At Pittcon, Spectroscopy sat down with Christian Huck of the University of Innsbruck to talk about how NIR and imaging spectroscopy are being used in food and bioanalysis, and where this industry is heading in the future.
At Pittcon 2025 this year, which took place in Boston, Massachusetts, attendees and separation science professionals gathered at the Boston Conference & Exposition Center to learn and discuss the latest trends in laboratory science. Although most of the technical program revolved around the latest developments in chromatography, there was an important oral session on vibrational spectroscopy that took place on Sunday, March 2nd, from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm.
Christian Huck, a professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, delivered a talk during this session titled, “The Near-Infrared and Imaging Spectroscopy in Food and Bioanalysis: Current and Future Directions” (1,2). In his talk, Huck highlighted how molecular vibrational spectroscopy is advancing rapidly in food and bioanalysis, offering fast, non-invasive screening of chemical and physical properties (1).
Although traditional separation and mass spectrometric (MS) techniques provide high selectivity and sensitivity, vibrational spectroscopy benefits from rapid analysis and simultaneous property assessment (1). Chemometric methods, including univariate and multivariate data treatment, improve spectral interpretation and calibration (1).
Huck also highlighted some of the key spectroscopic techniques that have been used for qualitative and quantitative analysis. These techniques include near-infrared (NIR), attenuated total reflection (ATR) infrared, and Raman spectroscopy (1). Huck discussed how these techniques have improved species identification and chemical parameter assessment (1). Huck also discussed the utility of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS), and how it has helped improve the monitoring of spectrometer dynamics, while miniaturized spectrometers allow for on-site investigations (1). Imaging and mapping techniques further enabled high-resolution analysis, detecting potent food ingredients at spatial resolution down to 1–4 µm (1).
Huck’s talk focused on the most recent advances in molecular spectroscopy, including all the latest technical developments. His talk examined the advantages and limitations of molecular spectroscopy, comparing them to other traditional techniques (1). Huck then concluded his talk by addressing future trends, such as enhanced spectral interpretation and improved analytical capabilities (1).
Spectroscopy sat down with Huck to talk about how NIR and imaging spectroscopy are being used in food and bioanalysis, and where this industry is heading in the future.
New Telescope Technique Expands Exoplanet Atmosphere Spectroscopic Studies
March 24th 2025Astronomers have made a significant leap in the study of exoplanet atmospheres with a new ground-based spectroscopic technique that rivals space-based observations in precision. Using the Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy Imager (ETSI) at McDonald Observatory in Texas, researchers have analyzed 21 exoplanet atmospheres, demonstrating that ground-based telescopes can now provide cost-effective reconnaissance for future high-precision studies with facilities like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) (1-3).
Tomas Hirschfeld: Prolific Research Chemist, Mentor, Inventor, and Futurist
March 19th 2025In this "Icons of Spectroscopy" column, executive editor Jerome Workman Jr. details how Tomas B. Hirschfeld has made many significant contributions to vibrational spectroscopy and has inspired and mentored many leading scientists of the past several decades.
Assessing Milk Protein Stability Using ATR-FT-IR Spectroscopy
March 18th 2025A study published in the International Journal of Dairy Technology by lead author Mark A. Fenelon and his team at Teagasc Food Research Centre and University College Dublin demonstrates that ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy can effectively monitor heat-induced structural changes in milk proteins and colloidal calcium phosphate, offering valuable insights for optimizing dairy product stability and quality.
Smarter Food Processing with AI, Optical Sensors, and Robotics Enhance Quality Control
March 17th 2025Researchers at Oregon State University explore how machine learning, optical sensors, and robotics are transforming food quality assessment and processing, improving efficiency and reducing waste.