Process for the detection of bitter almonds based on the processing of digital images and a device associated therewith

A system for the detection of bitter almonds, which comprises the following:

• (a) means for placing at least one almond on a surface by means of a manual or automatic supply system;
• (b) means for illuminating the almond with a source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation;
• (c) means for acquiring an image of the almond with a photographic camera and storing said image in an internal or external system for subsequent analysis;
• (d) means for processing said acquired image with a computer system that comprises a programme for applying a discriminative model;
• (e) means for classifying the almond as bitter or non-bitter according to said discriminative model;
• and
• (f) means for withdrawing the almond by means of a manual or automatic withdrawal system,
• wherein (d) in turn comprises the following:
• i. means for processing the data of the acquired image and segmentation of the image to establish the RGB colour parameters of a sample;
• ii. means for transforming the RGB colour parameters obtained in stage i into at least one L*a*b* parameter of the CIE L*a*b* space;
• iii. means for determining at least one of the L*, a* and/or b* parameters of the CIE L*a*b* space and its corresponding value in said image;
• and
• iv. means for interpolating the value obtained by iii in said discriminative model generated from the values obtained with different sample types of bitter and non-bitter almonds acquired under predetermined conditions.