Rapid and innovative instrumental approaches for quality and authenticity of olive oils

The quality of virgin olive oils is assessed through the determination of several analytical parameters, whose values must be within the ranges established by the different institutions involved. In addition to official methods, there is a strong need for simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly techniques for the quality control of virgin olive oils and for addressing the challenging task of determining geographical origin and detecting adulterants. Toward this purpose, some of the most interesting applications based on optical spectroscopic techniques, on the measurement of electrical characteristics and on the use of instruments equipped with electronic chemical sensors, including also other promising techniques are herein discussed. These techniques, adequately coupled with an appropriate statistical approach, appear to be promising for assessment of several quality-related parameters. The prediction of sensory attributes and of the oxidative status of virgin olive oils have also been reviewed by adopting these selected techniques, which are also considered to be potentially appropriate solutions for identification of the geographical origin of virgin olive oils and to assess their adulteration with cheaper oils. Overall, the techniques discussed are promising and cutting-edge approaches for the establishment of useful portable instruments for in situ monitoring of the quality of virgin olive oils. Practical applications: The simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly analytical approaches discussed herein represent promising analytical tools for assuring the authenticity and monitoring the quality of virgin olive oils. Such innovative techniques and tools need to be ring-tested and validated. Some innovative reviewed approaches will permit to develop useful portable instruments able to perform in situ appropriate controls also by small laboratories or olive oil mills with limited technical facilities. These equipments will be potentially usable also by trained \u201cnon-professional analytical skilled\u201d people. Some other approaches, rapid but more expensive, will be applicable mainly by quality control labs and will increase the number of samples analyzed per day, thus fostering laboratory proficiency and an effective fighting against olive oil fraud

Trends in application of NIR and hyperspectral imaging for food authentication

Food fraud can cause damage to consumer health and affect their confidence, destroy brands and generate large economic losses in the industry. Food authenticity allows to identify if food composition, geographical origin, genetic variety and farming system corresponds to what has been declared on the label. Although there are currently standardized methods to identify certain adulterants, the complexity of the food, the complexity of the supply chain and the appearance of new adulterants require the continuous development of analytical techniques to detect food fraud. NIR and Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in tandem with chemometrics are non-destructive, non-invasive and accurate techniques for food authentication. This review focuses on NIR and HIS approaches to food authentication, including adulteration by substitution, geographical origin and farming system. In this context, the advances in NIR and HSI approaches reported since 2014 are discussed regarding their potential use in food authentication. Both techniques have shown to have efficiency, precision and selectivity to detect adulterants and identify geographic origin, genetic variety and farming system. Portability and remote access are shown as the next step for the industrialization of NIR and HSI devices

Instrumental and chemometric methodologies to assess sensory quality of Mediterranean food

L'oli d'oliva, el vi o els fruits secs són productes típics de la regió Mediterrània que ofereixen un valor afegit gràcies als seus beneficis per a la salut i excel·lents característiques sensorials. Per aquest motiu és necessari un control de la qualitat i autenticitat d'aquests productes, que són altament susceptibles a fraus i adulteracions. Un aspecte important és l'avaluació de la qualitat sensorial, que descriu paràmetres percebuts pels sentits (gust, visió, olor i tacte) mitjançant panells validats i entrenats d'experts. Aquests panells tendeixen a ser subjectius i requereixen llargs temps d'anàlisi i alts costos. Com a conseqüència hi ha hagut un increment en el desenvolupament de tècniques d'anàlisi capaces de simular les respostes obtingudes amb el panell de tast humà. L'anomenat 'panell electrònic' ofereix respostes objectives mitjançant l'ús de tècniques multivariants que permeten establir correlacions entre els descriptors definits pels humans i els senyals obtingudes instrumentalment. Aquesta tesi pretén oferir tècniques instrumentals alternatives, ràpides i senzilles per determinar la qualitat sensorial d'aliments com l'oli d'oliva, el vi o les ametlles. Els estudis duts a terme inclouen el tractament de les respostes sensorials obtingudes mitjançant metodologies de referència (principalment panells de tast humans), l'optimització dels procediments analítics per treballar amb tècniques instrumentals i el desenvolupament d'eines quimiomètriques adequades per construir els models multivariants. També s'han desenvolupat estratègies de fusió de dades per combinar les diferents dades instrumentals que simulen els sentits humans (olor, gust i visió).El aceite de oliva, el vino o los frutos secos son productos típicos de la región Mediterránea que ofrecen un valor añadido gracias a sus beneficios para la salud y excelentes características sensoriales. Por este motivo es necesario un control de la calidad y autenticidad de estos productos, que son altamente susceptibles a fraudes y adulteraciones. Un aspecto importante es la evaluación de la calidad sensorial, que describe parámetros percibidos por los sentidos (gusto, visión, olor y tacto) mediante paneles validados y entrenados de expertos. Estos paneles tienden a ser subjetivos, requieren largos tiempos de análisis y altos costes. Como consecuencia ha habido un incremento en el desarrollo de técnicas de análisis capaces de simular las respuestas obtenidas con el panel de cata humano. El llamado 'panel electrónico' ofrece respuestas objetivas mediante el uso de técnicas multivariantes que permiten establecer correlaciones entre los descriptores definidos por los humanos y las señales obtenidas instrumentalmente. Esta tesis pretende ofrecer técnicas instrumentales alternativas, rápidas y sencillas para determinar la calidad sensorial de alimentos como el aceite de oliva, el vino o las almendras. Los estudios llevados a cabo incluyen el tratamiento de las respuestas sensoriales obtenidas mediante metodologías de referencia (principalmente paneles de cata humanos), la optimización de los procedimientos analíticos para trabajar con técnicas instrumentales y el desarrollo de herramientas quimiométricas adecuadas para construir los modelos multivariantes. También se han desarrollado estrategias de fusión de datos para combinar los diferentes datos instrumentales que simulan los sentidos humanos (olor, gusto y visión).Olive oil, wine or nuts are typical products of the Mediterranean region that offer added value thanks to its health benefits and excellent sensory characteristics. Therefore, the control the quality and authenticity of these products is necessary, mainly because they are highly susceptible to fraud and adulterations. An important aspect is the evaluation of sensory quality that describe parameters perceived by the senses (taste, sight, smell and touch) using validated and trained panels of experts. These panels tend to be subjective, requiring long-time analysis and high costs. As a result there has been an increase in the development of analytical techniques capable to simulate the responses obtained with the human taste panel. The so-called 'electronic panel' provides objective responses using multivariate techniques, which establish correlations between descriptors defined by humans and signals obtained instrumentally. This thesis aims to offer fast and simple alternative instrumental techniques to determine the sensory quality of foods such as olive oil, wine and almonds. Studies carried out include the treatment of sensory responses obtained by reference methodologies (mainly human taste panels), optimization of analytical procedures to work with instrumental techniques and the development of appropriate chemometric tools to build multivariate models. Data fusion strategies have also been studied by combining different instrumental data that simulate the human senses (smell, taste and sight)

Una Revición: Aplicación de la Espectroscopia dieléctrica al Control de Calidad de Productos Marinos

Existe creciente demanda por tecnologías no destructivas para los procesos de análisis de los alimentos, entre estos los productos marinos. Una de las técnicas que despiertan más interés es la espectroscopía dieléctrica (ED); principalmente debido a su capacidad de penetración y su potencial para desarrollar modelos de predicción o clasificación basados en estos. Por tanto, el objetivo de esta revisión sistemática fue abordar las aplicaciones de la ED aplicada a productos marinos. La metodología se basó en recopilar artículos publicados de editoriales con más difusión académica (Elsevier, Springer y Taylor and Francis) en el periodo entre los años 2010 a 2020, discriminando los estudios primarios y con mayor relación al tema en concreto. En total se colectaron cincuenta y cuatro (54) artículos, seleccionando treinta y ocho (38) por ser estudios primarios. En la mayoría de estos artículos las muestras trabajadas fueron productos cárnicos (cerdo, pollo, res y productos marinos) principalmente en el rango de microondas. Esto permite concluir que la ED es una tecnología valiosa con creciente interés para la ingeniería alimentaria por su aplicabilidad en el análisis no invasivo de alimentos

Una Revición: Aplicación de la Espectroscopia dieléctrica al Control de Calidad de Productos Marinos

Existe creciente demanda por tecnologías no destructivas para los procesos de análisis de los alimentos, entre estos los productos marinos. Una de las técnicas que despiertan más interés es la espectroscopía dieléctrica (ED); principalmente debido a su capacidad de penetración y su potencial para desarrollar modelos de predicción o clasificación basados en estos. Por tanto, el objetivo de esta revisión sistemática fue abordar las aplicaciones de la ED aplicada a productos marinos. La metodología se basó en recopilar artículos publicados de editoriales con más difusión académica (Elsevier, Springer y Taylor and Francis) en el periodo entre los años 2010 a 2020, discriminando los estudios primarios y con mayor relación al tema en concreto. En total se colectaron cincuenta y cuatro (54) artículos, seleccionando treinta y ocho (38) por ser estudios primarios. En la mayoría de estos artículos las muestras trabajadas fueron productos cárnicos (cerdo, pollo, res y productos marinos) principalmente en el rango de microondas. Esto permite concluir que la ED es una tecnología valiosa con creciente interés para la ingeniería alimentaria por su aplicabilidad en el análisis no invasivo de alimentos

Innovations in non-destructive techniques for fruit quality control applied to manipulation and inspection lines

Tesis por compendioLa industria alimentaria, concretamente el sector poscosecha, necesita innovar en sus procesos productivos, optimizando los mismos para rentabilizar sus actividades, garantizando productos de calidad capaces de satisfacer las necesidades de los consumidores. La presente tesis doctoral se centra en evaluar el potencial de la espectroscopia VIS-NIR para la caracterización e inspección de la calidad de la fruta tanto fuera de línea como a tiempo real en procesos automatizados. En un primer lugar, la viabilidad de la técnica se estudió a nivel de laboratorio en estado estático (off-line), con el fin de conocer y optimizar las condiciones de medición. Posteriormente, se evaluó la calidad interna y externa de diferentes tipos de frutas como son caqui, nectarina y mango. En una segunda etapa, se llevó a cabo una automatización de los procesos de inspección mediante el desarrollo de nuevos prototipos in-line. Para este propósito, y con el objetivo de completar y corroborar los resultados obtenidos de manera estática, se estudió la integración de dos sondas VIS-NIR en una garra robótica capaz de manipular mangos. Finalmente, se estudió la integración de una sonda VIS-NIR a una cinta transportadora. Los resultados obtenidos a nivel estático han demostrado que la espectroscopia VIS-NIR es un método no destructivo muy prometedor para predecir la astringencia en caqui. Así mismo, ha demostrado ser una adecuada herramienta para clasificar al 100% entre variedades de nectarinas como "Big Top" y "Diamond Ray" con una apariencia externa e interna muy similar, pero con diferentes propiedades organolépticas. De manera similar, fue posible clasificar al 100% variedades como "Big Top" y "Magique" de apariencia externa y composición similar pero distinto color de pulpa., y además se desarrolló un índice de calidad interna (IQI) para evaluar la calidad de las nectarinas. Por lo que respecta a los trabajos off-line realizados con mangos de la variedad "Osteen", fue posible predecir su calidad interna mediante los índices de madurez (RPI) y de calidad (IQI) con un gran rendimiento. A su vez, los ensayos experimentales efectuados con estos mismos mangos bajo la manipulación no destructiva de una garra robótica, demostraron que los mejores modelos eran capaces de predecir tanto la firmeza mecánica, el contenido en sólidos solubles, la luminosidad de la pulpa, así como el índice RPI de las muestras en base a la información obtenida por los acelerómetros instalados en los dedos de la garra robótica. En cuanto a los ensayos realizados de manera in-line, el primer prototipo desarrollado se basó en la integración de dos sondas VIS-NIR en una garra robótica dispuesta con dos acelerómetros. El sistema desarrollado permitió alcanzar una buena estimación de la calidad del mango a través del índice RPI fusionando la información tanto de los espectros VIS-NIR como del impacto no destructivo de los acelerómetros. De este modo quedó demostrado que era posible obtener una predicción similar trabajando de forma in-line como trabajando de manera off-line para la predicción del mismo índice de calidad en mangos. El segundo prototipo in-line desarrollado se basa en la integración de una sonda VIS-NIR en una cinta transportadora para la identificación de distintas variedades y orígenes de manzanas. El prototipo desarrollado permitió registrar resultados de clasificación tan buenos como los efectuados de manera off-line con, por ejemplo, nectarina. De este modo, se puede concluir que la espectroscopia VIS-NIR permite monitorear la calidad y clasificar fruta poscosecha tanto en modo off-line como in-line. Los nuevos prototipos desarrollados aportan claras ventajas respecto a los procesos tradicionales realizados a mano, como son la reducción del tiempo de inspección, la disminución de la cantidad de residuos generados y la posibilidad de inspeccionar toda la producción, obteniendo así un análisis más estandarizThe food industry, concretely the post-harvest sector, needs to innovate in their production processes, optimizing them to make their activities profitable, guaranteeing quality products capable of satisfying the needs of consumers. The present doctoral thesis focuses on evaluating the potential of visible and near infrared spectroscopy (VIS-NIR) for the characterization and inspection of fruit quality both off-line and in real time in automated processes. Firstly, the viability of the technique was studied at the laboratory level in a static mode (off-line), in order to know and optimise the measurement conditions. Subsequently, the internal and external quality of different types of fruits such as persimmon, nectarine and mango were evaluated. Secondly, an automation of the inspection processes was carried out through the development of new in-line prototypes. For this purpose, and with the aim of completing and corroborating the results obtained in a static mode, the integration of two VIS-NIR probes in a robotic gripper capable of manipulating mangoes was studied. Finally, the integration of a VIS-NIR probe to a conveyor belt was studied as an in-line monitoring tool on the inspection process of different apple varieties. The results obtained in static mode have shown that VIS-NIR spectroscopy is a very promising non-destructive method to predict the astringency in persimmon. Likewise, it has demonstrated to be an adequate tool to classify 100% between nectarine varieties such as 'Big Top' and 'Diamond Ray' with very similar external and internal appearance, but with different organoleptic properties. Similarly, it was possible to classify 100% varieties such as 'Big Top' and 'Magique' with external appearance and similar composition but different pulp colour. An internal quality index (IQI) was developed to evaluate the quality of nectarines, which can be predicted through VIS-NIR spectroscopy. Regarding the off-line work carried out with mangoes of 'Osteen' variety, it was possible to predict its internal quality through the indexes of maturity (RPI) and quality (IQI) with a high performance. Moreover, the experimental tests carried out with these same mangoes under the non-destructive manipulation of a robotic gripper, showed that the best models were able to predict both the mechanical firmness, the soluble solids content, the brightness of the pulp, as well as the RPI index of the samples based on the information obtained by the accelerometers installed on the fingers of the robotic gripper. Regarding the tests carried out in an in-line mode, the first developed prototype was based on the integration of two VIS-NIR probes in a robotic gripper fitted with two accelerometers. The developed system allowed reaching a good estimation of mango quality through the RPI index. In this way, it was demonstrated that it was possible to obtain a similar prediction working in-line as off-line mode for the prediction of the same quality index in mangoes. The second developed in-line prototype is based on the integration of a VIS-NIR probe in a conveyor belt for the identification of different varieties and origins of apples, achieving a success rate of 98% with the system. The developed prototype allowed to register classification results as good as those carried out off-line with, for example, nectarine. In this way, it can be concluded that VIS-NIR spectroscopy allows monitoring the quality and classifying post-harvest fruit in both off-line and in-line mode, being a tool that allows improving and guaranteeing the correct quality and food safety. The new developed prototypes provide clear advantages over the traditional processes performed by hand, such as the reduction of inspection time, the reduction of the amount of waste generated by destructive quality analysis and the possibility of inspecting full production, obtaining a more standardised analysis of the quality of the products.La indústria alimentària, concretament el sector postcollita, necessita innovar en els seus processos productius, optimitzant els mateixos per a rendibilitzar les seues activitats, garantint productes de qualitat capaços de satisfer les necessitats dels consumidors. La present tesi doctoral es centra en avaluar el potencial de l'espectroscòpia visible i infraroig pròxim (VIS-NIR) per a la caracterització i la inspecció de la qualitat de la fruita tant fora de línia com a temps real en processos automatitzats. En un primer lloc, la viabilitat de la tècnica es va estudiar a nivell de laboratori en estat estàtic (off-line), a fi de conéixer i optimitzar les condicions de mesurament. Posteriorment, es va avaluar la qualitat interna i externa de diferents tipus de fruites com són caqui, nectarina i mango. En una segona etapa, es va dur a terme una automatització dels processos d'inspecció per mitjà del desenvolupament de nous prototips in-line. Per aquest propòsit, i amb l'objectiu de completar i corroborar els resultats obtinguts de manera estàtica, es va estudiar la integració de dos sondes VIS-NIR en una garra robòtica capaç de manipular. Finalment, es va estudiar la integració d'una sonda VIS-NIR a una cinta transportadora. Els resultats obtinguts a nivell estàtic han demostrat que l'espectroscòpia VIS-NIR és un mètode no destructiu molt prometedor per a predir l'astringència en caqui. Així mateix, ha demostrat ser una adequada ferramenta per a classificar al 100% entre varietats de nectarines com "Big Top" i "Diamond Ray" amb una aparença externa i interna molt semblant, però amb diferents propietats organolèptiques. De manera semblant, va ser possible classificar al 100% varietats com "Big Top" i "Magique" d'aparença externa i composició semblant però distint color de polpa. Es va desenvolupar un índex de qualitat interna (IQI) per avaluar la qualitat de les nectarines. Pel que fa als treballs off-line realitzats amb mangos de la varietat "Osteen" va ser possible predir la seua qualitat interna mitjançant els índexs de maduresa (RPI) i de qualitat (IQI) amb un gran rendiment. Al mateix temps, els assajos experimentals efectuats amb estos mateixos mangos baix la manipulació no destructiva d'una garra robòtica, van demostrar que els millors models eren capaços de predir tant la fermesa mecánica, el contingut en sòlids solubles, la lluminositat de la polpa, així com l'índex RPI de les mostres basant-se en l'informació obtinguda pels acceleròmetres instal¿lats en els dits de la garra robòtica. En quant als assajos realitzats de manera in-line, el primer prototip desenvolupat es va basar en la integració de dos sondes VIS-NIR en una garra robòtica disposada amb dos acceleròmetres. El sistema desenvolupat va permetre aconseguir una bona estimació de la qualitat del mango a través de l'índex RPI fusionant l'informació tant dels espectres VIS-NIR com de l'impacte no destructiu dels acceleròmetres. D'esta manera va quedar demostrat que era possible obtindre una predicció semblant treballant de forma in-line com off-line per a la predicció del mateix índex de qualitat en mangos. El segon prototip in-line desenvolupat es va basar en la integració d'una sonda VIS-NIR en una cinta transportadora per a l'identificació de distintes varietats i orígens de pomes. El prototip desenvolupat va permetre registrar resultats de classificació tan bons com els efectuats de manera off-line. D'aquesta manera, es pot concloure que l'espectroscòpia VIS-NIR permet monitorar la qualitat i classificar fruita postcollita tant en mode off-line com in-line. Els nous prototips desenvolupats aporten clars avantatges respecte als processos tradicionals realitzats a mà, com són la reducció del temps d'inspecció, la disminució de la quantitat de residus generats pels anàlisis destructives de qualitat i la possibilitat d'inspeccionar tota la producció, obtenint així un anàlisi més estandarditzCortés López, V. (2018). Innovations in non-destructive techniques for fruit quality control applied to manipulation and inspection lines [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/110969TESISCompendi

Plant impedance spectroscopy: a review of modeling approaches and applications

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has emerged over the past decade as an efficient, non-destructive method to investigate various (eco-)physiological and morphological properties of plants. This work reviews the state-of-the-art of impedance spectra modeling for plant applications. In addition to covering the traditional, widely-used representations of electrochemical impedance spectra, we also consider the more recent machine-learning-based approaches

A Rapid Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Sensor-Based Method for Monitoring Freeze-Damage in Tangerines

[EN] This study focuses on the analysis and early detection of freeze-damage in tangerines using a specific double-needle sensor and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Freeze damage may appear in citrus fruits both in the field and in postharvest processes resulting in quality loss and a difficult commercialization of the fruit. EIS has been used to test a set of homogeneous tangerine samples both fresh and later frozen to analyze electrochemical and biological differences. A double-needle electrode associated to a specifically designed electronic device and software has been designed and used to send an AC electric sinusoidal signal 1 V in amplitude and frequency range [100Hz to 1MHz] to the analyzed samples and then receive the electrochemical impedance response. EIS measurements lead to distinct values of both impedance module and phase of fresh and frozen samples over a wide frequency range. Statistical treatment of the received data set by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) shows a clear classification of the samples depending on the experienced freeze phenomenon, with high sensitivity (1.00), specificity (>= 0.95) and confidence level (95%). Later Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) analysis based on 20-3-1 architecture has allowed to create a mathematical prediction model able to correctly classify 100% of the analyzed samples (CCR =100% for training, validation and test phases, and overall classification), being fast, easy, robust and reliable, and an interesting alternative method to the traditional laboratory analyses.This work was supported by the Spanish Government/FEDER funds [Ministerio de Economia y Empresa (MINECO)/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)] under Grant RTI2018-100910-B-C43 and in part by the Conselleria d'Educacio, Investigacio, Cultura i Esport de la Generalitat Valenciana under Grant GV/2018/090.Albelda Aparisi, P.; Fortes Sánchez, E.; Contat-Rodrigo, L.; Masot Peris, R.; Laguarda-Miro, N. (2021). A Rapid Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Sensor-Based Method for Monitoring Freeze-Damage in Tangerines. IEEE Sensors Journal. 21(10):12009-12018. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2021.3065846S1200912018211

Potential use of electronic noses, electronic tongues and biosensors, as multisensor systems for spoilage examination in foods

Development and use of reliable and precise detecting systems in the food supply chain must be taken into account to ensure the maximum level of food safety and quality for consumers. Spoilage is a challenging concern in food safety considerations as it is a threat to public health and is seriously considered in food hygiene issues accordingly. Although some procedures and detection methods are already available for the determination ofspoilage in food products, these traditional methods have some limitations and drawbacks as they are time-consuming,labour intensive and relatively expensive. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of rapid, reliable, precise and non-expensive systems to be used in the food supply and production chain as monitoring devices to detect metabolic alterations in foodstuff. Attention to instrumental detection systems such as electronic noses, electronic tongues and biosensors coupled with chemometric approaches has greatly increased because they have been demonstrated as a promising alternative for the purpose of detecting and monitoring food spoilage. This paper mainly focuses on the recent developments and the application of such multisensor systems in the food industry. Furthermore, the most traditionally methods for food spoilage detection are introduced in this context as well. The challenges and future trends of the potential use of the systems are also discussed. Based on the published literature, encouraging reports demonstrate that such systems are indeed the most promising candidates for the detection and monitoring of spoilage microorganisms in different foodstuff

Nondestructive Multivariate Classification of Codling Moth Infested Apples Using Machine Learning and Sensor Fusion

Apple is the number one on the list of the most consumed fruits in the United States. The increasing market demand for high quality apples and the need for fast, and effective quality evaluation techniques have prompted research into the development of nondestructive evaluation methods. Codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is the most devastating pest of apples. Therefore, this dissertation is focused on the development of nondestructive methods for the detection and classification of CM-infested apples. The objective one in this study was aimed to identify and characterize the source of detectable vibro-acoustic signals coming from CM-infested apples. A novel approach was developed to correlate the larval activities to low-frequency vibro-acoustic signals, by capturing the larval activities using a digital camera while simultaneously registering the signal patterns observed in the contact piezoelectric sensors on apple surface. While the larva crawling was characterized by the low amplitude and higher frequency (around 4 Hz) signals, the chewing signals had greater amplitude and lower frequency (around 1 Hz). In objective two and three, vibro-acoustic and acoustic impulse methods were developed to classify CM-infested and healthy apples. In the first approach, the identified vibro-acoustic patterns from the infested apples were used for the classification of the CM-infested and healthy signal data. The classification accuracy was as high as 95.94% for 5 s signaling time. For the acoustic impulse method, a knocking test was performed to measure the vibration/acoustic response of the infested apple fruit to a pre-defined impulse in comparison to that of a healthy sample. The classification rate obtained was 99% for a short signaling time of 60-80 ms. In objective four, shortwave near infrared hyperspectral imaging (SWNIR HSI) in the wavelength range of 900-1700 nm was applied to detect CM infestation at the pixel level for the three apple cultivars reaching an accuracy of up to 97.4%. In objective five, the physicochemical characteristics of apples were predicted using HSI method. The results showed the correlation coefficients of prediction (Rp) up to 0.90, 0.93, 0.97, and 0.91 for SSC, firmness, pH and moisture content, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of long-term storage (20 weeks) at three different storage conditions (0 °C, 4 °C, and 10 °C) on CM infestation and the detectability of the infested apples was studied. At a constant storage temperature the detectability of infested samples remained the same for the first three months then improved in the fourth month followed by a decrease until the end of the storage. Finally, a sensor data fusion method was developed which showed an improvement in the classification performance compared to the individual methods. These findings indicated there is a high potential of acoustic and NIR HSI methods for detecting and classifying CM infestation in different apple cultivars