New Technology Monitors Food Processing in Real Time

A project funded by the European Union (EU) created a new digital system that provides real-time view and control of industrial food processing operations, which researchers said could offer the food industry greater processing efficiencies and ability to meet safety standards, the European Commission (EC) Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) announced Oct. 6.

“Consumers want to know where their food comes from and how it has been processed,” said a CORDIS press release. “For food makers, a problem somewhere along this chain – a batch of poor quality ingredients or contamination by unauthorized compounds for example – can shut down production and lead to significant losses unless it is dealt with efficiently and effectively.

The MUSE-TECH project kicked off its research efforts in 2013 with the aim of helping the food industry move toward predictive process control, transparency in supply chains. Researchers discovered a versatile and auto-adaptive method of in-process control using a combination of three sensors:
- Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS), monitoring temperatures in volatile production environments, like the fermentation process of dough.
- Quasi Imaging Visible-Near Infrared (QIVN) Sensor, providing real-time, in-line data from multiple wavelength channels using a piezo-actuated tunable FPI.
- Photoacoustic Sensor (PAS), used to detect gases and dangerous compounds in foods and beverages.

The system, known as a Multi Sensor Device (MSD), provides data from the three sensors and can accommodate data from other sensors on existing equipment. The pooled data is analyzed in real time using statistical tools, and then is provided to operators via interface.

The project successfully tested and calibrated the technology in three industrial food processing environments – bread dough mixing and proving, potato chip frying, and mashing and boiling in beer brewing – but more research and development is needed to release a commercially-viable version of the system, the researchers said.

“The success of the project also highlights the market potential that exists in the food sector for sensor technology developers. There is also an opportunity for food process equipment manufacturers to design and commercialize innovative equipment with tailored MSDs installed to monitor and control the specific food processes,” said the CORDIS statement.

The researchers said they are working to improve the design of probes used to observe dough during its mixing process and boost the capabilities of its PAS sensor for beer brewing and frying.

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