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Shedding light on carob seeds: a non-destructive approach to assess Dehusking efficiency using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Kubelka–Munk theory

2025-10-20Journal article Open access
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datacite.subject.sdg09:Indústria, Inovação e Infraestruturas
dc.contributor.authorGuerra, Rui
dc.contributor.authorBrazio, António
dc.contributor.authorGonçalves, Sandra
dc.contributor.authorRomano, Anabela
dc.contributor.authorMedronho, Bruno
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-05T15:00:44Z
dc.date.available2026-01-05T15:00:44Z
dc.date.issued2025-10-20
dc.description.abstractThe carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is receiving growing attention for its agro-industrial potential, particularly due to its seeds, which are the source of locust bean gum (LBG), a galactomannan-rich polysaccharide with wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Efficient dehusking of carob seeds is critical to maximize LBG purity and yield, yet current industrial methods pose environmental concerns and lack robust quality control tools. In this study, we demonstrate the use of Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and Kubelka–Munk (KM) modeling as a rapid, non-destructive technique to assess dehusking efficiency. By combining spectral data from four complementary spectrometers (450–1800 nm), we identified key reflectance and absorbance features capable of distinguishing raw, industrially treated, and laboratory-dehusked seeds. Notably, our laboratory-treated seeds exhibited a considerably lower reflectance in the NIR plateau (800–1400 nm) compared to raw and industry-treated seeds, and their KM-reconstructed skin showed enhanced absorption bands at 960, 1200, and 1400 nm, consistent with more complete husk removal and improved light penetration. Principal Component Analysis revealed tighter clustering and lower variability in lab-processed seeds, indicating superior process reproducibility. These results establish DRS as a scalable, green analytical tool to support quality control and optimization in carob processing.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipThis work was funded by National Funds through FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project “BIG opportunities in a small SEED: valorization of carob byproducts into novel hydrogels for sustainable agriculture” (2022.07519.PTDC). FCT is further acknowledged for the projects MED (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05183/2020 In Proceedings of the 5183/2020), CEOT (UIDB/00631/2020 CEOT BASE), CHANGE (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0121/2020) and researcher grants (https://doi.org/10.54499/CEECIND/01014/2018/CP1540/CT0002; CEECINST/00052/2021).
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/polysaccharides6040095
dc.identifier.issn2673-4176
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/28058
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.relationMediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development
dc.relationCenter for Electronics, Optoelectronics and Telecommunications
dc.relationCHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute
dc.relation.ispartofPolysaccharides
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectCarob
dc.subjectSeeds dehusking
dc.subjectLocust beam gum
dc.subjectDiffuse reflectance spectroscopy
dc.subjectKubelka–Munk
dc.subjectGalactomannan-based polysaccharides
dc.titleShedding light on carob seeds: a non-destructive approach to assess Dehusking efficiency using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Kubelka–Munk theoryeng
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleMediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development
oaire.awardTitleCenter for Electronics, Optoelectronics and Telecommunications
oaire.awardTitleCHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/3599-PPCDT/2022.07519.PTDC/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F00631%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/LA%2FP%2F0121%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.issue4
oaire.citation.startPage95
oaire.citation.titlePolysaccharides
oaire.citation.volume6
oaire.fundingStream3599-PPCDT
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameGuerra
person.familyNameBrazio
person.familyNameGonçalves
person.familyNameRomano
person.familyNameMedronho
person.givenNameRui
person.givenNameAntónio
person.givenNameSandra
person.givenNameAnabela
person.givenNameBruno
person.identifier.ciencia-id3D16-5067-D6BB
person.identifier.ciencia-id8515-87B4-C511
person.identifier.ciencia-id9F19-E3AE-2C59
person.identifier.ciencia-id8A18-7E9A-3B0E
person.identifier.ciencia-id6918-9AB3-8D22
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-8642-5792
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-7675-0719
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-3038-4434
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-7204-7428
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-0972-1739
person.identifier.ridV-3842-2018
person.identifier.ridM-6988-2017
person.identifier.ridP-5927-2014
person.identifier.scopus-author-id57194445681
person.identifier.scopus-author-id8583003200
person.identifier.scopus-author-id56249997600
person.identifier.scopus-author-id9940656700
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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