Hyperspectral imaging system for monitoring agricultural products during processing and manufacturing

A method for determining the stage of processing for an agricultural product, the method utilizing hyperspectral imaging and comprising:

• (a) scanning multiple regions along a sample of a desirable agricultural product using at least one light source of different wavelengths;
• (b) generating hyperspectral images from the multiple regions;
• (c) forming a spectral fingerprint for the sample from the hyperspectral images;
• and
• (d) correlating the spectral fingerprint obtained in step (c) to a spectral fingerprint database containing a plurality of fingerprints obtained at various points of processing, using a computer processor, to determine the stage of processing.

A method of determining the stage of processing for a product, the method comprising:

• resolving whether a sample of a product meets a desired sensory attribute for the product and if so, applying hyperspectral imaging analysis and theoretic analysis to establish a relationship P comprising unique spectra of the sample, said unique spectra comprising at least two spectral elements x and y and values thereof;
• establishing through hyperspectral imaging analysis a characterization of the sample according to said spectral elements (at least x and y) of said unique spectra P;
• and
• mathematically resolving from said characterization to determine whether the sample achieves the values of said spectral elements of P to determine the progression of the sample through different stages of processing over time.

A method for controlling a manufacturing process for producing an agricultural product, the method utilizing hyperspectral imaging and comprising:

• (a) obtaining a sample of agricultural product undergoing a manufacturing process, the manufacturing process conducted at one or more predetermined process parameters;
• (b) scanning at least one region along the sample of agricultural product using at least one light source of a single or different wavelengths;
• (c) generating hyperspectral images from the at least one region;
• (d) determining a spectral fingerprint for the sample of agricultural product from the hyperspectral images;
• (e) comparing the spectral fingerprint obtained in step (d) to a spectral fingerprint database containing a plurality of fingerprints obtained at various points of the manufacturing process, using a computer processor, to determine the stage of processing;
• and
• (f) adjusting at least one process parameter to optimize the manufacturing process.

A method of creating a database for controlling a manufacturing process for producing an agricultural product, the method utilizing hyperspectral imaging and comprising:

• (a) obtaining a dark image and a reference image for calibration;
• (b) analyzing the reference image to obtain calibration coefficients;
• (c) obtaining a hyperspectral image for an agricultural sample;
• (d) removing dark values and normalizing the agricultural sample image;
• (e) applying calibration coefficients to compensate for fluctuations in system operating conditions;
• (f) repeating steps (c)-(e) for all agricultural samples at different stages of processing over time;
• (g) creating a plurality of hyperspectral sample hypercubes from said hyperspectral images and calibration coefficients obtained in step (f);
• and
• (h) storing said hyperspectral sample hypercubes to form the database.

A computer database stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

• a spectral fingerprint database of a plurality of hyperspectral images from one or more reference samples of desired agricultural products, obtained at different points in stages of processing;
• one or more spectral fingerprints of a sample of an agricultural product being processed, obtained at one or more points in the stages of processing over time of said agricultural product being processed;
• and
• said non-transitory medium further comprising code executable by a processor and configured to compare and/or correlate the spectral fingerprints of the agricultural products being processed with the spectral fingerprint database to determine the stage of processing over time of the agricultural products being processed.