Monitoring the quality of marine products, including fish oils and extracts, is essential throughout the supply chain to ensure product safety, efficacy, and compliance with industry standards. Traditionally, this has been achieved using wet chemistry methods in laboratories or via third-party testing. However, these processes are often tedious, time-consuming, and reliant on expensive instrumentation, creating bottlenecks in quality assurance.
Spectroscopic technologies, particularly near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR), offer a fast, reliable, and cost-effective alternative to traditional chemical methods. NIR technology, widely recognized for its ability to rapidly analyze chemical concentrations across various industries, remains underutilized in the marine sector despite its potential to revolutionize the field. The success of spectroscopic methods hinges on selecting the right spectrometers and developing robust calibrations tailored to specific processes and materials.
This research explores the application of spectroscopic methods in analyzing marine products such as fish meal, krill oil, filets, and surimi. It highlights the performance of these methods in quantifying key components, including EPA, DHA, phospholipids, peroxide value, moisture, protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The study evaluates suitable technology platforms for implementing these analyses and showcases their application across the entire supply chain—from fishing vessels and ports to in-line production analysis.
AI integration plays a pivotal role in enhancing these spectroscopic methods, particularly in in-line analysis. By leveraging machine learning-powered algorithms, automated systems can monitor real-time production data, detect anomalies, and adjust processes dynamically, ensuring consistent quality and efficiency. This automation significantly reduces human intervention, minimizes errors, and optimizes resource use.
Additionally, this paper addresses common challenges in developing reliable spectroscopic methods, such as selecting appropriate instrumentation, applying advanced modeling techniques, and overcoming the complexities of calibration. The discussion will also cover the substantial time and cost savings achievable through the adoption of these technologies, underscoring their transformative impact on the aqua industry.