Other Spectroscopies: Terahertz and X-Ray Methods

Terahertz and X-ray methods used in analytical chemistry of foods are explained with respect to the practical routine analysis as well as state of the art level. X-ray transmission imaging is most widely used in the present chapter, but the details of the instruments were not well reported so far in the literature before the present book. Now almost all the food packages shipped from food factories become checked. The reason and some history of such a state is explained with the relation to the product liability (PL) law and poisoning crimes. Various X-ray fluorescence methods, scanning electron microscope (destructive), and X-ray computed tomography are also explained. The “terahertz (THz)” is a technology of ultrafast pulse devices, and has been developed since the 1990s, but many applications of terahertz are still under development within the research level. Terahertz is characterized by the weak or low energy, which is about room temperature, and thus are effective for practical and non-destructive inspection.