Time domain NMR applied to food products

Time-domain NMR is being used throughout all areas of food science and technology. A wide range of one- and two-dimensional relaxometric and diffusometric applications have been implemented on cost-effective, robust and easy-to-use benchtop NMR equipment. Time-domain NMR applications do not only cover research and development but also quality and process control in the food supply chain. Here the opportunity to further downsize and tailor equipment has allowed for “mobile” sensor applications as well as online quality inspection. The structural and compositional information produced by time-domain NMR experiments requires adequate data-analysis techniques. Here one can distinguish model-driven approaches for hypothesis testing, as well as explorative multi-variate approaches for hypothesis generation. Developments in hardware and software will further enhance measurement speed and reveal more detailed structural features in complex food systems