The role of plant architecture in labor automation (tomatoes and roses)

Topic 1 : ”Nanoscale Sensing Technology for Food Safety and Quality “

Abstract: Among several potentials of nanotechnology applications such as improving food safety, biosecurity, product traceability, better nutrient delivery system, nonmaterial to enhance packaging performance, and improving food processing for food industry, development of nanoscale sensors for food safety and quality are emerging. Food safety has become an important issue for public health, because reduction in the potential health risks in food is the most important public concern. Science-based inspection methods are needed to protect consumers from human pathogens because of correlation between fecal contaminants and pathogenic bacteria. Both nanorods-based biosensor and hyperspectral imaging will be presented. The ARS has developed hyperspectral and real-time multispectral imaging systems for contaminant detection on broiler carcasses. Hyperspectral imaging technique demonstrated potential for the food safety and quality evaluation. Particularly, industrial-scale real-time imaging system can detect contaminants with a commercial processing speed. In addition to contaminant detection with spectral imaging, a novel nanobiosensor for pathogen detection was developed using hetero-nanorods. These biologically functionalized nanorods to detect bacteria will be presented as well. This new nanoscale sensing technology will be of great significance for other agricultural, biological, and environmental system applications.