Using a random laser to measure the content of protein in skim milk.

The luminescence of skim milk samples with distinct protein content doped with rhodamine B was investigated. The samples were excited by a nanosecond laser tuned at 532 nm, and the emission was characterized as a random laser. Its features were analyzed as a function of the protein aggregate content. The results showed a linear correlation between the random laser peak intensity and the protein content. This paper proposes a rapid detection photonic method to evaluate the protein content in skim milk based on the intensity of the random laser emission.

Measuring milk fat content by random laser emission.

The luminescence spectra of milk containing rhodamine 6G are shown to exhibit typical signatures of random lasing when excited with 532 nm laser pulses. Experiments carried out on whole and skim forms of two commercial brands of UHT milk, with fat volume concentrations ranging from 0 to 4%, presented lasing threshold values dependent on the fat concentration, suggesting that a random laser technique can be developed to monitor such important parameter.