Spectroscopic approaches to the measurement of food quality

The richness of the electromagnetic spectrum is well matched by the range of problems that are inherent in food science. Foods are typically heterogeneous and contain a very wide range of materials in a variety of physical states. Different states often coexist in a non-equilibrium condition which may be perturbed by invasive techniques. Almost all of spectroscopy can, and does, play a role in food science. For the measurement of quality related parameters however two techniques, NMR and vibrational spectroscopy, have proved to offer an exceptionally wide range of uses. It is with these that this report is mainly concerned.