A food processing system is disclosed. The food processing system includes a food scaling portion, a food bagging portion and a chute portion connecting the food scaling portion to the food bagging portion. The food processing system also includes a foreign object sensor arranged about the chute portion. The foreign object sensor and the chute portion cooperatively form a foreign object sensing zone within a passage formed by the chute portion that extends along a portion of a length of the chute portion. The food processing system also includes at least one sensor testing conduit extending through one or both of the food scaling portion and the chute portion. An exit opening of the at least one sensor testing conduit is arranged in an opposing relationship with respect to the foreign object sensing zone. A foreign object sensor apparatus for detecting non-foodstuff material is also disclosed. A method is also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is a method of assessing rheology characteristics of vital wheat gluten to determine how to improve the quality of VWG product and the choice of VWG for a particular product.

Disclosed herein is a method of assessing rheology characteristics of vital wheat gluten to determine how to improve the quality of VWG product and the choice of VWG for a particular product.

A device for the sampling and extraction of a granular solid in a pack of granular solids, containing a sampling probe (1), a sample collector (2) connected to said sampling probe (1), and a controller (3), the sampling probe (1) comprising a sampling tube (4) and at least one transfer tube (5), the sampling tube (4) and transfer tube (5) containing at least one central conduit and at least two lateral conduits, wherein the central conduit (6a) of the sampling tube (4) contains a collection chamber (10) containing a system (11) for retaining the granular solid, and the lateral conduits (7a, 7b) of the sampling tube (4) and transfer tube (5) are connected to a source of gaseous fluid (12) which is capable of extracting the granular solid retained in the collection chamber (10) via the lateral conduits (8a, 8b) of the sampling tube (4) and transfer tube (5).

A device for the sampling and extraction of a granular solid in a pack of granular solids, containing a sampling probe (1), a sample collector (2) connected to said sampling probe (1), and a controller (3), the sampling probe (1) comprising a sampling tube (4) and at least one transfer tube (5), the sampling tube (4) and transfer tube (5) containing at least one central conduit and at least two lateral conduits, wherein the central conduit (6a) of the sampling tube (4) contains a collection chamber (10) containing a system (11) for retaining the granular solid, and the lateral conduits (7a, 7b) of the sampling tube (4) and transfer tube (5) are connected to a source of gaseous fluid (12) which is capable of extracting the granular solid retained in the collection chamber (10) via the lateral conduits (8a, 8b) of the sampling tube (4) and transfer tube (5).

Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for scanning a multilayer material using magnetism. The apparatus for scanning a multilayer material includes at least one measurement head for exciting a mixed magnetic field on a multilayer specimen using at least one excitation solenoid coil and detecting detection signals from the multilayer specimen using a detection solenoid coil, a movement controller for moving any one of the at least one measurement head and a stage on which the multilayer specimen is placed in order to detect detection signals for all parts of the multilayer specimen, and a signal controller for generating two excitation signals having different frequencies in order to generate the mixed magnetic field and for generating a scanning result for the multilayer specimen by collecting the detection signals.

A feedback and feedforward as well as a statistical predictive control system and method for continuously controlling texture of a food snack in a manufacturing process. The feedback system includes a quantitative texture measuring tool that is positioned downstream of a food processing unit. The texture measuring tool continuously measures a texture attribute of food snack from the food processing unit and feeds back texture attribute information to a controller that controls input parameters to food processing unit such that the texture attribute of a resultant food snack falls within an acceptable limit. The texture measuring tool comprises an excitation tool that strikes the food snack and produces an acoustic signal that is processed by a data processing unit. The data processing unit identifies relevant frequencies in the acoustic signal and quantitatively measures a texture attribute based on a correlated model that includes the relevant frequencies.

A feedback and feedforward as well as a statistical predictive control system and method for continuously controlling texture of a food snack in a manufacturing process. The feedback system includes a quantitative texture measuring tool that is positioned downstream of a food processing unit. The texture measuring tool continuously measures a texture attribute of food snack from the food processing unit and feeds back texture attribute information to a controller that controls input parameters to food processing unit such that the texture attribute of a resultant food snack falls within an acceptable limit. The texture measuring tool comprises an excitation tool that strikes the food snack and produces an acoustic signal that is processed by a data processing unit. The data processing unit identifies relevant frequencies in the acoustic signal and quantitatively measures a texture attribute based on a correlated model that includes the relevant frequencies.

Processes for an autonomous grain facility are described herein. The process could include sampling and grading. For sampling, the system controls a robot to capture position data of a trailer and area data of grain, determines one or more sampling areas within the trailer, and controls the robot to obtain a sample from each of the sampling areas. For grading, the system measures data with both a near infrared sensor and a second sensor, analyzes all of the data to determine a dispositive action to be performed on the respective sample, and controls the system to perform the dispositive action.

Processes for an autonomous grain facility are described herein. The process could include sampling and grading. For sampling, the system controls a robot to capture position data of a trailer and area data of grain, determines one or more sampling areas within the trailer, and controls the robot to obtain a sample from each of the sampling areas. For grading, the system measures data with both a near infrared sensor and a second sensor, analyzes all of the data to determine a dispositive action to be performed on the respective sample, and controls the system to perform the dispositive action.