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Time-of-flight near-infrared spectroscopy (TOF-NIRS) was used to investigate optical characteristics of water-cored tissue in `Fuji' apples [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh. Mansf.)]. The combined effects on the time resolved profiles of water core, laser beam wavelength, and detection position of transmitted light were investigated in detail. Attenuance of peak maxima (At), time delay of peak maxima (Δt), and variation of full width at half maximum (Δw) decreased gradually as water core increased. Water-cored tissue transmitted much more energy because of the filling of intercellular spaces with liquid, so that the light path time through a sample decreased. These parameters were also strongly dependent on detection position and wavelength of the laser beam. The substantial optical path length calculated from Δt at λ = 800 nm was 10 to 17 times, while that for λ = 900 nm varied from six to 11 times the distance of the diameter of the fruit. Results indicated the optimum optical parameter for detection of water core was Δt.

In this study, the feasibility of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy for the quality evaluation of the main bioactive compounds, ginsenosides, in Panax ginseng was examined. Second derivative NIR spectra of standard reagents of ginsenoside Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd were used for analysis. Characteristic bands were observed at around 5250 cm−1 in the spectra of ginsenoside Rg1 group (including Rg1 and Re); however, this was not to be observed on the spectra of ginsenoside Rb1 group (including Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd). PLS regression models were constructed of air-dry ginseng powder samples and ginsenoside content in ginsengs was determined by HPLC methods. The calibration models covered various types of ginseng (white ginseng, red ginseng and bleached ginseng) from various cultivated areas (Japan, China and Korea) and were well established for each kind of ginsenoside. It was shown that NIR spectroscopy can be used for the accurate prediction of ginsenoside.