THE PRINCIPLES, APPLICATIONS, AND TRENDS OF A KEY TOOL IN FOOD SCIENCE Maximizing food potential has become one of the priorities of the food industry and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is fast becoming a key "ingredient" in achieving that goal. Taking its place among other proven spectroscopic tools, near-infrared spectroscopy facilitates, for example, quality measurements made early in the production when fresh products are still edible, helping to determine whether the product goes to fresh market or to processing and thereby minimizing waste. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Food Science and Technology is one of the few available resources that applies this valuable technique specifically to the food science and technology industries. Written by authors with extensive expertise in NIRS and food science, this comprehensive resource provides an introduction to and overview of the technical aspects of NIRS, including: * Basic principles of near-infrared spectroscopy * Characteristics of the NIR spectra * Instrumentation * Sampling techniques * Chemometrics Stressing the practical application of near-infrared technology, the book details the method's use in four key areas of food science and technology: agricultural and marine products, foodstuffs and processed foods, engineering and process monitoring, and food safety and disease diagnosis. Nearly encyclopedic in its coverage, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Food Science and Technology will prove a valuable guide for food science professionals as well as scientists and engineers in a wide range of related fields.