Optical techniques for quality monitoring and preservation of cereal grains

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Canada's agriculture and agri-food industry contributes over $110 billion annually to our economy; grain production accounts for 40% of this revenue. However, on-farm post-harvest crop losses costs our economy over $1b/yr, as poorly stored crops fail to meet the stringent quality requirements of domestic processors and importing countries. Despite huge technological advancements in other sectors, storage and quality monitoring of crops is largely done using conventional means. Novel rapid, accurate, and cost-effective grain quality monitoring techniques are needed to enhance or replace manual inspection and mitigate losses. There is a potential to exploit the physical and optical characteristics of grains and develop such tools in an environmentally sustainable manner. My research program aims to understand and utilize the interaction of the electromagnetic spectrum with raw and processed food materials, via spectral fingerprinting, electromagnetic imaging (EMI), and microstructural analyses, to optimize quality monitoring, grading, and processing operations. Over the next five years, my team will: (i) Model the intergranular pore structure in bulk soybeans using X-ray µCT under different levels of compaction; (ii) Propose a grain drying model for full-scale grain storage bins and validate these against the path traversed by drying fronts captured using the EMI system; (iii) Evaluate the efficacy of using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectro-microscopy to quantify the toxic secondary metabolites (mycotoxins) produced by grain fungi; and (iv) Seek evidence to support the hypothesis that soft X-ray spectro-microscopy (SM) can be used to unravel the micro-structural changes that occur in a grain kernel due to fungal infestation. The CFI-funded state-of-the-art infrastructure in the University of Manitoba's Grain Storage Research Laboratory uniquely enables us to conduct the proposed research program which will have a transformative impact on enhancing efficiencies in grain storage and quality monitoring in Canada and worldwide. Our goal of characterizing the intergranular pore spaces in stored bins has the potential to rewrite grain drying theories that govern the design of aeration systems. A fundamental understanding of how heat and mass transfer takes place in large bulks will lead to efficient forced-air drying systems that will bring cost savings to farmers, from lower fuel consumption to reduced grain spoilage. The optical method of detecting fungi and mycotoxins will help provide grain inspectors with tools to detect incipient infestations in real-time, offering importers and consumers a safe supply of high-quality Canadian grains. I am equally committed to elevate the profile of underrepresented groups in primary agriculture and provide my HQP with skills that are highly coveted by Canadian agri-food industries, to help create a skilled workforce that demographically mirrors our society.