Handheld Optical Spectrometer for Real-Time Characterization of Digestible Protein in Soybeans

SK Infrared LLC proposes to conduct research and technology development toward a novelhandheld optical sensor that provides real time characterization of the quality of soybeans.Specifically the sensor will quantify five essential amino acids (cysteine lysine methioninethreonine tryptophan) that indicate digestibility of protein within the soybean product. Thistechnology directly responds to the stated needs of soybean farmers for tools that can verifysoybean quality at point of sale evolving the economics of soybean transactions toward value- pricing. SK Infrared will collaborate with the Ohio State University and leverage laboratoryinvestigations recently funded by the Ohio Soybean Council to demonstrate the feasibility of ourapproach. The sensing concept involves collecting optical spectroscopy data of soybean samplesand analyzing the data using advanced chemometric algorithms. The end result is an amino acidprofile that can be obtained with only seconds of data collection and analysis. In addition wehave developed an engineering concept whereby low-cost commercially available componentscan be integrated to produce a self-contained sensor system. We seek funding through the SBIRprogram to advance the research and develop a design for a prototype sensor Phase I followedby prototype assembly integration and demonstration testing in Phase II. SK Infrared willcommercialize this research thereafter with significant economic impact and benefit to U.S.food-grade soybean producers.