Laboratiore de Physique Fondamentale Appliquée (LPFA), Université Nangui Abrogoua, Unité de Formation et de Recherche des Sciences Fondamentales Appliquées, 02 BP 808 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire
Natural fermented beverages exhibit high physicochemical complexity due to microbial activity, which makes quality control challenging when using conventional methods that are often destructive, time-consuming, and poorly suited to turbid media. This study evaluates the feasibility of the SLIPI-1p (Structured Laser Illumination Planar Imaging – single phase) method as a non-destructive optical tool for monitoring the fermentation of natural beverages. Four commonly consumed plant-based matrices were investigated: pineapple, orange, apple, and bissap (Hibiscus sabdariffa), all subjected to spontaneous fermentation over a ten-day period.
The optical extinction coefficient μₑ was measured daily using the SLIPI-1p setup and compared with conventional physicochemical parameters, namely pH and soluble solids content (°Brix). The results show a systematic increase in μₑ throughout the fermentation process for all beverages studied. This increase is strongly correlated with the decrease in °Brix, reflecting sugar consumption, as well as with the reduction in pH associated with progressive acidification of the medium. Statistical analyses reveal strong linear correlations between μₑ and °Brix, with coefficients of determination reaching up to 0.99 depending on the beverage matrix.
These findings demonstrate that the SLIPI-1p method is capable of reliably detecting the biochemical and structural transformations associated with fermentation, even in highly turbid media. The speed, robustness, and non-invasive nature of this approach offer promising prospects for the development of rapid optical quality control tools suitable for both artisanal and industrial contexts.