DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FOREIGN ODORS IN GRAIN

THE USDA/FGIS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTING GRAIN FOR QUALITY ACCORDING TO THE U.S. GRAIN STANDARDS. GRAIN INSPECTION AND GRADING IS MANDATORY FOR MOST EXPORT GRAIN AND COMMON IN DOMESTIC GRAIN. THE PRESENCE OF ODOR (SOUND, MUSTY, SOUR, SMUTTY OR COFO) CAN INFLUENCE THE GRADE OF THE GRAIN. CURRENTLY, INSPECTORS PLACE THEIR FACE IN THE GRAIN AND INHALE TO DETERMINE THE ODOR. THE IDENTIFICATION OF OLFACTION, WHILE IT IS EFFECTIVE, IS SUBJECTIVE, CAN BE INFLUENCED BY THE HEALTH OF THE INSPECTORAND THE INSPECTOR MAY BE EXPOSED TO TOXIC OR OTHERWISE HARMFUL VAPORS. THERE IS NO SIMPLE OBJECTIVE TEST FOR THE DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FOREIGN ODORS IN GRAIN. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL EVALUATE THE FEASIBILTY OF USING A NEW INSTRUMENTAL METHOD IDENTIFICATION OF GRAIN ODORS. THE APPROACH IS CALLED CPS AND IS PATENTED BY TRI. THIS APPROACH USES A PORTABLE, PUSH BUTTON INSTRUMENT CONTAINING A SENSOR ARRAY, COMPUTER CONTROL, AND PATTERN RECOGNITION ALGORITHM. IN PHASE I, SEVERAL GRAIN ODORS WILL BE IDENTIFIED USING A LOW-COST SENSOR ARRAY AND PATTERN RECOGNITION ALGORITHM. IFFEASIBILITY IS SHOWN, APPLICATIONS INCLUDE: SUPPORTING OR REPLACING THE ORGANOLEPTIC DETECTION AS WELL AS POSSIBLE NEWAPPLICATIONS IN DETECTING FOOD SPOILAGE AT PORTS OF ENTRY ORIN COMMERCIAL QA/QC APPLICATIONS IN FOOD PROCESSING.