Developing magnetic resonance-based in-line sensors

Michael J. McCarthy

Department of Food Science & Technology

NMR and MRIStrengths- Chemical identification- Structure determination- Medical imaging- Microscopy imaging- Noninvasive- High speed…

Current Limitations: Not suitable for industrial environment

Not portableLow sensitivity

Strawberry Milk Chocolate Milk 4 Averages

Chocolate Milk 20 Averages

http://www.bruker-biospin.com/nmr_magnets_us2.html?&L=0&print=

Goals of our NMR work• Address current limitations and enable process

NMR/MRI spectrometers for in-line control– Compatible with operation in an industrial

environment• Small side streams• Larger installations for 100 % inspection

– Rapid measurements of• Composition / quality attributes• Structure / Particle size, Rheological

properties– Compatible with fluid food processing

• Clean in place chemical• Liquid and particulate suspensions

Enabling process NMR/MRI• Engineered materials

– Novel magnets

• Aspect AI

• ABQMR Inc.

• Miniaturization – NeSSI compatible– Microfabricated components

– Dynamic nuclear polarization

• Measurement information processing– Artificial intelligence, neural networks,

chemometric methods

2 T MRI system

Magnet Design Options• Higher magnetic field (~1.0 T)

– Advantages• Signal-to-noise! (high speed)

– Disadvantages• Cost• Weight

– Imaging/nonimaging options• Low magnetic field strength (~0.05 to 0.2 T)

– Advantages• Cost• Easier to integrate

– Disadvantages• Signal-to-noise ratio (limits speed)

– Imaging and/or nonimaging

1 Tesla; ~0.4 sec scan

0.1 T; 8 hour scan

High Field System – Industrial System 1.0 TeslaNo external field

Industrial grade

Large volume

1 Tesla Field Strength

High performance

Photos courtesy of ASPeCT Magnet Technologies Ltd.www.aspect-mr.com

2. FSE1. Turbo Flash

Example: Seed Detection

Tomato concentrate viscosity to ketchup viscosity

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste with garlic 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Measure tomato concentrate rheology

Correlation of Ketchup Bostwick using in-line viscosity measurements of 12 Brix Tomato Concentrate

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

1.000 1.200 1.400 1.600 1.800 2.000

ntss 6

ntss 7

ntss 8

Linear (ntss 6)

Linear (ntss 7)

Linear (ntss 8)

Tomato Concentrate (Viscosity/density)(-1/5)

Tom

ato

ketc

hup

Bos

twic

k (c

m)

Portable low-field magnetSingle-sided design

10.2 cm diameter5.0 cm high3.0 kilogramsProton frequency 5.2 MHzMeasurement at 20 mm depth into melon (alternate designs yield up to 50 mm depth)

Photo courtesy of ABQMR, Inc

550 600 650 700 750 8008.5

9

9.5

10

10.5

11

11.5

12

12.5

13

Spin spin relaxation time, ms

De

gre

es B

rix

Personal size watermelon

data1

linear

Brix =-0.015 X +21

Miniaturizationmicro-NMR Incorporate DNP

Low field NMR Spectra Benchtop/portable spectroscopy

Labscale system for metabolomics measurements

Microscale rheology

DNP 110x to 200x Signal Enhancement

x100

Advanced in-line sensors for sorting fruit

Paste Production

WholePeel Pack

Byproducts

Sunburn

Good

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Rot

Using a Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis applied to MRI data it is predicted that yields for theprocess can be increased by approximately 10%

Summary

• Novel permanent magnet designs extend applications of NMR/MRI from laboratory to the production line.

• Microfabricated components are NeSSI scale compatible.

• Permits quantitative quality standards and process control.

Acknowledgements

• Rebecca Milczarek• Boaz Zion• Paul Chen• Sandra Garcia• Songi Han• Jeffrey Walton• Eiichi Fukushima,

ABQMR, Inc.

• Uri Rapoport, ASPECT Magnet Technologies Ltd. www.aspect-mr.com

• USDA• USDA-BARD• CDFA• Citrus Research Board• Avocado Commission• ConAgra Foods• Paramount Citrus

Association• CPAC