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Photothermal Techniques Used to Evaluate Quality in Dairy Products.

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2017 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 792 012089

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 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

International Conference on Recent Trends in Physics 2016 (ICRTP2016) IOP Publishing

Journal of Physics: Conference Series 755 (2016) 011001 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/755/1/011001

Photothermal Techniques Used to Evaluate Quality in Dairy

Products.

E. López-Romero and J. A. Balderas-López

Instituto Politécnico Nacional-UPIBI, Av. Acueducto S/N, Col. Barrio la Laguna
Ticomán, C. P. 07340, México City, México.

E-mail: abrahambalderas@hotmail.com, eolopezromero@gmail.com

Abstract. Photothermal systems were used to quantify thermal and optical properties
of commercial and natural dairy products. Thermal diffusivity and light absorption
coefficient were analyzed. It was found that water content easily alters thermal
properties in samples of milk. In addition, all samples showed strong light absorptions
at 405 nm, 980 nm and 488 nm, evidencing presence of proteins, fat and vitamins
(riboflavin), respectively. Therefore, it was shown that thermo-physical properties
measured in this work could be used as complementary parameters for quality
evaluation of dairy products.

1. Introduction
Milk is a complex colloidal suspension, it is mainly composed by fat, casein micelles, proteins,
lactose, and some vitamins [1]. It is widely promoted as a main staple food for pediatric population
and it is an important component of other marketed products, such as cheese, yoghurts, creams, etc.,
However, dairy industry faces two main problems: on one side, it is subjected to a variety of
adulteration in all different processes of chain distribution, from production to final consumption; on
the other side, it degrades its quality in short periods of time due to the presence of microorganisms.
For these reasons, dairy industry applies a set of biochemical and biophysical tests to evaluate milk
coming from stables [2,3]. Each component in milk is characterized for having specific thermal and
optical properties [4-6]. Thermal diffusivity of water, for instance, is relatively larger than other
components of milk; therefore, a minimal addition of water can modify greatly thermal properties of
milk. Other components, such as proteins and lactose, absorb light at specific wave-lengths, since
microbial activity can modify the natural proportion of these components, optical properties can also
be used to study adulteration of milk. Photothermal techniques are used in this work to measure
thermal diffusivity and optical absorption coefficient (at 405 nm, 488 nm and 980 nm) of dairy
products. Results show the feasibility of using these properties as a tool to assess products quality in
dairy industry.

2. Experimental set-ups
Two photopyroelectric techniques, for thermal diffusivity [7,8] and optical absorption coefficient
measurements [9], were used. Details of these different photothermal methodologies are reported
elsewhere for which just a brief description of these is provided in this work.

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 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

Related with thermal diffusivity measurements it has been shown that [7,8], under appropriate
experimental conditions, photopyroelectric signal, 𝛿𝑃, behaves as: 𝛿𝑃 = 𝐶𝑒𝑥𝑝(−𝜎𝐿). In this equation
L is the sample´s thickness, C and 𝜎 = (1 + 𝑖)√𝜋𝑓⁄𝛼 , are complex expressions, where f and α are
modulation frequency and sample´s thermal diffusivity, respectively. This thermal property can be
obtained from linear fittings on phase and amplitude of 𝛿𝑃, by means of the fitted parameter 𝑀 =
√𝜋𝑓⁄𝛼 , taking the photopyroelectric signal as function of the sample´s thickness. For optical
absorption coefficient measurements, on the other hand, it has been shown that [9], under appropriate
experimental conditions, photopyroelectric signal, 𝛿𝑃, behaves as: 𝛿𝑃 = 𝐷𝑒𝑥𝑝(−𝛽𝐿), where D is a
complex expression, L is sample´s thickness and β is the sample´s optical absorption coefficient. As
for thermal diffusivity measurements, the optical absorption coefficient can be measured by fitting the
amplitude of 𝛿𝑃 as function of the sample´s thickness. In this experiment, pyroelctric phase signal
remains constant, consequently, it can be used as an experimental criterion for the analysis.

2.1 Photopyroelectric setup for thermal diffusivity measurements

Figure 1 shows a cross section of the photopyroelectric setup for thermal diffusivity measurements
[7,8], where a diode laser at 875 nm (Thorlabs, model L785P090) was used as a light source.
DIODE LASER
COLLIMATED LASER BEAM
AND OPTICS
OPTICAL
ABSORBER
PROTECTOR
METALIZED
SILICON SLICE
PYROELECTRIC SURFICE
SENSOR LIQUID SAMPLE

METAL
METAL
BODY INSULATOR
BODY

COPPER BLOCK

LOCKIN AMPLIFIER LASER CURRENT SOURCE

MODULATION CURRENT
SIGNAL IN TTL OUTPUT ENTRANCE OUTPUT

Section 1.01
Fig. I. Cross section of the photopyroelectric setup for
thermal difussivity measurements of liquids.

DIODE LASER
COLLIMATED LASER BEAM
AND OPTICS
TRANSPARENT
WINDOW
PROTECTOR
METALIZED
SILICON SLICE
PYROELECTRIC SURFICE
SENSOR LIQUID SAMPLE

METAL
METAL
BODY INSULATOR
BODY

COPPER BLOCK

LOCKIN AMPLIFIER LASER CURRENT SOURCE

MODULATION CURRENT
SIGNAL IN TTL OUTPUT ENTRANCE OUTPUT

Section 1.02
Fig. 2. Cross section of the photopyroelectric setup for optical
absorption coefficient measurements of liquids.

2
 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

2.2 Photopyroelectric setup for optical absorption coefficient measurements

Figure 2 shows a cross section of the photopyroelectric setup for optical absorption coefficient
measurements [9]. Three diode lasers at different wave-lengths, 405 nm (laser pointer), 488 (Thorlabs,
model L488P60) and 980 nm (Thorlabs, model L980P030), were used to determine optical
measurements.
Intensity lasers modulation was achieved, in both cases, by means of a current source (Thorlabs,
model LDC205C) controlled by the TTL output (transistor-transistor logic) of the lockin amplifier
(Research Scientific Instruments, model SRS830) using a PZT element as a pyroelectric sensor.
Pyroelectric signal was first pre-amplified (Stanford Research Systems, model SR550) before to be
sent to the lockin amplifier.

3. Materials and Methods

Different variety of milks (Table I), bought in local markets and stables in Mexico City, were used in
this work. All measurements were made at a fixed modulation frequency of 1 Hz, liquid sample´s
thickness was changed in steps of 50 microns by taking 15 experimental data for thermal diffusivity
measurements and 30 experimental data for optical absorption coefficient measurements.

Table I. Optical and Thermal Properties of different type of Milks as measured

by means of the photothermal techniques presented in this work.

Optical Absorption
Thermal Diffusivity
Cofficient
Milk type α (cm2/s)
β (cm-1)
488 nm 405 nm 980 nm Phase Amplitude
Raw Milk 7.03 7.06 5.07 0.00139 0.00140
“Alpura Clásica” 6.08 7.56 5.89 0.00135 0.00135
“Alpura
5.58 7.87 5.21 0.00138 0.00137
Deslactosada”
“Alpura Light” 6.14 6.84 3.92 0.00141 0.00141

4. Results
Figures 3 and 4 show phase (3a and 4a) and amplitude (3b and 4b) profiles, as function of sample´s
thickness, for “Alpura Clásica” and raw milks, respectively. The experimental set up shown in Fig. 1
was used to measure thermal diffusivity in samples.

-2.0 a 148.41
b
Amplitude os the pyroelectric signal (mV)
Phase of the pyroelectric signal (rad)

-2.5

54.60
-3.0

-3.5

20.09
-4.0

-4.5 M=48.3162
M=48.2466 2
0.00135 cm /s
2
7.39
-5.0 0.00135 cm /s

-5.5
2.72
0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.10 0.11 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10
Thickness of liquid sample (cm) Thickness of liquid sample (cm)

Fig. 3. Phase (a) and amplitude (b) of the photopyroelectrical signal for “Alpura
Clásica” milk sample, as a function of liquid´s sample thickness. Continues lines
represent linear fits as for to obtain thermal diffusivities.

3
 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

Thermal diffusivities of milk samples studied in this work are summarized in Table I, columns 5
(for phase) and 6 (for amplitude). The close agreement between thermal diffusivity values from
these two pyroelectric signals is evident, situation that proof the photopyroelectric technique
consistency. It is also evident that thermal diffusivity values for all milk samples are very similar
to each other. Thus, values of this thermal property can´t be considered as a parameter to
differentiate kinds of milks.
-2.0

a b
-2.5 54.60
Amplitude of the pyroelectric signal (mV)
Phase of the pyroelectric signal (rad)

-3.0

20.09
-3.5

-4.0

7.39
-4.5

-5.0
M=47.3756
2
0=.00140 cm /s M=47.54271
2.72 2
-5.5 0.00139 cm /s

-6.0
1.00
0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.10 0.11 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10
Thickness of liquid sample (cm) Thickness of liquid sample (cm)

Fig. 4. Phase (a) and amplitude (b) of the photopyroelectrical signal for raw milk
sample, as a function of liquid´s sample thickness. Continues lines represent
linear fits as for to obtain thermal diffusivities.

-62.5
a
0.13534 b
Amplitude of the photopyroelectric signal (mV)

Phase of the pyroelectric signal (deg)

-62.6

-62.7

-62.8

Sample: Raw milk

-62.9
=980 nm
-1
5.07 cm

-63.0

0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15

0.00 0.06 0.12
Thickness of liquid sample (cm)
Thockness of liquid sample (cm)

Fig. 5. Photopyroelectric signal for amplitude (a) and phase (b), as a function of sample´s
thickness for raw milk sample. Continues line represents the linear fit as to obtain the sample´s
optical absorption coefficient at 980 nm.

4
 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

0.14

a b
Amplitude of the pyroelectric signal (mV)

-62.5

Phase of the pyroelectric signal (deg)

-63.0

Sample: "Alpura clásica" Milk

=980 nm
-1
5.89 cm
-63.5

0.05
0.00 0.06 0.12
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15
Thickness of the liquid sample (cm)
Thickness of the liquid sample (cm)

Fig. 6. Photopyroelectric signal for amplitude (a) and phase (b), as a function of sample´s
thickness for “alpura clásica” milk sample. Continues line represents the linear fit as to obtain
the sample´s optical absorption coefficient at 980 nm.

Figures 5 and 6 show, on the other side, photopyroelectric signal profiles, as function of sample´s
thickness, for raw milk and “Alpura Clásica” milk at 980nm, by using the experimental setup shown in
Fig. 2, for optical absorption measurements.
Constants phases in these two figures (5b and 5b) certify that the mathematical model for optical
absorption coefficient measurements applies for these substances. The set of optical properties
measured for all milk samples at 488 nm, 405 nm and 980 nm are summarized in Table I, columns 2, 3
and 4, respectively.
Important variations on optical parameter here presented are obvious for each milk sample. The
optical absorption coefficient value depends on both, wavelength and kind of milk. Important
differences are particularly observed for “Alpura Clásica” and “Alpura Light” milks at 980 nm
(column 4). This fact can be clearly attached to the different fat content of these two kinds of
commercial milks.
Another important difference in optical properties happens between raw and “Alpura Deslactosada”
milk, at 488 nm. This fact could be due to their different vitamins concentration, especially for
riboflavin content which has an absorbing band around 470 nm. Since this optical parameter is larger
for raw milk, this difference can be explained as some reduction of this vitamin due to any removing
lactose industrial process.
These conclusions shall be verified by means of some other conventional tests by quantifying the fat
and lactose concentrations for these kinds of milks.
Thermal diffusivity measurements as a function of water content were also carried out for “Alpura
Descremada” milk sample. Thermal diffusivity values, amplitude and phase, are summarized in Table
II, columns 3 and 4, respectively. The results show that this thermal property increase with water
content for which this thermal property could be used for the assessment of milk adulteration with
water. Since adulteration is a common practice in dairy industry, this is a very important outcome.

5
 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

Table II. Thermal diffusivity measurements for “alpura

descremada” milk, as a function of water content, by
means of the photothermal technique presented in this
work.
Thermal Thermal
Volumetric Milk
Diffusivity Diffusivity
fraction
(cm2/s) (cm2/s)
0.0 0.00147 0.00147
0.1 0.00142 0.00142
0.2 0.00141 0.00141
0.3 0.00141 0.00141
0.4 0.00140 0.00140
0.5 0.00140 0.00139
0.6 0.00139 0.00139
0.7 0.00139 0.00139
0.8 0.00138 0.00138
0.9 0.00138 0.00138
1 0.00138 0.00137

5. Conclusions
Convenience of photothermal techniques in thermal and optical properties of dairy products has been
proved. Potential of these thermophysical properties as parameters of food products quality assessment
has been shown. It is important to notice that no other conventional spectroscopy technique conducts
direct measurements of optical absorption coefficients as the photopyroelectric technique reported in
this work does. High light dispersion is an important limitation to conventional spectroscopy but it is
not in photothermal techniques. In the last case, signal generation is caused mainly by the direct light
absorption.
This condition particularly applies for milk, therefore, analyzing its optical properties with
conventional methods is a harder practice. Other more convenient wave-length (in the UV and infrared
regions) could also be used for optical absorption coefficient measurements in milk, this could allow
to establish quality criteria for these important products.

6. References
[1] Baldi A and Pinotti L 2008 Lipophilic Microconstituents of Milk. In Bioactive Components of
Milk 125
[2] Bhandari V 2003 Analysis of milk and milk products physical methods Dairy Sciences
Enciclopedy 93–101
[3] Biggs D 1964 Infra-red analysis of milk for fat, protein, lactose and solids-not-fat Process
Milk Industry
[4] Fernández F and Montes F 1972 Influence of temperature and composition on some
physical properties of milk and milk concentrates III Thermal conductivity.
Milchwissenschaft. 27 772–776
[5] Fernández F and Montes F 1977 Thermal conductivity of creams Journal Dairy
Research 44 103–109
[6] More G R and Prasad S 1988 Thermal conductivity of concentrated whole milk Journal Food
Process Enginnering 10 105–112

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 VIII International Congress of Engineering Physics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 792 (2017) 012089 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/792/1/012089

[7] Balderas J A, Mandelis A and García J 2000 Thermal-wave resonator cavity design and
measurements of the thermal diffusivity of liquids Review of Scientific Instruments 71
2933-2937
[8] Balderas J A et al 2015 Generalized photopyroelectric setup for thermal diffusivity
measurements of liquids Int. J. of Thermophys
[9] Balderas J A 2012 Generalized 1D photopyroelectric technique for thermal and optical
characetrization of liquids Measurement Science Technology 23 10