Food processors chasing zero-defect production targets now have a dedicated in-line sensor option. KPM Analytics has released the MCT700 Series, a family of near-infrared (NIR) sensors designed to mount over conveyors, augers, and chutes and deliver continuous measurement of moisture, fat/oil, product color, and surface temperature — without stopping the line.
The launch covers three models at different specification levels. The flagship MCT790 adds product color measurement to the standard moisture, fat/oil, and temperature stack, targeting environments that are hot, greasy, or wet; it carries an IP69K stainless-steel housing rated for washdown with industrial cleaning solutions. The MCT750 shares the IP69K rating and adds a sapphire sensor window and advanced cooling for high-heat applications. The MCT700 is the entry-level option with an IP67 rating and a standard Kel-F window, suited to drier, more controlled environments. All three support measurement speeds up to 100 readings per second — fast enough to analyze segmented products like individual cookies or crackers moving down a belt.
Why Operators Should Pay Attention
The business case here is straightforward: manual at-line sampling catches problems after the fact. A worker pulling product every 15 minutes and running a benchtop moisture check can miss an oven drift for a full quarter-hour before a correction is made. In-line continuous measurement feeds real-time data directly to ovens, sprayers, and other downstream equipment for automatic adjustment. Chris Pike, Senior Director of Product Management at KPM Analytics, frames it plainly: continuous measurement enables rapid response to production issues, which supports the objectives of increasing productivity and decreasing waste.
For large conveyor operations, each MCT700 Series sensor can be paired with a traversing frame to scan the full belt width. A move-and-park feature lets operators analyze individual product lanes independently — particularly useful for industrial tunnel ovens with multiple heating zones, where edge lanes and center lanes can behave very differently.
Procurement and Integration Signals
For procurement teams evaluating process-control instrumentation, a few integration details are worth noting. All MCT700 Series models are fully modular — every component is field-replaceable — which lowers long-term service costs and reduces downtime during maintenance windows. On-board diagnostics simplify troubleshooting without requiring a service call. The sensors are also designed to standardize across multiple lines, so a processor running six snack lines can deploy identical hardware and software configurations, reducing training overhead and simplifying data aggregation for quality reporting.
The category of in-line NIR sensing is not new, but the convergence of IP69K washdown ratings, color measurement, and traversing-frame compatibility in a single platform at this specification level is a meaningful step for mid-scale processors who previously had to choose between robust hardware and full analytical coverage. Operators sourcing equipment for baked and fried snacks, crackers, breakfast cereals, or bulk food ingredients should put this category on the next procurement review cycle.
For operators already evaluating AI-enabled quality control and predictive maintenance platforms, sensor data density matters: 100 readings per second generates a rich stream that integrates cleanly into AI-driven production monitoring tools. Procurement teams reviewing the broader instrumentation vendor landscape can cross-reference vendor positioning in the Marketplace directory.
The MCT790, MCT750, and MCT700 are available for order now through KPM Analytics.
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.
