Abstract: Methods of marking products and of determining the origin or authenticity of marked products are provided that use a variety of natural materials as markers. The natural materials have unique genetically controlled micromorphological structures that can be identified using enhanced visualization techniques. For example, cellulosic plant materials, sporopollenin and diatoms can be used as the natural materials. The natural materials are added to products at sufficiently low levels so as not to have any significant effect on the products other than serving as markers. Dyes and reactants can be added to the natural materials to provide secondary markers. The secondary markers can be vacuum infused into hollow interior spaces of the materials, or placed in surface voids of the materials to remain secured in the marker structures until examined. Sub-cellular particles or heat sensitive molecules can also be used to provide a molecular thermometer for the markers.

Abstract: Methods of marking pharmaceutical products for use in clinical trials and for determining the origin or authenticity of the marked products are provided that use a variety of natural materials as markers. The natural materials have unique genetically controlled micromorphological structures that can be identified using enhanced visualization techniques. For example, cellulosic plant materials, sporopollenin and diatoms can be used as the natural materials. The natural materials are added to pharmaceutical products at sufficiently low levels so as not to have any significant effect on the products other than serving as markers. Dyes and reactants can be added to the natural materials to provide secondary markers. The markers can be identified in stool samples collected during clinical trials to prove that a particular pharmaceutical product has been ingested by a test subject.