Use of near-infrared spectroscopy and rapid visco analysis

Nicole Detlor, P.Eng, (PM) and Tracy Butt, M.Sc. (PI)

Dawn Foods has been a global bakery ingredients leader for over a century. They understand that in some instances, quality tests may take longer than desired, leading to delays in receiving feedback from the quality assurance team to the production floor. Additionally, the repetitive nature of manual testing can lead to ergonomic strain on the quality technicians who are required to roll, cut, and move heavy trays from multiple production batches. 

Dawn Foods formed a strategic partnership with Conestoga Food Research & Innovation Lab (CFRIL) to explore new and innovative testing methods that prioritize ergonomic safety and operational efficiency. Through this collaboration, CFRIL conducted a thorough review of the potential use of near-Infrared spectroscopy and rapid visco analysis to create a unique identifier for dry bakery mix products. This feasibility study generated critical data that provided Dawn Foods with a deeper understanding of the potential for these technologies to improve production accuracy while reducing the time and effort required for quality testing. 

We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).