# US 2014/0197335 A1 · Methods, systems and devices for detecting insects and other pests

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- Number: US 2014/0197335 A1
- Document ID: US20140197335A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/236,009
- Filed: 2012-07-12
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-29
- Assignees: Sruc; University of East Anglia
- Inventors: Upali Abhaya Jayasooriya; Kenneth Andrew Evans
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197335A1

## CPC

- G01N 21/64: Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01J 3/44: Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry {; Fluorescence spectrometry}
- G01N 21/6486: {Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells (G01N21/6428 takes precedence)}
- G01N 21/65: Raman scattering
- G01N 33/02: Food
- G01N 33/025: {Fruits or vegetables}
- G01N 2021/845: {Objects on a conveyor}
- G01N 2021/8466: {Investigation of vegetal material, e.g. leaves, plants, fruits}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)

## Abstract

We describe a method for detection of the presence of an invertebrate or an invertebrate component in a sample of substantially non invertebrate material, comprising impinging said sample with a source of electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of at least 600 nm and detecting Raman scattering/fluorescence of said invertebrate or a component of said invertebrate at a wavenumber where the non-invertebrate components of said sample either do not fluoresce or fluoresce with sufficiently low intensity wherein the non invertebrate material is edible and/or living.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-41. (canceled)

### Claim 42

A method for detection of the presence of an invertebrate or an invertebrate component in a sample of substantially non invertebrate material, comprising impinging said sample with a source of electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of at least 600 nm and detecting fluorescence of said invertebrate or a component of said invertebrate at a wavenumber where the non-invertebrate components of said sample either do not fluoresce or fluoresce with sufficiently low intensity wherein the non invertebrate material is edible and/or living.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The method according to claim 42 wherein the sample is plant material.

### Claim 44 (depends on 42)

The method according to claim 42 which comprises making a comparison between Raman and Fluorescence spectra.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The method according to claim 44 wherein said Raman spectra comprise signals from non-invertebrate components in said sample and signals from said invertebrate or said invertebrate component in said sample, whereas said fluorescence signal is provided only by said invertebrate or invertebrate component in said sample, wherein said latter signal is greater than the former.

### Claim 46 (depends on 42)

The method according to claim 42 wherein said excitation wavelength is selected from a wavelength of about 750 nm to about 1064 nm

### Claim 47 (depends on 42)

A method as claimed in claim 42 wherein said wavelength is in the range 750 nm to 1100 nm to reduce absorption of said fluorescence response by both chlorophyll and water;
wherein said fluorescence is detected at greater than 50 nm from said wavelength,
the method comprising detecting melanin by distinguishing a broadband response from a sharper peaked response,
wherein the method is used for detecting invertebrate contamination within packaging when said invertebrate contamination is at least partially obscured by said foodstuff.

### Claim 48 (depends on 42)

The method according to claim 42 wherein said invertebrate is an invertebrate comprising haemolymph, melanin or one or more chemical precursors to melanin, or both, and wherein said detecting of said fluorescence detects one or both of said heamolymph and said melanin or said one or more chemical precursors to melanin.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

The method according to claim 48 wherein said invertebrate is selected from the group consisting of beetles, caterpillars, moths, slugs and spiders.

### Claim 50 (depends on 42)

The method according to claim 42 wherein said method is utilized in the detection of contamination of prepared foods, raw materials, infestation of crops including scanning of growing plants in glasshouses and in fields, biosecurity threats including scanning of plant material during import and export, examination of plants and cut flowers for infestation in horticultural applications, or detection of insect infestations including termites and deathwatch beetle.

### Claim 51 (depends on 50)

The method according to claim 50 for use in reducing or targeting the use of pesticides.

### Claim 52 (depends on 42)

A method as recited in claim 42 for detecting the presence of an invertebrate or an invertebrate component in a plant-based foodstuff when said invertebrate/component is obscured by said foodstuff, the method comprising using fluorescence/Raman spectroscopy to detect melanin and/or a melanin precursor in said foodstuff, wherein said fluorescence/Raman spectroscopy employs optical excitation at a wavelength longer than 600 nm, and detects fluorescence/Raman scattering from said invertebrate or invertebrate component.

### Claim 53

An optical foodstuff quality control system for detecting the presence of an invertebrate or an invertebrate component in a plant-based foodstuff, the system comprising:
a fluorescence/Raman spectrometer to remotely interrogate a fluorescence/Raman scattering response of said foodstuff; and
a data analysis system, coupled to said fluorescence/Raman spectrometer, to analyse said fluorescence/Raman scattering response to determine the presence of said invertebrate/invertebrate component dependent on a level of melanin and/or melanin precursor indicated by said fluorescence/Raman scattering response.

### Claim 54 (depends on 53)

A system as claimed in claim 53 wherein said fluorescence/Raman spectrometer comprises:
a sample illumination system to illuminate said foodstuff, said sample illumination system comprising an optical excitation source having a wavelength of greater than 600 nm;
a light collection system to collect fluorescence/Raman scattered light from said foodstuff;
wavelength selection optics, coupled to said light collection system, to attenuate light at a wavelength of said optical excitation source; and
a detector, in an optical path following said wavelength selection optics, to detect said fluorescence/Raman scattered light.

### Claim 55 (depends on 54)

A system as claimed in claim 54 wherein said data analysis system is configured to distinguish a broadband fluorescence/Raman scattering response from sharper peaked fluorescence/Raman scattering responses to identify presence of said melanin.

### Claim 56 (depends on 42)

A system for the method of claim 42 for detection of the presence of an invertebrate or an invertebrate component in a sample of substantially non-invertebrate material; which comprises:
(a) a source of electromagnetic radiation for impinging electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of at least 600 nm or 700 nm; and
(b) fluorescence detector for detection of fluorescence of said invertebrate or an invertebrate component at a wavenumber where the non-invertebrate components of said sample either do not fluoresce or fluoresce with sufficiently low intensity.

### Claim 57 (depends on 56)

The system according to claim 56 wherein both Raman and fluorescence spectra are obtained.

### Claim 58 (depends on 42)

An apparatus for the method of claim 42 which comprises:
(a) a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR; 110) for impinging electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of at least 600 nm (b) a fluorescence detector for detection of fluorescence of said invertebrate or an invertebrate component at a wavenumber where the non-invertebrate components of said sample do not fluoresce or fluoresce with sufficiently low intensity.

### Claim 59 (depends on 58)

The apparatus according to claim 58 further comprising:
(a) an optical train for delivering said EMR onto said sample;
(b) collection optics;
(c) at least one detector or detection system; and
(d) a decision engine, to process the signals produced by the detector, and to discriminate an invertebrate contamination detection signal from noise.

### Claim 60 (depends on 59)

The apparatus according to claim 59 wherein, depending on the nature of signals obtained from the sample, said decision engine provides an indication that invertebrate contamination is detected in the sample.

### Claim 61 (depends on 60)

The apparatus according to claim 60 wherein, when contamination is detected, a rejection mechanism results in the segregation of contaminated material from non-contaminated material.