Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Coupled with Chemometrics: A Tool for the Analysis of Intact Food Systems and the Exploration of Their Molecular Structure-Quality Relationships - A Review

A number of researchers conducted investigations to demonstrate advancements in the use of mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics as a tool for the analysis of intact food systems and the exploration of their molecular structure-quality relationships. A major advance in the application of MIR techniques to food analysis and other commodities involved the application of powerful mathematical techniques known as chemometrics. These data analysis methods allowed the extraction of valuable information from large and complex data sets and determined the application of MIR spectroscopy in many analytical fields. Another critical development in MIR instrumentation regarding its application to complex biological structures and compounds had been the emergence of innovative sample presentation techniques. The most useful development in the field was the introduction of a simple reflectance technique called attenuated total reflectance (ATR).