Rapid biospectroscopic process & quality analysis.

A major challenge for the food industry is to increase efficiency and sustainability of production and at the same time maintain or improve product quality. Consequently, rapid sensors, in particular spectroscopic techniques, are increasingly applied in p ro¬duction lines for quality control and process optimisation. The industrial demands for such methods are growing, and current needs span a broad range of applications, such as on-line determination of crude chemical composition in complex products, fatt y acid composition, oxidation, sensory properties, as well as health related compounds. Spectroscopy is also increasingly being used within research as an efficient qualitative and quantitative analytical tool. Compared to traditional methods, these tech niques can give new and better insight into complex systems. They can measure a great number of chemical compounds, enabling semi-fingerprinting of intact samples, and they allow continuous and non-destructive analysis of products during processing. Non-d estructive imaging of chemical and physical properties is a very important tool for the understanding of interactions between products and processes, and this can be achieved both at macro and micro levels. During the recent years, rapid developments in spectroscopic techniques, fast sensors and data processing have finally resulted in sophisticated well working sensor systems for characterisation of complex bio tissues within all sciences. Matforsk has taken active part in this progress, both as develop er and user of novel sensors for food quality measurements. This research programme will continue our on-going activities on novel spectroscopic techniques for industrial use and for sophisticated research on bio-materials. It will consist of three main w ork packages: 1.- On-line measurements for process optimisation 2.- High-throughput screening for detailed quality characterisation 3.- Physical and chemical structure at the micro and macro level