New NIR chemical imager launched by Specim

Finnish company Specim introduced a new near infrared (NIR) chemical imaging station for pharmaceutical applications, including counterfeit product detection, at the Interphex exhibition in New York, USA, earlier this month.

The SisuCHEMA chemical imaging workstation is claimed to be faster than any other system on the market, generating results "in a few seconds per sample," according to the company.

In addition to detecting counterfeits, the imaging station can also be used for applications such as chemical composition mapping in tablets, coating inspection, monitoring of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) concentration, and inspection of capsules and blister packages for correct product content.

"NIR hyperspectral imaging is an efficient tool for identification of pharmaceutical products through the package and checking for the correct contents," according to Specim. "Similarly, the technique can be applied to detect counterfeit products."

NIR has been gaining a lot of support for counterfeit identification in recent years, not least because it is quick, can generate test results through a blister pack and does not destroy the sample under test. It is particularly useful for highlighting differences between apparently similar products.