FIT – Fine Instrument Technology, a Brazilian company specialized in the development of equipment and solutions that use Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), has developed national 100% equipment capable of measuring, in seconds, the oil content in oilseeds such as soybeans, corn, sunflower , cotton, canola, peanuts and other nuts in a very practical way: you just need to place the sample in the equipment and in seconds the oil content is shown on the screen. According to Daniel Consalter, researcher and partner at FIT, this analysis using NMR sensors was already used to predict yield in processing industries and even for genetic improvement, but in seeds with low moisture content or previously dried in an oven. .
“Usually, to determine the oil content in samples, Soxhlet extraction is used, a method that can take up to 48 hours and involves the use of solvents and heating, that is, it is a slow, dangerous and 'dirty' method. , as it generates residue and destroys the sample. With this new technology, the measurement can be made in up to three minutes, counting the sampling and weighing time. This allows the equipment to add value throughout the production chain”, explains Consalter.
SpecFIT Oil, the name given to the new equipment, uses technology known as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), which is a robust technique capable of analyzing the hydrogen in the sample. From this it is possible to obtain various information quickly, cleanly and non-destructively, such as the moisture content of the seeds of various oilseed crops. Tests can be carried out both on whole seeds and on sludge or residual fiber from extraction.
“With the diversification of oilseed crops and the search for crops that should be used for biodiesel production, the need to determine the oil content of these crops has increased. In addition, fiber from some oilseeds, such as soybeans, is also used for food. With this technology we can determine the protein content in samples. Both the USDA and the Canadian Grain Commission use NMR for the standard method of determining oilseed content,” explains Consalter.
The first SpecFIT Oil equipment was installed at the end of March, at DENPASA, in Pará. There it carries out analysis of the palm oil content directly in the pod, unlike the way it is traditionally done (in seeds with low moisture content or previously dried in oven), as well as in the process water, sludge and remaining fiber that are the different stages of oil extraction. According to Consalter, the equipment benefits all stages of palm oil cultivation, ranging from production to processing.
“This technology can help define the best harvest point and also use the equipment to genetically improve seeds. It is also possible to know the seed yield even before extraction, and measure in real time how efficient this process is being, evaluating the amount of oil remaining in the different pomace and thus increasing oil productivity. The measurement can also be made on the final product, for example, to measure the quality of already packaged margarine”, says Consalter.
Consalter also highlights that, as the amount of oil in the fruit varies up to 20%, it is important for the industry to have a way of analyzing the raw material from the moment it receives the cargo. This is possible to do with SpecFIT Oil, as it allows an extremely fast analysis.
About FIT
Fine Instrument Technology (FIT) is a research, development and innovation company that develops equipment and solutions using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Located in São Carlos (SP), FIT has a team made up of highly qualified physicists, chemists, engineers, technicians and computer scientists. The company has close relationships with the NMR groups at EMBRAPA Instrumentação and with the University of São Paulo (USP) through CIERMag (Center for Imaging and Spectroscopy in vivo via Magnetic Resonance). Such partnerships add to FIT's research and development team, guaranteeing innovative, high-technology and quality solutions, with applications in various areas such as agriculture, food, industrial, medical and scientific instrumentation.
