Food monitoring based on diode laser gas spectroscopy

Summary, in English

Abstract Food is frequently packed in a controlled environment

of gas, in order to extend shelf life. It is of great

importance to be able to monitor the status of the packed

food to ensure quality. We demonstrate a technique to monitor

the gas inside packages non-intrusively by using a laser

spectroscopicmethod in scattering solid materials. The technique

named GASMAS (GAs in Scattering Media Absorption

Spectroscopy) is based on tunable diode laser absorption

spectroscopy and relies on the fact that free gas inside

solid materials absorbs much sharper spectrally than

the bulk material. Results from time dependent measurements

of molecular oxygen and water vapour in packages

of minced meat, bake-off bread, and the headspace of a milk

carton are presented. We show that the technique allows gas

measurements inside the food through the package, and assessment

of the integrity of the package.

• Author: Märta Lewander; Zuguang Guan; Linda Persson; Annika Olsson; Sune Svanberg
• Department/s: Atomic Physics; Packaging Logistics
• Publishing year: 2008
• Language: English
• Pages: 619-625
• Publication/Series: Applied Physics B
• Volume: 93
• Full text: - 732 kB; Download statistics
• Links: http://www.springerlink.com/content/87278x03n611570q/?p=8c6adfb3404c4124a43abcfc24d4d7dd&pi=44; http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00340-008-3192-2
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Springer
• Topic: Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics; Other Mechanical Engineering
• Keywords: Laser spectroscopy; Food Packaging; Gas compositions; Logistics; Non-intrusive measurements; Packaging; Packaging logistics
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0946-2171