X-Ray CT: An Emerging Research Tool for Food Industry

摘要

Consumers are placing an increasing emphasis on the quality of food products that they purchase. This has motivated the agricultural and food industries to evaluate X-ray computed tomography (CT) for product quality evaluation. X-ray CT can provide the density distribution and internal structure of the object of interest. It can make three-dimensional images with sufficient resolution to enable detailed studies of objects. An X-ray CT scanner can be used to detect foreign materials in food based on density difference, physiological changes in horticultural produce, tissue breakdown, acidity and pH in food products. Computed tomography offers particularly greater potential as a non-destructive method for monitoring dynamic changes without interfering with the process being studied. X-ray CT is the only non-invasive method for the determination of body composition of animals. The x-ray CT scanner has the potential to be adapted for online sorting and quality monitoring of agricultural products, although currently it is cost prohibitive.