Optical systems and methods for grading plasma during whole blood separation

A blood processing and/or manufacturing system, comprising:

• a processing device having pump system, a valve system, a centrifuge and a nesting module;
• a fluid flow circuit having a plurality of fluid containers, a flow control cassette, and a separation chamber interconnected with one another with a plurality of fluid conduits, wherein the flow control cassette is removably connected to the processing device at the nesting module and interfaces with one or more pumps of the pump system and one or more valves of the valve system, wherein the separation chamber is received in the centrifuge, and wherein the pump system, valve system, and centrifuge are selectively operable to provide a flow path through which whole blood flows into the separation chamber, is separated by the centrifuge into plasma and red blood cell components, and the plasma flows to a plasma container of the plurality of fluid containers;
• a broadband light source configured to emit light having wavelengths in a visible spectrum, wherein the emitted light is directed onto a surface of a fluid vessel of one or more fluid vessels or onto a surface of the plasma container, wherein at least a portion of the emitted light is transmitted through the one or more fluid vessels or the plasma container, and a portion of the transmitted light is reflected by the plasma within the fluid vessel or the fluid container;
• an optical spectrometer configured to receive at least a portion of the light reflected by the plasma and analyze at least a portion of the received reflected light to determine a main wavelength of the portion of the received reflected light;
• and
• a controller operably connected to the optical spectrometer, the controller configured to determine a plasma grade of the plasma based on the main wavelength of the portion of the received reflected light.