Disclosed is a detachable device for repeatedly measuring textural characteristics of food. To this end, the present invention includes: a fixing unit having a probe guide member having, at a center thereof, a predetermined guide hole, having therein a predetermined space, and extending downward; a cylindrical probe configured to move upward and downward while surrounding the probe guide member and having multiple holes formed in a lower surface thereof so that a part of food is extracted in accordance with a degree of compression at the time of compressing the food; a food sample cup positioned below the cylindrical probe and having therein a space in which the food is placed; and multiple position fixing guides positioned between the fixing unit and the food sample cup.

Disclosed is a detachable device for repeatedly measuring textural characteristics of food. To this end, the present invention includes: a fixing unit having a probe guide member having, at a center thereof, a predetermined guide hole, having therein a predetermined space, and extending downward; a cylindrical probe configured to move upward and downward while surrounding the probe guide member and having multiple holes formed in a lower surface thereof so that a part of food is extracted in accordance with a degree of compression at the time of compressing the food; a food sample cup positioned below the cylindrical probe and having therein a space in which the food is placed; and multiple position fixing guides positioned between the fixing unit and the food sample cup.

In a method of measuring moisture in corn, an ear of corn is operatively coupled to a moisture meter and an amount of moisture is determined while the ear of corn is being grown on a corn plant. The moisture meter can use a spectrometry to determine the amount of moisture in the corn. A moisture meter includes a corn interface configured to conformingly engage the ear of corn when pressed against the ear of corn to form an optical seal about an opening through which the spectrometer determines the amount of moisture in the corn to inhibit ambient light from passing between the corn interface and the ear of corn into the at least one opening.

The present invention relates to a method for analysing a set of food particles, comprising the steps of acquiring a digital colour image of a plurality of particles arranged on a substrate, detecting portions of the image corresponding to each particle, determining the colour of each portion of the determined image, and measuring a distance between the determined colour of one portion of the image and a predetermined colour of a predetermined particle type.

A process for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in the production of an article by adding a Stokes-shifting taggant to an oil or lubricant of a machine utilized to produce the article or a component thereof, irradiating the articles produced with a first wavelength of radiation, and monitoring the articles for emission of radiation at a second wavelength. The taggant can be in the form of a composition containing a Stokes-shifting taggant, which absorbs radiation at a first wavelength and emits radiation at a second wavelength, different from said first wavelength, dissolved or dispersed in an oil or lubricant.

We describe a method of processing data to determine a level of free sugar in a foodstuff or drink, the method comprising: inputting data defining an ingredient list for said foodstuff or drink; inputting data for an empirical analysis (b) of nutrient levels in said foodstuff or drink; inputting data defining nutrient levels for each of ingredient in said ingredient list; wherein said analysed nutrient levels (b) in said foodstuff or drink are expressible as a combination of a matrix (A) of said ingredient nutrient levels and a vector (x) defining proportions of said ingredients in said ingredient list, representing a system of simultaneous equations defining said analysed nutrient levels in terms of said ingredient proportions and ingredient nutrient levels; identifying one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of: i) a solution to said system of simultaneous equations is non-physical, ii) said system of simultaneous equations is underdetermined, and iii) said system of simultaneous equations is overdetermined; modifying said system of simultaneous equations responsive to said identifying to add one or more additional ingredients to said ingredient list, said one or more additional ingredients representing one or more ingredients contributing to sugar content of said foodstuff or drink; and determining a level of free sugar in said foodstuff or drink from said modified system of simultaneous equations.

We describe a method of processing data to determine a level of free sugar in a foodstuff or drink, the method comprising: inputting data defining an ingredient list for said foodstuff or drink; inputting data for an empirical analysis (b) of nutrient levels in said foodstuff or drink; inputting data defining nutrient levels for each of ingredient in said ingredient list; wherein said analysed nutrient levels (b) in said foodstuff or drink are expressible as a combination of a matrix (A) of said ingredient nutrient levels and a vector (x) defining proportions of said ingredients in said ingredient list, representing a system of simultaneous equations defining said analysed nutrient levels in terms of said ingredient proportions and ingredient nutrient levels; identifying one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of: i) a solution to said system of simultaneous equations is non-physical, ii) said system of simultaneous equations is underdetermined, and iii) said system of simultaneous equations is overdetermined; modifying said system of simultaneous equations responsive to said identifying to add one or more additional ingredients to said ingredient list, said one or more additional ingredients representing one or more ingredients contributing to sugar content of said foodstuff or drink; and determining a level of free sugar in said foodstuff or drink from said modified system of simultaneous equations.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to freshness indication. In some embodiments, a freshness indicating device is provided. The freshness indicating device comprises a collector and an indicator. The collector is adapted to collect water from an object. The object includes at least one of fruits and vegetables. The indicator is adapted to indicate the freshness of the object based on the amount of the collected water. A corresponding method and a container comprising the freshness indicating device are disclosed as well.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to freshness indication. In some embodiments, a freshness indicating device is provided. The freshness indicating device comprises a collector and an indicator. The collector is adapted to collect water from an object. The object includes at least one of fruits and vegetables. The indicator is adapted to indicate the freshness of the object based on the amount of the collected water. A corresponding method and a container comprising the freshness indicating device are disclosed as well.

A system for automatically monitoring merchandise in a retail sales environment is provided. The system includes a display fixture configured to store and display for sale a group of perishable items and one or more gas emission sensors associated with the display fixture and configured to measure gas emissions from the group of perishable items. The system further includes a control circuit coupled to the one or more gas emission sensors and configured to receive a gas emission measurement taken at the display fixture, compare the gas emission measurement with stored gas emission data associated with a category of the group of perishable items; and make a determination corresponding to the group of perishable items based on the comparison.