CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

11
The Hounsfield Facility 3D X-ray imaging

description

including development of methods for CT scan with micrometer resolution in manufacturing, methods for achieving the extremely high computational rates as the basis of CT scan in food production and research on new sources and methods for signal conditioning as a basis for detailed analysis in biological tissue.”

Transcript of CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Page 1: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

The Hounsfield Facility

3D X-ray imaging

Page 2: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Imaging plant roots in soil

Page 3: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

But  CT…

CT

X-rays can probe the root structure in soil

3D qualitative and

quantitative

Non-invasive/non-

destructive

No sample preparation

High resolution (1µm-5mm)

Page 4: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

The Hounsfield Facility

• 3 CT Scanners from 0.5 µm to 5 mm resolution• Accommodating samples up to 25 cm diameter & 1 m length• Automated sampling system enabling 4-D visualisation• Automated root imaging via RooTrak

Page 5: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Applications of X-ray CT to soil sciences

Exploring the role of microbes

The impact of soil managementRevealing the complexity in structure

Assessing the fate of contaminants

Page 6: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Soil contact influences root development

In collaboration with Jose Dinneny (Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford)

Maize in structure-less soil Maize in structured soil

Page 7: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

High resolution scanning: visualisation of wheat root hairs

Page 8: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Mairhofer et al., (2014) under reviewCreated using RooTrak by Mairhofer et al. 2012

Page 9: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

3D X-ray imaging of food

Engineering

Microstructure Analysis

Particle AnalysisPorosity Analysis

Material Analysis

Page 10: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Quantify different aspects:

Porosity

Thickness of different layers

40mm3

Pore volume:

0mm3

Sphericality

Freq

uenc

y

Sphericality40mm3 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

30.3mm15mm

Shell thickness:

Page 11: CT Scanning applications in Food and Agriculture

Summary

Engineering

Microstructure Analysis Material Analysis

Plants

Root structure

Soil structure

Chemical distribution

Food

Exploring food quality

Detecting defects

Sample comparison

• Developing a product e.g. fertiliser, seed

• Improving agricultural processes

• Developing a food product

• Detecting foreign bodies in a food process

• Optimising a manufacturing process