Application of Fourier-transform mid infrared spectroscopy for the monitoring of pound cakes quality during storage.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of MIR and texture analyzer to evaluate the quality of pound cake samples produced with palm oil and rapeseed oil throughout storage. The MIR spectra analyzed by using principal component analysis (PCA) showed a clear separation of pound cakes as a function of the storage time and the nature of the used oil in the recipe. By applying partial least square regression (PLSR), excellent prediction was obtained for hardness (R2 = 0.91; RPD = 2.26), while an approximate qualitative prediction was found for springiness (R2 = 0.73; RPD = 2.07), cohesiveness (R2 = 0.67; RPD = 1.31) and resilience (R2 = 0.65; RPD = 1.24). It could be concluded that the MIR spectroscopy could be used as a rapid and non-destructive technique for monitoring texture of pound cakes throughout storage as well as for the prediction of their hardness.