Optical Sorting is a process of visually sorting a product though the use of Photodetector (light sensors), Camera, or the Human eye.

In its simplest operation, a machine will simply see how much light is reflected off the object using a simple Photodetector (such as a Photoresistor) and accept or reject the item depending of how reflective it is (light or dark).

More sophisticated systems use Image processing to discriminate the colors of the object, often via a controlled spectra of light, even beyond the visible spectrum into the IR and UV range. Shape detection is an evolving ability.

The common method of removal is jets of compressed air, but other exist.The term "Optical sorting" also includes manual seeing and manipulating process.