ARS | Publication request: The development of line-scan image recognition algorithms for the detection of frass on mature tomatoes

Submitted to: Proceedings of SPIE
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: May 23, 2012
Publication Date: June 1, 2012
Citation: Yang, C., Kim, M.S., Millner, P.D., Chao, K., Chan, D.E. 2012. The development of line-scan image recognition algorithms for the detection of frass on mature tomatoes. Proceedings of SPIE. 8369(08):1-7.

Technical Abstract: In this research, a multispectral algorithm derived from hyperspectral line-scan fluorescence imaging under violet LED excitation was developed for the detection of frass contamination on mature tomatoes. The algorithm utilized the fluorescence intensities at two wavebands, 664 nm and 690 nm, for computation of the simple ratio function for effective detection of frass contamination. The contamination spots were created on the tomato surfaces using four concentrations of aqueous frass dilutions. The algorithms could detect more than 99% of the 0.2 g/ml and 0.1 g/ml frass contamination spots and successfully differentiated these spots from clean tomato surfaces. The results demonstrated that the simple multispectral fluorescence imaging algorithms based on violet LED excitation can be appropriate to detect frass on tomatoes in high-speed post-harvest processing lines.