Taking dietary supplements is an effective way to maintain adequate levels of minerals and nutrients in ones body, especially when fruit and vegetables are in limited supply. Every year in the United States, spoiled produce contributes to millions of dollars in wasted food, but new technology may one day change all that.
Scanning devices that emit ultraviolet (UV) and near-infrared (NI) light may soon be used to detect defects in apples, according to a study published in the journal Sensing and Instrumentation for Food Quality and Safety.
The report stated that the technology is called a high-speed multispectral-hyperspectral line-scanner. As apples whiz by on a conveyor belt, two lamps emit UV and NI light, respectively, while two cameras capture what the light reveals about the fruit.
The NI light can reveal defects in the apples, like bruising or rotten areas, while the UV wavelengths highlight contaminating chemicals coating the fruits surface. The technologys inventors said that while their system can currently analyze three to four apples per second, it may soon be able to process fruit at a much faster rate.
When one bad apple spoils the bunch, it may be helpful to consume a daily vitamin supplement to ensure quality nutrition.