Nondestructive Detection of the Gel State of Preserved Eggs Based on Dielectric Impedance

After completing the production of preserved eggs, traditionally, the degree of gelling is judged by allowing workers to tap the preserved eggs with their fingers and sense the resulting oscillations. The amount of oscillation is used for the quality classification. This traditional method produces varying results owing to the differences in the sensitivity of the individual workers, who are not objective. In this study, dielectric detection technology was used to classify the preserved eggs nondestructively. The impedance in the frequency range of 2–300 kHz was resolved into resistance and reactance, and was plotted on a Nyquist diagram. Next, the diagram curve was fitted in order to obtain the equivalent circuit, and the difference in the compositions of the equivalent circuits corresponding to gelled and non-gelled preserved eggs was analyzed. A preserved egg can be considered an RLC series circuit, and its decay rate is consistent with the decay rate given by mechanical vibration theory. The Nyquist diagrams for the resistance and reactance of preserved eggs clearly showed that the resistance and reactance of gelled and non-gelled eggs were quite different, and the classification of the eggs was performed using Bayesian network (BN). The results showed that a BN classifier with two variables, i.e., resistance and reactance, can be used to classify preserved eggs as gelled or non-gelled, with an accuracy of 81.0% and a kappa value of 0.62. Thus, a BN classifier based on resistance and reactance demonstrates the ability to classify the quality of preserved egg gel. This research provides a nondestructive method for the inspection of the quality of preserved egg gel, and provides a theoretical basis for the development of an automated preserved egg inspection system that can be used as the scientific basis for the determination of the quality of preserved eggs.