Electromagnetic imaging and infrared spectroscopy for quality monitoring and preservation of cereal grains

用于谷物质量监测和保存的电磁成像和红外光谱

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-06039
• 负责人: Paliwal, Jitendra
• 金额: $ 2.99万
• 依托单位: University of Manitoba
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=688236
• 关键词: Electromagnetic; imaging; infrared; spectroscopy; quality

The value of Canada's annual grain crop is about $6 billion and 70% of the produced grains are exported. It is estimated that 2% of the harvested crop (worth $120 million) gets wasted during handling and storage. Most buyers specify stringent quality requirements as well as zero-tolerance for contaminants. The current method of grading grain relies heavily on manual inspection, which is time consuming, subjective and requires trained personnel. Therefore, alternative rapid, objective, accurate, and cost effective techniques are needed for grain quality monitoring in real-time that can potentially assist or replace manual inspection. The quality of grain also deteriorates during storage, which could be anywhere from a few months to over a year in Canada. With the disappearance of country elevators over the last few decades, more grain is being stored on-farm for longer periods. This has led to larger-sized bins that are difficult to monitor. Hanging temperature and moisture sensors on cables in these large bins poses many practical limitations. Thus, a non-invasive method of monitoring quality of grain stored in bins is highly desirable.***The long-term goal of my internationally recognized research program is to minimize post-harvest losses and preserve the quality of grain by means of exploiting grain's optical characteristics non-destructively and in real-time. My preliminary work in this area lays the foundation for research that will be conducted in the realm of this proposal over the next 5-years. These short-term objectives are to (i) use the technique of mid infrared spectroscopy to quantify the hazardous secondary metabolites produced by grain fungi; (ii) study the microstructural changes that take place in grain kernels as a consequence of fungal infestations using soft X-ray spectro-microscopy; and (iii) adapt microwave imaging, a technique that is used for detection of cancerous tumors, to monitor the storage conditions inside grain bins.***The state-of-the-art infrastructure recently acquired through a $2 million CFI grant uniquely positions my lab to conduct the research outlined in this proposal. The outcomes of these studies will have a transformative impact on the storage and handling of grains in Canada and worldwide. The optical method of detecting fungi and mycotoxins will help provide grain inspectors a currently unavailable but highly desirable tool to detect incipient infestations in real time. Using microwave imaging, Canadian producers will be able to monitor their grain bins non-invasively. The importers and consumers of Canadian grain will benefit from a safe supply of high quality cereals. The HQP trained on these studies will gain skills that are highly coveted by Canadian industries. In essence, the research will help enhance process efficiencies in grain handling and storage and also train highly skilled personnel who will contribute to the Canadian economy.**

加拿大每年的谷物产值约为60亿加元，所生产的谷物70%用于出口。据估计，2% 的收获作物（价值 1.2 亿美元）在处理和储存过程中被浪费。大多数买家都指定了严格的质量要求以及对污染物的零容忍。目前的粮食分级方法严重依赖人工检查，耗时长、主观性强，并且需要经过培训的人员。因此，需要替代的快速、客观、准确和具有成本效益的技术来实时监测谷物质量，从而有可能辅助或取代人工检查。谷物的质量在储存期间也会恶化，在加拿大，储存时间可能长达几个月到一年多。随着过去几十年乡村电梯的消失，更多的粮食在农场储存的时间更长了。这导致垃圾箱尺寸较大，难以监控。在这些大型垃圾箱的电缆上悬挂温度和湿度传感器会带来许多实际限制。因此，非常需要一种非侵入性的方法来监测储存在粮仓中的谷物的质量。***我的国际公认的研究计划的长期目标是通过非破坏性和实时地利用谷物的光学特性来最大程度地减少收获后损失并保持谷物的质量。我在这一领域的初步工作为未来 5 年在该提案领域进行的研究奠定了基础。这些短期目标是（i）使用中红外光谱技术来量化谷物真菌产生的有害次生代谢物； (ii) 使用软 X 射线光谱显微镜研究真菌侵染导致谷粒发生的微观结构变化； (iii) 采用微波成像（一种用于检测癌性肿瘤的技术）来监测粮仓内的储存条件。***最近通过 200 万美元 CFI 拨款获得的最先进的基础设施使我的实验室处于独特的地位，可以开展本提案中概述的研究。这些研究的结果将对加拿大和世界范围内的谷物储存和处理产生变革性影响。检测真菌和霉菌毒素的光学方法将有助于为谷物检验员提供一种目前无法使用但非常理想的工具来实时检测早期侵染。使用微波成像，加拿大生产商将能够非侵入性地监控他们的粮箱。加拿大谷物的进口商和消费者将受益于优质谷物的安全供应。经过这些研究培训的总部人员将获得加拿大工业界高度渴望的技能。从本质上讲，该研究将有助于提高谷物处理和储存的流程效率，并培训将为加拿大经济做出贡献的高技能人才。 **