The new technique, developed by Dr Lien Smeesters at the B-PHOT Brussels Photonics Team at the University of Brussels, in collaboration with Tomra Sorting Solutions, employs a new sensor that scans peeled potatoes, weeding out food that may cause high levels of acrylamide.
With the new sensor, every potato or individual French fry can be examined in a rapid, safe and thorough manner for the first time, claims Tomra.
When the laser beam hits a potato, part of the light will be internally scatted. A bad potato produces a deviating scattering signal, owing to the high acrylamide precursors, and the system can recognise its ‘fingerprint’.
The laser scanner will be integrated into one of Tomra’s in-line sorting machines, detecting and discarding items that may have excessive acrylamide precursors.
Contact Tomra Sorting Solutions for more information.