Using near-infrared tools to monitor heat damage in soya bean products (OK-Net EcoFeed practice abstract)

Summary in the original language of the document

Measuring processing indicators by NIR-instruments supports optimal processing performance. With NIR-analysis, a full screening for amino acids and processing indicators costs about 100 EUR per sample. With traditional wet chemistry the same service would cost a high 4-digit number.
• Understanding the background: NIR-instruments (Figure 1) are measuring spectral information. These are compared to calibration databases (produced using wet chemical analysis) to derive values for various pa-rameters.
• Calibration statistics provide the standard error of calibration (SEC) which is essential to understand variance and accuracy of measurements.
• NIR is suitable for analysing unprocessed soya beans as well as common feed products: soya bean full-fat toasted, soya expel-ler (cake, see figure 2), and solvent-based soymeal.
• For monitoring processing performance, representative samples are essential. Ideally, processors collect sub-samples (each 0.5 kg) taken over a minimum of three consecutive days and submit one mixed 0.5 kg sample for analysis. Quartering is a recommended method for creating the final sample, see link to video in ‘Further Information’).