Optical method and apparatus for determining status of agricultural products

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the agricultural product is being processed into a food product made from post-harvest fruits or vegetables;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the agricultural product is a packaged food product;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the agricultural product is within a crop or forest;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the level of the carotenoid is used to determine plant heath or stress;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the carotenoid is beta-carotene, lutein, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, antheraxanthin or zeaxanthin;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of terpenes, polyenes, chlorophyll, proteins, starches, sugars, overall nitrogen levels, flavonoids, or vitamins;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the concentration level of the carotenoid is determined through comparison with an external standard;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the concentration level of the carotenoid determined through comparison with another substance present in the agricultural product;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of;

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the concentration level of one carotenoid is determined through comparison with another cartenoid;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the agricultural product is a leafy plant, and the method includes the steps of:
• determining a level of chlorophyll;
• determining the stress of the plant from a leaf carotenoid to chlorophyll ratio;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• determining a level of the cartenoid violaxanthin;
• determining a level of the cartenoid antheraxanthin or zeaxanthin;
• assessing one or more environmental effects by comparing the level of violaxanthin to the level of antheraxanthin or zeaxanthin;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• exposing the agricultural product to multiple laser beams;
• wherein some or all of the nominal wavelengths are different;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• performing a time-dependent analysis on the detected scattered light;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• providing portable apparatus operative to generate the laser beam and collect the light scattered by the agricultural product;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• and
• taking remedial action in conjunction with the determined concentration level of the carotenoid.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• and
• using the level of the carotenoid as part of a plant breeding or genetic engineering program.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• determining the geographic position of the agricultural product;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• determining the distance to the agricultural product;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the step of analyzing the light scattered by the product is analyzed in conjunction with a remote sensing technique;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the step of analyzing the light scattered by the product is analyzed in conjunction with an invasive analysis technique;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• removing a portion of an outer covering of the agricultural product;
• exposing the removed portion or the vacancy left by the removed portion of the agricultural product to the laser beam;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the step of determining the concentration level of the carotenoid forms part of a freshness evaluation method associated with a produce display;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• characterizing one or more neutraceuticals within the product;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.

A method of evaluating an agricultural product as a prerequisite to further action, comprising the steps of:

• exposing the agricultural product to a laser beam having a nominal wavelength;
• collecting light scattered by the product;
• analyzing the light scattered by the product to identify a wavelength shift characteristic of a carotenoid;
• determining the concentration level of the carotenoid within the agricultural product;
• wherein the product is a processed or functional food;
• and
• classifying the agricultural product as desirable or undesirable as a function of the concentration level.