Rapid, non-destructive prediction of coconut composition for sustainable UHT milk production via near-infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a promising new technology for revolutionizing quality control and optimization in the UHT coconut milk industry. The effectiveness of NIR spectroscopy in evaluating grated coconut quality throughout the UHT coconut milk production process was thoroughly examined in this investigation. Using a partial least squares (PLS) model, the study successfully demonstrated the ability of NIR spectroscopy to accurately predict the levels of moisture, fat, protein, and pH in grated coconut. The PLS model exhibited strong correlation coefficients in calibration exceeding 0.970 and impressive ratios of performance to deviation values ranging from 3.70 to 11.75, indicating its exceptional predictive capacity. These findings underscore the remarkable potential of NIR spectroscopy in evaluating grated coconut quality throughout the UHT coconut milk production process. By harnessing the power of NIR technology, it becomes possible to consistently produce high-quality coconut milk, optimize processing conditions, ensure batch uniformity, and reduce costs by eliminating destructive testing. NIR spectroscopy is a novel and non-invasive technology for evaluating grated coconut quality in the UHT coconut milk production process, presenting an unparalleled opportunity to advance the state-of-the-art in quality control and process optimization, ultimately leading to the production of superior coconut milk products.