Chemometrics and near-infrared spectroscopy: Avoiding the pitfalls

The use of chemometrics in quantitative near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is reviewed from the standpoint of avoiding pitfalls that may lead to misleading or overly optimistic results. Using the NIR analysis of glucose in six-component mixture samples as an example, a set of guidelines is presented to help the analyst develop and implement a successful calibration.