X-Ray Applications in Food and Agriculture: A Review

Abstract. X-ray imaging studies in the food and agriculture sector were surveyed. This survey of the literature revealed that x-ray hardware and software have improved considerably since 1990s, when digital x-ray imaging studies began. X-ray imaging has been extensively researched for food inspection. Additionally, there are studies utilizing x-rays to characterize plant and soil properties. Poor image contrast, due to similarity in the attenuation properties of an object and its background, pose a challenge in image segmentation. Development of local adaptive approaches has improved image segmentation and classification accuracies. Hardware developments have resulted in commercial-grade x-ray inspection systems. Future developments in x-ray generation and detection technologies, advances in image processing algorithms, and worldwide food safety concerns indicate increased opportunities for x-ray inspection in the food and agriculture sector.