Process NIR in food manufacturing: from calibration to confidence

Process NIR enables real-time monitoring of liquid foods such as milk, helping production teams and labs work together to ensure consistent quality and reduce waste. Credit: Shutterstock

The modern food industry is operating at a relentless pace, driven by consumer demands for variety, transparency and speed. While traditional quality control methods have been foundational for decades, they are now proving insufficient for the complex challenges of modern production. The old model, with its reliance on “grab-sample” analysis and time-consuming wet chemistry, is reactive by nature. By the time a quality issue is detected, hours may have passed and a significant volume of product could already be off-specification. This leads to costly waste and rework.

This reactive, ‘check-the-box’ approach is no longer viable. Rooted in one-dimensional physical and chemical systems, it cannot meet the demands of a competitive global supply chain. What is needed is a proactive approach that provides a holistic view of the entire process.

The move from lab to line: the power of Process NIR

Process Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy represents a fundamental shift in food manufacturing. It is more than just a faster instrument; it is a strategic enabler of the food industry’s digital transformation. By moving quality control from a post-production ‘checkpoint’ to an integrated strategy beginning at raw material intake and continuing throughout the process, Process NIR enables real-time, data-driven quality assurance.

Unlike periodic lab testing, Process NIR delivers continuous, real-time measurements directly in the process stream. For readers who want a deeper understanding of how NIR works and what it measures, see our guide on Understanding Near Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy in food testing for a technical overview.

This sharper picture of fluctuations is a cornerstone of Industry 4.0 applications in food manufacturing, leveraging AI, IoT and real-time data to optimise systems. Making decisions based on what is happening now, rather than what happened hours ago, is essential for improving product quality, maximising yield, reducing waste and enhancing worker safety by reducing the need for hazardous lab chemicals.

Why trust is the real challenge

Although the technical advantages of Process NIR in food manufacturing are clear, the greatest barrier to adoption is often human rather than technical: trust.

Lab teams, who have long held authority over quality data, may worry about being sidelined. Production teams may hesitate to act on new real-time insights that challenge long-standing assumptions. The perception persists that a single, finalised number from a trusted wet chemistry method is superior to a continuous stream of real-time data from an automated instrument. But even wet chemistry has inherent variability. In fact, Process NIR, calibrated to mimic a reference method, typically shows around 1.5 times the variability of the reference methods it uses. 

Recognising this helps establish a more transparent foundation for data confidence and highlights the need for a cultural as well as technological shift.

A unified process strategy

Bridging the gap between lab and production requires a unified strategy and a shared understanding of evolving roles.

• Defining roles: The lab moves from routine testing to higher-level responsibilities such as creating, validating and maintaining calibration models. Production teams focus on leveraging real-time insights to optimise processes.
• Collaboration: Regular joint meetings and training sessions are essential to build trust and ensure both teams understand the technology and its benefits.
• Consistency through technology: Using standardised, networked Process NIR technology allows for central calibration updates and remote management. This ensures all instruments across the network deliver consistent results.

This journey from a traditional, lab-centric model to a unified, data-driven strategy is about moving from calibration to confidence. The transformation provides the tools to optimise production, reduce waste and increase profitability in ways that were previously unimaginable.

Find out more

To hear expert insights, real-world experiences and strategies for closing the trust gap, join our upcoming webinar:

From Calibration to Confidence: Building Trust in Process NIR

This is a valuable opportunity to learn directly from industry leaders and gain practical next steps for integrating Process NIR into a unified quality strategy.

[Register for the webinar here]