ON-LINE NEAR INFRARED MOISTURE ANALYSIS FOR ALFALFA PRODUCTS
Abstract
The water content of alfalfa plant material is an important factor affecting the
quality of processed alfalfa products. The near infrared spectrum (700-2500 nm) interacts with water molecules. Commercial instruments have been developed to assess the water content and other properties of materials using various IR wavelengths. These instruments are generally used for a stationary sample. The purpose of this research was to develop a methodology for using the devices designed for stationary measurement with a moving product, so the product moisture analysis could be used on-line in a production environment.