23. Infrared Spectroscopy

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy refers to measurement of the absorption of different frequencies of IR radiation by foods or other solids, liquids, or gases. IR spectroscopy began in 1800 with an experiment by Herschel. When he used a prism to create a spectrum from white light and placed a thermometer at a point just beyond the red region of the spectrum, he noted an increase in temperature. This was the first observation of the effects of IR radiation. By the 1940s, IR spectroscopy had become an important tool used by chemists to identify functional groups in organic compounds. In the 1970s, commercial near-IR reflectance instruments were introduced that provided rapid quantitative determinations of moisture, protein, and fat in cereal grains and other foods. Today, IR spectroscopy is used widely in the food industry for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of ingredients and finished foods.