Rapid Analysis and Cataloging of the Physical Properties of Potatoes

The accurate determination of specific gravity and identification of defects in potatoes are of great interest to the industry since they affect both the processability and marketability. Preliminary research has indicated that magnetic resonance (MR) techniques are capable of rapidly and realiably determining both specific gravity and identifying internal defects in potatoes. Quantum Magnetics has developed an inexpensive set of MR electronics which plug into the bus of an IBM-compatible PC. In this program, we propose to demonstrate the feasibility of low-cost MR inspection of agricultural products. An MR magnet and detection coil suitable for on-line potato inspection will be designed and tested. The method will then be applied to other agricultural products.