SEM IMAGE PROCESSING FOR FOOD STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Image processing techniques were developed to characterize the cellular structure of puffed corn meal extrudates from their scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Cross‐section SEM images were taken and digitized for product samples of different degrees of expansion. Two major approaches were developed to extract structure‐related image features. The air cells were also manually measured as the true characteristics of the cellular structure. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the image features as measures of the structural characteristics. A number of image features were found to be good indicators of cell size and cell uniformity (R 2 ‐values up to 0.95). The image processing techniques developed were useful in cellular structure characterization and they provide a rapid and consistent way for food cellular structure quantification and analysis.