Micro-CT Applications for Food Safety

Imaging food freezing using X‐ray microtomography

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the effectiveness of micro-CT for visualizing ice crystal structures formed during freezing of a number of foods. The study looked at various frozen materials, including meat, fish, chicken, potato, cheese, and carrot. The food materials were freeze-dried to remove the ice crystal structure and leave voids that were measurable by the micro-CT. “Results show the voids corresponding to the ice crystals formed within these materials at different directions to the heat flux and various axial positions. Electron microscopy of the same materials, both fresh and frozen at −5 °C, indicates the same shape of voids seen by the tomographic technique.” The study concluded that micro-CT is useful in the quality analysis of frozen foods.

READ MORE on using micro-CT for looking at frozen foods from International Journal of Food Science & Technology.

………………………………

Salt reduction in sheeted dough: A successful technological approach

ABSTRACT

This study discusses reducing the salt content in sheeted dough while maintaining shelf life, stability, and taste. Processing adjustments that “reduce salt content while maintaining the machinability and the saltiness perception of sheeted dough” were measured by micro-CT scans. By following the salt dissolving, the use of micro-CT helped to demonstrate the capability of the coatings to delay the salt dissolving and consequently the diffusion of salt within the dough piece. This demonstrated that salt content can be reduced in dough without reducing saltiness perception because the spatial modulation of salt content strengthened the perception of saltiness.

READ MORE on using micro-CT for studying salt dissolution from Science Direct.

…………………………………

Seeing is Believing: X-ray Computed Tomography for Quality Control

This broad overview of the use of micro-CT for quality inspection and improvement emphasizes its capacity to evaluate dimensional information. With its ability to improve product quality, reduce inspection and analysis costs, and decrease manufacturing time to market, micro-CT is now being rapidly adopted in a variety of industries, including packaging of food and pharmaceuticals.

READ MORE with this overview of micro-CT for quality control from Quality Magazine.

…………………………………