Project title: SPECTRA – Spectral Imaging for Quantifying Real-time Microbial Activity in Food
Project number: SMP-24020
Requesting country: Netherlands
Year: 2024
Budget: € 40,000
Project leader: Paulo de Boer
Knowledge institute: Wageningen University & Research
Project partners: Photon Mission

Summary

The SPECTRA project is focused towards developing spectral imaging (SI) as a fast and non-invasive method to detect and quantify microbial contaminants in food. The availability of such fast and non-invasive quantitative detection methods, provides producers a huge advantage for a rationally designed quality and safety assessment system that can be used to maximize product shelf life. Moreover, such a non-invasive quantitative method will allow in-package analysis. The foreseen follow-up is an international PPP including the application of this technology for other food categories, such as plant-based meat-replacers.