To evaluate the utility of Sr-87/Sr-86 ratio for determining the geographical provenance of vegetables, we compared Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios and Sr concentrations in five vegetable species grown in Japan and China, and we also examined the relationships between Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios in vegetables, the soil-exchangeable pool, irrigation water, and fertilizer from 20 Japanese agricultural areas. The vegetable Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios in Japan were similar for all species within a given agricultural area, but tended to be low in northeast Japan and high in southwest Japan. The median Sr-87/Sr-86 ratio in Japanese vegetables was similar to that in fertilizer, suggesting that in addition to rock-derived Sr, vegetables contain Sr derived from fertilizers. In most cases, the Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios for the Japanese and Chinese vegetables differed by approximately 0.710. Linear discriminant analysis using both Sr-87/Sr-86 and the Sr concentration allowed more accurate discrimination between vegetables from the two countries. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.