Chemometrics, NIRS-XRF and wet chemistry laboratory, and research Group – Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova

Italian researchers involved in near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy present themselves to the international community. Following the example of these colleagues, we introduce the activity of the NIRSXRF-wet chemistry laboratory and the active research groups. The NIRS section of the laboratory was founded in 1994, from the intuition of Igino Andrighetto and Paolo Berzaghi, with the purchase of a NIRSystem 5000 monochromator instrument (FOSS, Hilleroed, DK). The laboratory immediately assumes relevance in applicative research in the agriculture field and attracts the interest of private companies and farmers who start stipulating contracts for analyses, even due to the intuition of calibrating the instrument for the rapid analysis of wet samples, such as fodder, food, rations for cows, etc. Paolo Berzaghi distinguishes himself in the international NIR community due to his close contact with John Shenk. In 1992, Antonella Dalle Zotte also began to approach NIR technology thanks to the collaboration with Giorgio Masoero, one of the Italian pioneers of NIR technology, focusing the first studies on the quality estimation of muscle foods with NIR instruments. Massimo Mirisola and Lorenzo Serva join the laboratory in subsequent years, and new instruments are purchased: a second NIRSystem 5000 (spinning cup module) and a CORONA 45 (CARL ZEISS AG, Jena, DE). In the early 2000s, the field of interest expands to human food quality and authenticity. Between 2004 and 2010, the research group turns its attention to portable instruments, and research is carried out for their application on agricultural machinery, such as combine harvesters, mixer wagons and grape harvesting machines, working in close collaboration with the industry. The new commitments require the hiring of two young graduates, Francesco Benozzo and Jacopo Ferlito. Subsequently, two startups are founded, Grainit Srl (Padova, IT) and ITPhotonics (Fara Vicentino, IT), and some patents are filed on the implementation of NIR instrument or its application on operating machines. In 2011, the research laboratory is included in the Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS) and provides wet chemistry, NIRS and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyses, also offering a commercial service to interested stakeholders (in particular to agriculture and livestock sectors). The laboratory purchases a Spectrastar 2500 (Unity Scientific, Milford, MA, USA) and a Nicolet Avatar 360 FT-IR (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, Waltham, MA, USA), and as such equipped, it also responds to the growing demand for analytical service for products and byproducts destined for biogas production plants. In recent years, following the development of portable instruments, the laboratory provides a calibration rental service. In 2015 Antonella Dalle Zotte takes over the scientific direction of the laboratory. Sandro Tenti becomes part of the laboratory staff, and the laboratory is equipped with chromatographic analysis instruments and tools for assessing meat and egg products’ quality and shelf life. Collaborating with the national (SIS-NIR) and the international community, the researcher hires “the NIR on The Go 2004” conference (2004) and the “NIR ITALIA 2012 5th Italian Symposium of NIR Spectroscopy” (2010) held at the Agripolis campus.