Walloon Agricultural Research Centre

Terahertz radiation (THz) is the spectral range included between infrared and microwaves. It can be very interesting for several industrial applications. To investigate the potential of terahertz technology in different sectors, the consortium of TERA4ALL FEDER project is composed of partners with complementary skills: MULTITEL (laser technology, imaging devices and THz spectroscopy), the Space Center of Liège CSL (non-destructive testing, applied in particular to composite materials), INTELSIG laboratory of Liège University (signal and image processing, medical applications), IMCN laboratory of the Catholic University of Louvain (formulation of pharmaceutical compounds) and finally the Walloon Agricultural Research Centre CRA-W (development of rapid analytical methods applied to agri-food products). In addition, the project is supported by a panel of Walloon industries. The goal of TERA4ALL project is to establish a link between these different actors while showing what THz domain can provide as solutions and / or how to integrate and use this new technology.

Context

The TERA4ALL FEDER project aims at establishing a THz platform offering the Walloon industry the opportunity to discover the contribution of this new technology. To do this, it is necessary to develop new high-speed and high-resolution THz imaging/spectroscopy solutions, setting up a Walloon demonstration laboratory for THz technology, a 2D imaging platform based on THz holography and multi-sensor systems in addition to new signal processing solutions for the extraction of real-time THz information to finally develop THz spectroscopy and imaging applications in the sectors of aeronautics, biomedical, pharmaceutical and agri-food.

Objectives

TERA4ALL project aims to develop Terahertz technology in Wallonia. It is in line with the program and research activities of CRA-W. This one aims to propose THz as an innovative solution, for non-destructive control of various agricultural and food products, in relation with current issues that agri-food sector is facing.

Expected results

The work done by CRA-W aims to develop analytical solutions, with advanced equipment, to address the problems faced by the food industry but also farms. At the end of this project, industries must have known and tested this technology for possible incorporation into their analysis and control processes.

Contribution

CRA-W will contribute through its expertise in the development and application of rapid analysis methods, particularly in the field of agronomy. It will carry out tests on various food products representative of Walloon foods, in relation with food safety (the detection of infections, contaminants or pesticides), the detection of foreign bodies during the food production process, the detection of micro-organisms, determination of leaks in flexible plastic packaging or the detection and identification of greenhouse gases.

Partners

-Multitel asbl
-Food and Feed Quality Unit, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre (CRA-W)
-Laboratory of crystallography, Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve (UCL)
-Laboratory of Signal and Image Exploitation (INTELSIG), University of Liège (ULg)
-Centre Space of Liège (CSL)

Publications

Abbas, O. (2017). TeraHertz: a unique photonics technology for the agri-food sector CRA-W Info spring 2017, (52),

TERA4ALL