Non-invasive measurement of lipid and water in single wheat grains using magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

In this paper, we used the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to image moisture and lipid oil distribution in a single wheat grain kernel. Spatial information on both oil and water distribution of 10% and 20% moisture content grain kernels is presented. 2D cut-plane images indicate that the lipid oil is mainly concentrated in the germ region and the outer epidermis layer, whereas, the moisture content (MC) is evenly distributed through the cross sectional area of the wheat grain. The results also show that for lower moisture contents, the MR images are dominated by the lipid signals opposed to the water, which is attributed to the differences in T/sub 2/ relaxation behaviour.