The Product
KPM Analytics has launched the MCT700 Series, a family of three food-grade near-infrared sensors designed for continuous in-line measurement of moisture, fat/oil, product color, and surface temperature on live production lines. The sensors are available for order now and are aimed at operators running baked and fried snacks, doughs, crackers, breakfast cereals, and bulk food ingredients.
The lineup spans three models differentiated by environmental rating and measurement capability. The flagship MCT790 adds product color measurement to the core moisture, fat/oil, and temperature parameters; its stainless-steel housing carries an IP69K ingress-protection rating, allowing washdown with the caustic cleaning agents standard in food manufacturing. The MCT750 shares the IP69K rating with advanced cooling and a sapphire sensor window but omits color measurement. The entry-level MCT700 is IP67-rated with a Kel-F sensor window and covers the same parameters as the MCT750.
Why It Matters
The launch tracks a measurable shift in food processing toward in-line, automated quality control and away from periodic manual sampling. Continuous sensor data can feed directly into process control systems, enabling automatic adjustment of ovens and oil sprayers in real time rather than waiting for a lab result. For high-throughput snack and cereal lines where even small deviations in moisture or fat content translate into significant rework costs, the business case centers on waste reduction and line utilization.
"Continuous measurement enables rapid response to production issues, which supports the business objectives of increasing productivity and decreasing waste," said Chris Pike, Senior Director of Product Management at KPM Analytics.
All three models are capable of up to 100 readings per second, a speed KPM says is sufficient to analyze segmented, discrete products such as individual cookies or crackers moving at production pace. For conveyor installations, each sensor can be paired with a traversing frame to scan the full belt width; a move-and-park feature allows operators to isolate individual product lanes, a capability the company highlights for multi-zone industrial ovens common in large-scale baking operations.
Supply-Chain Context
Food manufacturers have faced sustained pressure on ingredient and energy costs over the past two years, pushing capital investment toward technologies that demonstrably improve yield and reduce giveaway — the industry term for product packed above labeled weight or moisture spec. Real-time NIR monitoring sits squarely in that investment category, alongside automated vision inspection systems that have seen accelerating adoption across protein, dairy, and snack segments. KPM competes in this space alongside established instrumentation players, and the MCT700 Series extends its prior MCT platform with modular, field-replaceable components designed to lower total cost of ownership and simplify standardization across multiple production lines.
The sensor housings are engineered for high-humidity, high-grease environments typical of frying and baking lines. An internal fan manages thermal stability inside the MCT790, while a proprietary temperature-controlled detector across all three models ensures measurement consistency regardless of ambient fluctuation — a persistent challenge in continuous industrial settings.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
