Emerging Technologies for Food Quality and Food Safety Evaluation

Even though the perception of food quality may depend on its hedonic and often subjective attributes, it is essential to quantitatively evaluate its quality and safety. Fortunately, the advent of sophisticated systems, including nondestructive testing techniques, has made it possible to definitively evaluate food quality. Reflecting these advances, Emerging Technologies for Food Quality and Food Safety Evaluation examines leading-edge technologies for on-line and off-line (lab) monitoring of food quality and safety. The book reviews the scope of food quality parameters such as color, texture, chemical compositions, and flavor. Each chapter describes a specific system for quality parameters, its principles, and its applications to foods. Coverage includes artificial intelligence systems for sensory evaluation, as well as computer vision; NIR, NMR and MRI; sonic and ultrasonic systems; multi-spectral and hyper-spectral imaging systems; and electronic nose. The book also explores new tools for laboratory analysis and on-site industrial use such as biosensors used for the biochemical evaluation of food and nanotechnology used for the enhancement of sensitivity and detection limit in measurement systems for food quality and safety. Foods are characterized by the presence of a complex matrix. It is therefore not easy to quantitatively measure the factors associated with the quality and safety of products. With its overview of the latest technologies and introduction of sophisticated technologies, this book clarifies how technologies from other disciplines can be developed into new approaches to food quality evaluation.