Developing magnetic resonance-based in-line sensors

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Developing magnetic resonance-based in-line
sensors

• Michael J. McCarthy
• Department of Food Science Technology

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NMR and MRI
Current Limitations Not suitable for industrial
environment Not portable Low sensitivity

• Strengths
• - Chemical identification
• - Structure determination
• Medical imaging
• Microscopy imaging
• Noninvasive
• High speed

Chocolate Milk 4 Averages
Chocolate Milk 20 Averages
Strawberry Milk
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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

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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

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Magnet Design Options
1 Tesla 0.4 sec scan

• 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

0.1 T 8 hour scan
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High Field System Industrial System 1.0 Tesla
No external field Industrial grade Large
volume 1 Tesla Field Strength High performance
Photos courtesy of ASPeCT Magnet Technologies Ltd.
www.aspect-mr.com
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Example Seed Detection
2. FSE
1. Turbo Flash
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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
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Measure tomato concentrate rheology
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Correlation of Ketchup Bostwick using in-line
viscosity measurements of 12 Brix Tomato
Concentrate
Tomato ketchup Bostwick (cm)
Tomato Concentrate (Viscosity/density)(-1/5)
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Portable low-field magnet Single-sided design
10.2 cm diameter 5.0 cm high 3.0 kilograms Proton
frequency 5.2 MHz Measurement at 20 mm depth into
melon (alternate designs yield up to 50 mm
depth)
Photo courtesy of ABQMR, Inc
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Miniaturizationmicro-NMR Incorporate DNP

• Low field NMR Spectra
• Benchtop/portable spectroscopy
• Labscale system for metabolomics measurements
• Microscale rheology

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DNP 110x to 200x Signal Enhancement
x100
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Advanced in-line sensors for sorting fruit
Using a Partial Least Squares-Discriminant
Analysis applied to MRI data it is predicted that
yields for the process can be increased by
approximately 10
Good
Whole Peel Pack
Paste Production
Sunburn
Byproducts
Rot
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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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.

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Acknowledgements

• 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

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