Traditional nut testing: inefficient and limited in scope
Every seemingly plump nut may harbor mold that is hard to see with the naked eye, and the potent carcinogenic toxins produced by mold cannot be eliminated even by high-temperature cooking. For a long time, however, nut mold detection has been trapped in inefficiency and limitations: manual sorting relies on experience, offers no way to deal with early internal mold, and is prone to missed inspections due to fatigue; chemical testing is accurate but destroys samples and takes time, forcing each batch to sit in storage and greatly increasing operating costs; traditional equipment is either bulky and difficult to operate or limited in detection range, unable to keep up with the pace of industrial production lines.
SPECU hyperspectral module
SPECU has introduced the world's first hyperspectral module for detecting internal mold in nuts, designed to address the challenge of mold detection in nuts. Combining spectral and imaging technologies in a compact, integrated design, the module can be flexibly integrated into various nut processing lines without extensive modifications to production equipment. From raw material intake screening to pre-shipment inspection of finished products, it is suited to industrial production environments across the entire process. It meets the needs of small-batch sampling inspection and supports large-volume continuous inspection, offering a new technical solution for quality control in the nut industry.
Key advantages
This hyperspectral camera covers an ultra-wide spectral range and can detect subtle spectral differences. It can accurately identify mold even when it is hidden deep inside the nut kernel or when only early signs of mold are present. Its intelligent algorithm has been trained on tens of millions of nut samples and achieves detection accuracy of over 98%, eliminating missed detections and false positives at the technical level.
Peanut case study: targeted aflatoxin removal
In peanut processing, the module's advantages are even more pronounced. As one of the most widely consumed nut categories worldwide, peanuts are highly susceptible to Aspergillus flavus contamination during storage and transport. The resulting aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is classified as a Group I carcinogen, and China's limit for this toxin in peanuts is only 20 μg/kg.
A large peanut processing company once faced a thorny problem:
Traditional manual sorting cannot identify peanuts with intact red skin that are moldy inside, while HPLC testing not only destroys samples but also takes 3–5 days to produce results, causing severe raw material storage backlogs and frequent spot-check oversights. The SPECU hyperspectral module solves this problem: by capturing characteristic wavelengths closely associated with mold components, the device accurately identifies early-stage mold inside peanut kernels. In the company's production line tests, the module achieved over 98.5% detection accuracy across multiple peanut varieties and can handle sorting speeds of 10-120 m/min, replacing traditional inspection methods.
Customer success story: tracked hyperspectral equipment
Industrial-grade design
Its industrial-grade design is built for industry needs: the compact, integrated structure lets the module integrate easily into sorting lines, while millisecond-level imaging keeps pace with high-speed production and enables full-batch inspection without pausing the process. It does not damage the nuts' appearance and eliminates long waits. From raw material intake to finished product shipment, quality can be monitored at every step. Real-time data export also creates a traceable quality record.
Multi-scenario customization
We look forward to bringing this module into more industry applications. Whether you are a processing plant that needs to improve sorting efficiency or a brand owner aiming for zero risk, SPECU can provide a customized hyperspectral integration solution to solve your food inspection challenges.
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