Improving efficiency and sustainability with a new smart device for the olive oil chain

The control of the fruit ripening phase in the olive oil production chain has always been an important aspect of managing the quality of the final product. Currently, laboratory analyses are applied to olives to assess their degree of ripeness. However, these chemical analyses are destructive, require qualified operators, and expensive equipment, and are often unsustainable due to chemical reagents. Optical technologies offer a promising alternative for estimating quality parameters. These methods are non-destructive, rapid, objective, and environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, commercially available spectrophotometers are mainly benchtop instruments, expensive, and they are difficult to use for field measurements. Nowadays, technological innovation has led to the miniaturization of optical sensors and the development of portable devices with performance like benchtop instruments. SmartHAND (Smart Handheld Analyzer Non Destructive) is a low-cost optical prototype that operates in the visible (Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) spectra; this device consists of photodiodes, optical filters, and LEDs capable of analysing 12 different wavelengths. Using field-collected data, and applying different chemometric processing, it is possible to develop predictive models to estimate quality parameters such as water and oil content in olives. Furthermore, the environmental impact of using vis/NIR optical technologies instead of conventional laboratory analyses (chemical analyses performed on olives and olive oil) has been evaluated using the internationally recognized Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method (ISO 14040 and 14044 standards). The results demonstrate the advantages of innovative optical methods over traditional chemical approaches. In conclusion, the adoption of portable optical technologies could revolutionize the monitoring of olive ripening, allowing for faster and more accurate assessments directly in the field.