Agriculture and food sciences

Find out how our solutions can advance your agricultural and food sciences knowledge

Want to know more about the analysis we can offer for your agricultural and food science research? Whether you’re a student, a researcher, or a professor, we’re here to help with information on the most relevant application examples.

Agriculture and food sciences encompasses many scientific disciplines – from studies of molecules and proteins through to satellite imagery and assessing large forest areas. Our application notes and published papers show how our instruments are used in many different applications, both lab-based and in the field. So, take a look and see how they could help you with your agricultural studies or research! You can find the method abbreviations explained at the bottom of this page.

Seen everything? You might also find some useful articles in Biological and Medical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Agronomy

Agronomy is a wide-ranging subject including:

  • Environmental science
  • Crop and soil science
  • Cereals, grains, and viticulture
  • Soil chemistry, fertility, and mineralogy
  • Natural resources, water content and quality
  • Botany and pest and weed control
  • Forestry and forest sciences


Here’s a selection of our application notes and articles relevant to agronomy and agricultural research. Explore them to discover more about our agricultural research services!

Agronomy

Method

Sample/Subject

Application Note Title (Link)

Compost- waste

XRF

Pressed powder compost samples

Trace element analysis of organic-rich samples using Zetium and Pro-Trace

Crops-viticulture

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

Viticulture management, vineyards, grapes, wine

NIR and viticulture spectroscopic techniques

Crops- pesticides

LD

Tap water tested with different nozzle types

Characterizing spray nozzles for targeted agrochemical application using the Malvern Spraytec

Crops- nutraceuticals

UV/Vis/NIR/SWIR

Rosmarinic acid, Oleanolic acid, Ursolic acid and Total triterpenes (Mint, Oregano)

Evaluation of Medicinal Herb Samples Using ASD LabSpec

Crops – Olive Trees

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

The relationship of NIR spectral indices to Leaf Water Potential and to Pressure-volume curves

Assessing plant water relations based on hidden information in the hyper‐spectral signatures: Parameterization of olive leaf P-V curve and estimation of water potential components

Crops - Maize

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

The use of ASD NIR as a tool to aid in small-holder agricultural productivity in Kenya.

Unravelling the effects of soil and crop management on maize productivity

Forests – Pine nutrients

 UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR 

Comparison of spectral indices and PLSR models to plant nutrient concentrations.

Predicting macronutrient concentrations from loblolly pine leaf reflectance across local and regional scales

Forests – Pulp production

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

Standing tree wood, lumber, OSB flake properties

Applications of Reflectance Spectroscopy in Paper and Pulp manufacture

Forests - tropical

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

NIR Spectroscopy to characterize species biodiversity

Spectroscopy of Humid Tropical Forests

General - chemometrics

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR 

Collection of student projects in chemometric methods.

Integrating Traditional Handheld Remotely Sensed Measurement Techniques with Chemometric Analyses in the Classroom

Plants - review

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

Combination of field spectrometer (ASD) and overflight sensor to identify invasive plant species.  A classic application of ground-truthing.

Spectral Identification of Native and Non-Native Plant Species

Plants – plant virus

DLS

Polydispersity of Rice Dwarf virus.

Characterization of Rice Dwarf Virus, in water, RDV+ (crystallized), RDV- (not crystallized)

Plants - bioprocessing

Imaging

Fiber width and elongation

Fiber parameter measurements using the Morphologi G3 particle characterization system

Plant Biology - pollen

Imaging

Parietaria Judaica (PJ), Avena Fatua (AF), Taraxacum Officinale and Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum (TF&CL)

Characterization of pollen samples with the Morphologi® G3SE

Soil - Madagascar

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

Soil quality in Madagascar (Oxisols), paddy, tavy, topsoil - pH, total carbon (SOC), N, P, Ca, Mg, K, cation exchange (CEC)

Sensing landscape level change in soil fertility

Soil – Chemistry

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) concentration. Soil carbon (C) mineralization

Prediction of carbon mineralization rates from different soil physical fractions

Soil – Carbon and Nitrogen

XRF

C and N in soil samples

Analysis of carbon and nitrogen in soils

Soil - mineralogy

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

Kaolinite, montmorillonite, and mica abundances. Swelling clays, organics, and other measurements e.g. cation exchange capacity (CEC)

Measurement of Soil Mineralogy and CEC Using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

Soil - Contaminants

XRF

Heavy metal elemental concentrations

Analysis of heavy-metal contaminants in soils and sludges

Soil – water, minerals

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

 

Old paper* but provides good background. *Modern data shows better quality.

Spectral Reflectance of Wetted Soils

Soil - texture

LD

Acrisol, Phaeozem, Luvisol, Cambisol

Getting a feel for soil texture using laser diffraction particle size analysis

Dairy Research

Dairy research includes food chemistry and processing research – which themselves significantly overlap with many other disciplines, such as biochemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and food science and nutrition. Specifically, dairy research focuses on the studies of human health and milk consumption, together with dairy cow nutrition and the environmental impact of milk production. We’ve put together a selection of application notes and articles related to dairy research – check them out below!

Dairy Research

Method

Sample/Subject

Application Note Title (Link)

milk - emulsion stability

DLS

Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk

Zeta Potential Measurements of Skimmed and Semi-Skimmed Milk Using the ZEN1010 High Concentration Cell

milk - emulsions

LD

Full-fat, semi-skimmed, skimmed milk powder

Measurement of Dairy and Food Emulsions using Laser Diffraction

milk - fats and micelles

LD

Fat globules and casin micelles in milk

Using laser diffraction to characterize casein micelles and fat globules in milk

milk powder - elemental composition

XRF

Milk powder, Ca, Cl, K, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn

At-line analysis of nutrient content in milk powder

milk powder - infant formula

XRF

Infant formula milk, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, S, Zn

A new approach on the sample preparation of powdered dairy products

milk powder - whey, cheese

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

Milk powder, whey, cheese

NIR and Dairy Spectroscopy

Protein - ß-Lactoglobulin (ß-

Lg) aggregation

DLS

ß-Lactoglobulin (ß-Lg) aggregation at different pH values (NaCl and HCl)

Aggregation of ß-Lactoglobulin

Protein - steric layers

DLS

β-lactoglobulin-dextran on polystyrene latex spheres, buffers, and salts

Determining Steric Layer Thickness and Conformation Using Dynamic Light Scattering

Protein - steric layers and stability

DLS

Canola oil, Aqueous protein/conjugate emulsifier solution, β-lactoglobulin

Studying the Effect of Steric Layer Thickness on Emulsion Stability

Protein - whey protein isolate

SEC

Whey Protein Isolate (WPI), four components, immunoglobulin, albumin, β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin

Characterization of Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) using multi-detector size-exclusion chromatography

Food chemistry

Food chemistry significantly overlaps with plant sciences and biochemistry. It’s the foundation for food processing – and research experiments can be comparable to those in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, paper, polymer science, nutrition sciences, and healthcare. In the table below, you’ll find some application notes and articles relevant to food science research and development – check them out to learn more!

Food Chemistry

Method

Sample/Subject

Application Note Title (link)

Cellulose

GPC

Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC)

Analysis of cellulose derivatives by advanced GPC/SEC

Cellulose - sodium carboxymethyl

GPC

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in aqueous eluent

Substitution in sodium carboxymethyl cellulose

Cereal and Grain

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

Ground corn Stover samples

Small Sample Size Evaluation using LabSpec 4 Standard-Res i

Enzymes – Sweet Potato

GPC

β-amylase from sweet potato

Compositional insights for protein mixtures: a case study of a semi-pure β-amylase extract

Lactase - Aspergillus oryzae fungus

DLS

Lactase from Aspergillus oryzae fungus in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)

Using Light scattering to study the stability of Lactase

Gelatin

XRF

Gelatin, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn

Trace element determination of Cr, Fe, Cu and Zn in gelatin

Meat and Fish

UV/Vis/NIR/SWIR

General overview

NIR and Proteins

Polysaccarides - starches

GPC

Aqueous polysaccharides, Starches

Physical treatment of polysaccharides

Polysaccharides

GPC

3 typical polysaccharides in mobile phase of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)

Multi-detector GPC/SEC analysis of polysaccharides using OMNISEC

Polysaccharides

GPC

Polysaccharides

Using triple detection GPC/SEC to Determine branching in polysaccharides

Polysaccharides - dextran

GPC

Dextran in Na2So4 solution, gum Arabic, pectin

Structural elucidation of dextrans and other polysaccharides using OMNISEC Multi-Detection GPC

Polysaccharides - pullulan, dextran, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), pectin and gum Arabic

GPC

Polysaccharides, pullulan, dextran, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), pectin, and gum Arabic

Characterizing polysaccharide structure with SEC-MALS and intrinsic viscosity measurements

Seaweed - sodium alginate

GPC

Brown seaweed, sodium alginate

Monitoring degradation of sodium alginate using GPC/SEC

Vitamins - Vitamin B

DLS

Vitamin B (thiamine)

Exploring the Concentration Limits of DLS: Characterization of Vitamin B1

Food processing

Food processing builds on food science, encompassing all considerations for processing raw foodstuffs into forms suitable for human and livestock consumption. Several processing methods have shared considerations with pharmaceutical processing. Food processing also considers formulation, shelf-life, and stability. Processors must screen for toxins and detrimental changes that can occur during storage. Environmental impact, of both the raw materials and the recycling and disposal of waste food products and processing chemicals, must also be considered. Here are some of our application notes and articles relevant to food processing. Take a look to discover more!

Food Processing

Method

Sample/Subject

Application Note Title (Link)

Beer Brewing

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

Beer Brewing, temperature, pH, sugar composition, yeast type

Beer Brewing and Ethanol Production

Chocolate

LD

Dark, milk, white chocolate, crumb, and powder milk chocolates

Understanding the production and perception of chocolate through particle size analysis

Chocolate

LD

Chocolate, suspension of sugar, cocoa, and milk particles in a continuous fat phase

Understanding the properties of chocolate using laser diffraction particle size distribution analysis

Chocolate - identification

Imaging

Chocolate, various brands

Analyzing chocolate with the Morphologi automated image analysis system

Chocolate - WHITEPAPER

LD

Chocolate

Analytical characterization of mouthfeel in chocolate

Coffee grounds

LD

Coffee grounds

Measuring the particle size distribution of coffee grounds using laser diffraction

Coffee grounds

LD

Coffee grounds

Rapid measurement of coffee ground particle size distributions during coffee grinding operations

Dog food - mineral nutrients

XRF and SPE

Mineral nutrients in Dog Food: Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Mg, Na, P, S, Zn

Elemental Determination of Dog Food Samples Using Lithium Borate Fusion and XRF Analysis

Edible oils - contaminants

XRF

Fe, Cu, Ni, As, Cd, Pb in edible oils

Analysis of Fe, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in edible oils

Flour - Bread and cakes

UV/Vis/NIR/SWIR

Bread and cake flour

Bread and Cake Flour properties Modeled using LabSpec® 4

flour - wheat, gluten-free

Imaging

Wheat flour, Gluten-free flour A- and B- type starch grains, starch-protein composite, protein, gamma-oryzanol, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, starch

Particle Morphology of Wheat Flour and Gluten-Free Flour

Iodine in foods

XRF

Iodine (I) skimmed milk, citrus leaves, wheat, potato flour, cellulose,

Iodine in foods

Livestock feed

XRF

Livestock feeds - trace elements: Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb

Analysis of mineral and trace element content in livestock feed

Rice flour

LD and Imaging

Rice flour

Grain Based Food Processing - Particle Characterization and its Significance

Starches - modified

GPC

Modified starches

Structural differences in modified starches

Surfactants - fermentation

DLS

Surfactin (a lipopeptide surfactant) micelles in clarified fermentation broth

Determination of surfactin micelle formation and disruption in a membrane-based separation

Wheat - noodles

XRF

Lead contamination in wheat noodles

Screening for lead contamination in wheat noodles (Epsilon 1)

Wheat - noodles

XRF

Lead contamination in wheat noodles

Trace analysis of lead in wheat noodles (Epsilon 4)

Whey powder - contaminants

XRF

Whey powder (Ca, Cl, K, Mg, Na, P) with trace elements (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn)

Analysis of de-mineralized whey powder

약어 설명

당사의 제품 및 기술은 제품 페이지에 설명되어 있습니다. 아래에서 측정 이름 및 약어와 함께 당사 기기로 측정한 특성에 대한 빠른 참조를 찾을 수 있습니다. 자세한 내용을 보려면 각 방법을 클릭하십시오! 

약어

방법 이름

기기

측정된 특성

DLS

동적 광산란

Zetasizer

분자 크기, 유체역학적 반경 RH, 입자 크기, 크기 분포, 안정성, 농도, 응집

ELS

전기 영동 광산란

Zetasizer

제타 전위, 입자 전하, 현탁액 안정성, 단백질 이동도

ITC

등온 적정 열량측정법

MicroCal  ITC

결합 친화도, 용액 내 분자 반응의 열역학

DSC

시차 주사 열량측정법

Microcal DSC

대형 분자의 변성(풀림), 거대분자의 안정성

GCI

도파관 간섭법

Creoptix WAVEsystem

실시간 결합 동역학 및 결합 친화도, 유체를 사용한 무표지

IMG

자동 이미지 분석

Morphologi 4

입자 영상 처리, 자동 형상 및 크기 측정

MDRS

형태학적 기반 라만 분광법

Morphologi 4-ID

입자 영상 처리, 자동 형상 및 크기 측정, 화학적 식별 및 오염물 검출

LD

레이저 회절

Mastersizer

Spraytec

Insitec

Parsum

입자 크기, 크기 분포

NTA

나노 입자 추적 분석

NanoSight

입자 크기, 크기 분포 및 농도

SEC  또는  GPC

크기 배제 크로마토그래피 /

겔 투과 크로마토그래피

OMNISEC

분자 크기, 분자량, 올리고머 상태, 폴리머 또는 단백질 크기 및 분자 구조

SPE

융합을 통한 샘플 전처리

Le Neo

LeDoser

Eagon 2

OxAdvanced

M4

rFusion

XRF를 위한 용융 비드 샘플 전처리, ICP를 위한 과산화물 용액 전처리, 비드 만들기를 위한 플럭스 칭량

UV/Vis/NIR/ SWIR

자외선/가시광선/근적외선/단파 적외선 분광측정법

LabSpec

FieldSpec

TerraSpec

QualitySpec

물질 식별 및 분석, 수분, 광물, 탄소 함량. 공기중 및 위성 분광 기법을 위한 지상 실측.

PFTNA

펄스화된 빠른 열 중성자 활성화

CNA

인라인 원소 분석

XRD-C

X선 회절 (결정학)

Aeris

Empyrean

분자 결정 구조 정제,

결정상 식별 및 정량화, 결정질 대 비결정질 비율, 결정질 크기 분석

XRD-M

X선 회절 (미세구조)

Empyrean

X’Pert3 MRD(XL)

잔류 응력, 텍스처

XRD-CT

컴퓨터 단층촬영에 의한 X선 흡수 영상 처리

Empyrean

고체, 다공성 및 밀도의 3D 영상 처리

SAXS

소각 X선 산란

Empyrean

나노입자, 크기, 형태 및 구조

GISAXS

그레이징 입사 소각 X선 산란

Empyrean

나노구조의 박막 및 표면

HR-XRD

고분해능 X선 회절

Empyrean

X’Pert3 MRD(XL)

박막 및 에피택시 다층, 조성, 변형, 두께, 품질

XRR

X선 반사측정

Empyrean

X’Pert3 MRD(XL)

박막 및 표면, 막 두께, 표면 및 계면 조도

XRF

X선 형광

Epsilon

Zetium

Axios FAST

2830 ZT

원소 조성, 원소 농도, 미량 원소, 오염물 검출