Madison Avenue Management Company, Inc.

University of California

Wine Scanner Inc.

Joseph S Broz

Victor Lim

Matthew P Augustine

Stephen Surko

This invention relates to methods and devices for NMR spectroscopy analyzing sealed containers e.g., food and beverage containers and other containers, and particularly according to specific embodiments sealed containers made of a conducting but generally nonferromagnetic metal or other conducting material. As discussed in above referenced applications, many current strategies for contaminant detection require a container to be violated, a process that can destroy the container or product and is impractical in large scale applications. The present invention overcomes these and other problems by providing methods and devices for the detection of contaminants and/or contraband in metal or conducting containers by NMR spectroscopy.

Methods and apparatus for analysis of sealed containers

A method and apparatus are provided for medium-field NMR scanning of liquids that is capable of discriminating benign liquids such as lotions, drinks, and pharmaceutical liquids from threat liquids such as components of home-made explosives.

Nuclear magnetic resonance scanning of metal containers using medium-field technology

A non-invasive and non-destructive apparatus and testing method for analytes in sealed containers are provided, which are especially useful for identifying bottles of wine that are contaminated with 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) without destroying the value of uncontaminated wine by opening the bottles or marring the containers or labeling. The apparatus and method are applicable to non-destructively testing any 'stream-of-commerce' containers such as shampoo bottles, aerosol containers, toothpaste tubes, and soft drink cans, and other such containers for the presence of contaminants, explosives, poisons, drugs, and other dangerous or illegal materials. The method provided is orders of magnitude more sensitive than other methods, and can detect the presence of diffused substances at the nanogram per liter (parts-per-billion) level.

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Alexandria, VA, United States of America

Joseph S Broz