NEAR-INFRARED (NIR) RESEARCH AT THE BELTSVILLE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER

For many, the application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to agricultural products started at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) with the research by Karl Norris on forages and other agricultural products. While research on NIRS is still ongoing at BARC, the focus has changed over the years and today no forage or animal related NIRS research is performed. Also, at the present time, NIRS research is performed in four different and for the most part independent research laboratories: Hydrology and Remote Sensing, Instrumentation and Sensing, Food Composition (human nutrition) and Environmental Management and By-Products Utilization (recently Animal Manure and By-Products). Within the Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab, the programs primarily involve the use of NIR and remote sensing, while for the Food Composition Lab, the interest is in the development of new applications for differentiation and analysis of new value-added functional foods or dietary supplements from conventional products. Projects within the Instrumentation and Sensing Lab range from development of automated inspection systems for poultry, fruits and vegetables, to research on the quality and safety of small grains and oilseeds. Finally research in the Environmental Management and By-Products Utilization Lab is centered on environmental issues related to animal manures and carbon sequestration (Program divided with the Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab.). In summary, NIRS research at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center today centers more on human nutrition, health concerns related to food quality, and environmental issues than in the past when efforts were more related to forages and similar agricultural products.