Formaggio di Fossa is an Italian traditional cheese of the Montefeltro area (Emilia Romagna and Marche regions) characterized by a particular step of ripening that is carried out into pits (infossamento) borne in the sandstone. Since the XIV century, the inhabitants were used to set food, especially cereals and cheese, into pits to preserve them during winter and to protect them from invaders. The aim of the present work is to study physical and chemical features of this product with particular reference to the presence of the most important biogenic amines ( -Phenylethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermine and spermidine), compared with a control cheese fully ripened in factory. Formaggio di Fossa showed higher values of Aw, pH, humidity, proteins, pH 4,6-soluble nitrogen (NCN) and water soluble nitrogen (NPN) and much lower amounts of fat. Much higher amounts of total biogenic amines were detected in Formaggio di Fossa than in control cheese, where their concentration was very low. Cadaverine, putrescine and tyramine were the most concentrated biogenic amines. Nevertheless, thyramine was present at levels suggested as compatible with GMPs. Histamine was detected at low amounts, far from potentially toxic levels

The paper introduces the concept of spatial modulation of light intensity in the context of vision-based quality control, with the aim to improve image quality, measurable by indices such as image contrast and Tenengrad, so as to enhance the level of confidence of the diagnosis performed by image processing. The proposed technique is based on the projection of spatially modulated light intensity distribution by a digital light projector that allows an arbitrary light distribution to be projected on the target. The projected spatial distribution of light is determined by implementing an algorithm based on image inversion: the image acquired by the camera under uniform illumination is inverted and it is then used to modulate the light spatial distribution for projection. The process is repeated iteratively with the purpose to enhance image quality until convergence. The technique proves particularly valuable to avoid saturation from reflecting surfaces, which are often found in industrial practice. The procedure is tested and validated both by a numerical model and by an experimental validation, referring to a significant problem for the washing machine manufacturing industry. The use of image quality estimators confirms the effectiveness of the method.

The paper presents an adaptive illumination system for image quality enhancement in vision-based quality control systems. In particular, a spatial modulation of illumination intensity is proposed in order to improve image quality, thus compensating for different target scattering properties, local reflections and fluctuations of ambient light. The desired spatial modulation of illumination is obtained by a digital light projector, used to illuminate the scene with an arbitrary spatial distribution of light intensity, designed to improve feature extraction in the region of interest. The spatial distribution of illumination is optimized by running a genetic algorithm. An image quality estimator is used to close the feedback loop and to stop iterations once the desired image quality is reached. The technique proves particularly valuable for optimizing the spatial illumination distribution in the region of interest, with the remarkable capability of the genetic algorithm to adapt the light distribution to very different target reflectivity and ambient conditions. The final objective of the proposed technique is the improvement of the matching score in the recognition of parts through matching algorithms, hence of the diagnosis of machine vision-based quality inspections. The procedure has been validated both by a numerical model and by an experimental test, referring to a significant problem of quality control for the washing machine manufacturing industry: the recognition of a metallic clamp. Its applicability to other domains is also presented, specifically for the visual inspection of shoes with retro-reflective tape and T-shirts with paillettes.