Near infrared system coupled chemometric algorithms for enumeration of total fungi count in cocoa beans neat solution.

Total fungi count (TFC) is a quality indicator of cocoa beans when unmonitored leads to quality and safety problems. Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIRS) combined with chemometric algorithms like partial least square (PLS); synergy interval-PLS (Si-PLS); synergy interval-genetic algorithm-PLS (Si-GAPLS); Ant colony optimization - PLS (ACO-PLS) and competitive-adaptive reweighted sampling-PLS (CARS-PLS) was employed to predict TFC in cocoa beans neat solution. Model results were evaluated using the correlation coefficients of the prediction (Rp) and calibration (Rc); root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), and the ratio of sample standard deviation to RMSEP (RPD). The developed models performance yielded 0.951≤Rp≤0.975; and 3.15≤RPD≤4.32. The models' prediction stability improved in the order of PLS<CARS-PLS<ACO-PLS<Si-PLS<Si-GAPLS. FT-NIRS combined with Si-GAPLS may be employed for in-situ and noninvasive quantification of TFC in cocoa beans for quality and safety monitoring.