To be able to make relevant analyses, we need to have available a broad spectrum of rapid spectroscopic measurement methods. Such techniques make it possible to illuminate samples and measure, for example, how much light of various wavelengths is absorbed. This in turn tells us something about the quality (chemical composition, colour, oxidation, etc) of the food and can be used for sorting or process management.
Rapid spectroscopic methods can be used to measure many chemical components at once - a kind of chemical fingerprinting. They can also be used for continuous and non-destructive measurement of products and processes over an extended period - and in many cases chemical properties and processes can be imaged on the samples illustrating the spatial distribution. All these properties make these methods versatile, flexible, efficient and very informative.
At Nofima Mat we are developing rapid new methods of measurement which are relevant and applicable to both industrial quality control and food research. The applications are based on:
- NIR (near infrared)
- FTIR
- Raman
- fluorescence spectroscopy
- gas and fluid sensors
- mulitspectral imaging, all techniqes combined with chemometrics.
Compared with traditional methods, these methods can often give a new and better insight into complex questions.
