Application of Non-Destructive Detection Techniques in Grain and Oil Quality: A Review

Grains and edible oils are fundamental components of global diets, providing essential nutrients for human health. However, increasing human activities have made ensuring their safe distribution from farm to fork more challenging. Contaminants such as pesticides, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and microbial pathogens, along with risks of adulteration, can disrupt the molecular integrity of these food products. Traditional methods for quality and safety monitoring are often cost-inefficient, time-consuming, and, importantly, destructive. These limitations reduce their suitability for application in modern, rapid, and large-scale food systems. Non-destructive detection techniques have emerged as transformative tools, enabling rapid, reliable, and non-invasive quality evaluations. These techniques encompass computer vision, visible near-infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), Raman Spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, terahertz imaging, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). They provide comprehensive insights into the physical, chemical, and structural properties of grains and oils. Innovative tools such as an e-nose, colorimetric sensor arrays, and X-ray microtomography enhance the detection of volatile compounds, contaminants, and internal structural integrity. Integrating online non-destructive equipment enables real-time monitoring for adulteration, fungal contamination, and aflatoxins. This review highlights the recent advancement in non-destructive technologies, their integration into industrial processes, and their potential to address current challenges.