Dielectric Spectroscopy: Process and Quality Monitoring of Dairy Products: A Review

Abstract

Ignoring quality standards in dairy and food industry can lead to financial and health problems in the face of today's strict legislation and growing customer awareness. The nutrient dense nature, perishability and wide popularity of dairy-based foods make them prone to adulteration and compromise in quality. High-performing systems at every stage of the production chain in dairy industry have become more prevalent in the food sector as a lookout for solutions. Dielectric spectroscopy is a high-performing sensor-based technology which is gaining popularity because of their ability to monitor, analyse and diagnose fault of various agricultural, food and dairy products. This paper attempts to fully explore basic principle of dielectric spectroscopy, the various factors influencing the dielectric parameters of milk and dairy products, and the findings of studies in which dielectric spectroscopy was used for quality assessment and monitoring of dairy processing. A summary of current research in this area is presented along with some comments on recent developments to provide a collection of recent data in order to make experimental data available as a valuable reference for more studies and applications.