Method and system for monitoring a quality of pepper powder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12405199-B2
Application number	US-202318466306-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2023
Priority date	Apr 5, 2023
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder, comprising the steps of: estimating at least one of a first particle size and a first moisture content of a first red pepper powder, based on the spectroscopic image data of the first red pepper powder obtained in or before and after at least one of the grinding process, filtration process and sterilization process of red pepper powder; calculating a second spicy level, based on at least one of the first particle size and the first moisture content, and the spectroscopic image data; and estimating a third spicy level of a first mixed red pepper powder in the mixing process, based on at least one of the first particle size and the first moisture content, the second spicy level, and an input amount of the first red pepper powder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder, comprising the steps of:
estimating at least one of a first particle size and a first moisture content of a first red pepper powder, based on the spectroscopic image data of the first red pepper powder obtained in or before and after at least one of the grinding process, filtration process and sterilization process of red pepper powder;
calculating a second spicy level, based on at least one of the first particle size and the first moisture content, and the spectroscopic image data; and
estimating a third spicy level of a first mixed red pepper powder in the mixing process, based on at least one of the first particle size and the first moisture content, the second spicy level, and an input amount of the first red pepper powder.

2. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 1 ,
further comprising the step of estimating a first spicy level of the first red pepper powder, based on the spectroscopic image data,
wherein the second spicy level is calculated by correcting the first spicy level based on at least one of the first particle size and the first moisture content.

3. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of estimating at least one of a second particle size and a second moisture content of the first mixed red pepper powder, based on at least one of the first particle size and the first moisture content, and the input amount of the first red pepper powder.

4. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of comparing the pre-set target spicy level and target particle size of the first mixed red pepper powder with the third spicy level and the second particle size to determine at least one of the type, input amount, moisture content and grinding degree of dried red pepper to be added to the future grinding process, or to determine at least one of the spicy level, input amount, moisture content and particle size of a second red pepper powder to be added to the future mixing process.

5. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
estimating a first sugar content of the first red pepper powder based on the spectroscopic image data;
estimating a second sugar content of the first mixed red pepper powder; and
comparing the pre-set target sugar content of the first mixed red pepper powder with the second sugar content to determine the type or input amount of dried red pepper to be added to the future grinding process, or to determine the sugar content or input amount of the second red pepper powder to be added to the future mixing process.

6. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
estimating a first ASTA value of the first red pepper powder based on the spectroscopic image data;
estimating a second ASTA value of the first mixed red pepper powder; and
comparing the pre-set target ASTA value of the first mixed red pepper powder with the second ASTA value to determine the type or input amount of dried red pepper to be added to the future grinding process, or to determine the ASTA value or input amount of the second red pepper powder to be added to the future mixing process.

7. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of generating a visualization map for the first particle size, the first moisture content, the second particle size, the second moisture content, the second spicy level, and the third spicy level.

8. The method for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing the estimated or determined data of the first red pepper powder, the second red pepper powder and the first mixed red pepper powder in a memory, or sending and receiving the data to the control part.

9. A computer program stored on a non-transitory recording medium comprising instructions, wherein the instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform the method according to claim 1 .

10. The computer program stored on a non-transitory recording medium according to claim 9 , configured to further perform the step of storing the estimated or determined data of the first red pepper powder, the second red pepper powder and the first mixed red pepper powder in a memory, or sending and receiving the data to the control part.

11. A system for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder, comprising:
one or more spectroscopic devices configured to obtain spectroscopic image data of a first red pepper powder in or before and after at least one of the grinding process, filtration process and sterilization process of red pepper powder; and
a monitoring device configured to receive spectroscopic image data from the spectroscopic devices,
wherein the monitoring device is configured to perform the method according to claim 1 .

12. The system for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 11 , wherein the spectroscopic devices are configured to periodically or intermittently obtain spectroscopic image data of the first red pepper powder.

13. The system for monitoring the quality of red pepper powder according to claim 11 , wherein the monitoring device is configured to store the estimated or determined data of the first red pepper powder, the second red pepper powder and the first mixed red pepper powder in a memory, or to send and receive the data to the control part.

Assignees

• Korea Food Res Inst

Inventors

• Lim Jeong-Ho
• Park Kee-Jai
• Ok Gyeongsik
• Cho Jeongseok
• Yun Dae-Yong
• Park Seul-Ki
• Lee Gyuseok
• Choi Jeong Hee
• Ku Kyung-Hyung
• Kim Sangseop
• Lee Jihyun
• Yu Hahyeong
• Choi Ji-Young

Classifications

• G01N2015/1029

  Particle size · CPC title

• G01J3/2823

  Imaging spectrometer · CPC title

• G01N33/025 Primary

  Fruits or vegetables · CPC title

• G01N15/0205 Primary

  by optical means · CPC title