonly adulterated spices include garlic powder, black pepper, and cinnamon. Fourier Transform Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-NIR) is shown here to be an effective and rapid technique to determine if these types of spices have been adulterated.