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Title: ONLINE MULTITASKING LINE-SCAN IMAGING TECHNIQUES FOR SIMULTANEOUS SAFETY AND QUALITY EVALUATION OF APPLES

Author
item Kim, Moon
item LEE, KANGJIN - RURAL DEV ADMIN, KOREA
item Chao, Kuanglin - Kevin Chao
item Lefcourt, Alan
item CHO, BYOUNG-KWAN - CHUNGNAM NAT UNIV, KOREA
item Jun, Won

Submitted to: Modern Physics Letter B
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2008
Publication Date: 5/10/2008
Citation: Kim, M.S., Lee, K., Chao, K., Lefcourt, A.M., Cho, B., Jun, W. 2008. Online multitasking line-scan imaging techniques for simultaneous safety and quality evaluation of apples. Modern Physics Letter B. 22(11):147-952.

Interpretive Summary: Researchers at the FSL, ARS, USDA, developed a rapid online apple inspection system based on multispectral reflectance and fluorescence imaging techniques. One key advancement is the system’s capability to perform multitask inspections for quality and safety attributes of apples by simultaneously capturing and evaluating fluorescence and reflectance measurements. The online imaging results showed a sufficient spatial resolution per apple at a processing line speed of over 4 apples per second. Presented technology and methodology for rapid online inspection of apple defects and animal fecal contamination are useful to scientists, engineers, regulatory government agencies (FSIS and FDA), and food processing industries.

Technical Abstract: The lab developed a push-broom, line-scan imaging system capable of simultaneous measurements of reflectance and fluorescence. The system allows multitasking inspections for quality and safety attributes of apples due to its dynamic capabilities in simultaneously capturing fluorescence and reflectance, and selectivity in multispectral bands. At a processing line speed of over 4 apples per second, the system captured a total of 333 lines (pixels) per second and approximately 40 horizontal lines per apple. This resulted in a sufficient spatial resolution for image-based online inspection. The presented multitask inspection approach in online applications may provide an economically viable means for a number of food processing industries being able to adapt to operate and meet the dynamic and specific inspection and sorting needs.