Evaluation of Parameters that Determine Cork Plank Quality (Quercus suber L.) by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Cork quality control is one of the most important problems affecting the cork sector. The aim of this work is to develop chemometric near infrared models to ensure cork planks quality, taking into account the technological parameters and defects that affect it. The samples were scanned using a LabSpec (R) Pro A108310 spectrophotometer. The models developed to predict the technological parameters of the transverse section yielded satisfactory results, with r(2) > 0.7 for color, r(2) > 0.6 for quality, caliper, earthy cork, blown cork, and belly and r(2) > 0.5 for stained cork. In terms of the standard error of cross-validation (SEVC), the coefficient of determination (r(2)), and the residual predictive deviation (RDP), the results are similar in the transverse and radial sections for caliper, quality, and color. Using near infrared spectroscopy technology will not replace the traditional method, but will clearly contribute to improving quality control processes in cork planks.