Cane juice analysis by near infrared (NIR) to determine grower payment

As applications of NIR analysis are increasing in the grain and food indust ries, more options are becoming available for analysis of incoming sugar ca ne in the factories. For the 1999-2000 crop season, Sugar Cane Growers Coop erative of Florida (SCGC), together with Florida Crystals Corporation, has adopted Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as the standard method for cane Ju ice analysis. This paper will include a brief history of cane juice analysis at SCGC as i t has evolved from polarisation using lead clarification to polarisation us ing NIR spectroscopy. Experiences with data acquisition, equation developme nt, and equation validation, necessary for implementing NIR analysis, will also be discussed.