In a production line, no matter how many controls are in place, irregularities of the sanitary type may arise: the presence of pathogenic agents or of the physical type: pieces of plastic, metal, glass, paper and even insects.
Based on the fact that early detection of such irregularities is essential for production, scientists used terahertz technology to solve these difficulties through the TeraFOOD project. This technology uses the space in the electromagnetic spectrum band between microwaves (used by televisions, microwaves or cell phones) and infrared waves, a region that was considered “almost unexplored” due to the difficulty of generating and/or detecting this type of waves.
Since almost all existing molecules have their own (particular and characteristic) footprint within this band, the researchers decided to use it to fabricate a sensor that would allow “seeing” certain particles inside other materials and substances. The sensor is a mixed type device containing a miniaturized receiver and transmitter that allows the detection of radiation reflected in the frequency range of the terahertz band, finding both foreign objects and pathogenic strains.
Since each molecular composition has a defined and characteristic spectral signature, if a foreign object is detected the radiation will be proportional to its morphology and in the case of a microorganism, according to its molecular structure it will be possible to identify it unequivocally.This project has been carried out by the company Anteral S. L (coordination) and by the Antennas Research Group of the UPNA, integrated by Juan Carlos Iriarte Galarregui (principal investigator), Íñigo Ederra Urzainqui, Ramón Gonzalo García Carlos Quemada Mayoral, Cebrián García González and Jorge Teniente Vallinas thanks to a grant of 300,000 € from the Ministry of Economy.
Although this type of technology based on the terahertz band is already being used in security systems (for non-intrusive monitoring of the presence of weapons or drugs), as explained by the creators of TeraFOOD, this is the first time worldwide that it has been used in this sector.
