Turn your Texture Analyser into a Penetrometer

Penetration is the method used to measure consistency which is the resistance a sample exhibits to deformation by an applied force.

A Penetrometer is a device that provides a rapid empirical method for measuring the denseness, compaction, consistency or penetrability of a wide variety of solid, semisolid, food and non-food products. These typically include soil, agricultural produce, or semisolid petroleum products in the pharmaceutical (such as creams and ointments), civil engineering, agriculture, geology and scientific exploration industries.

Testing in the lab: Dough Inflation

The Dough Inflation System enables the rheological properties of dough to be measured during biaxial stretching, which is the deformation in the cell wall material surrounding an expanding gas bubble during proof and baking. It provides a precise, digital measurement of dough expansion under conditions of strain and strain rate similar to those encountered in baking producing graphical and spreadsheet data for optimising recipes, proofing, shaping and baking conditions.

Understand your Texture Profile Analysis tests and analysis

Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) is a widely used method in food science to evaluate textural properties. The test involves a double compression cycle of a bite-size piece of food using a compression probe that simulates the biting action. Data is then extracted from the resulting force-time curve to provide a number of textural parameters that correlate well with sensory evaluation of those parameters.

Never miss a testing moment: Video capture

Capturing texture analysis on video offers genuine benefits to manufacturers. When you are testing brittle products on your Texture Analyser, crucial visual elements can be easily missed by the human eye, due to the rapid speed of the test or to the complex breaking pattern of the brittle sample.

By synchronising video data with your Texture Analyser’s force-distance-time graphs you can replay specific moments in a test to help with your understanding of the sample breakdown. The ability to pause, replay and see the exact correlation between peaks and troughs of force with video frames is a brilliant teaching tool for research labs.

Need to test according to FDA CFR21? Part 11

Looking to ensure robust security and regulatory compliance for your testing protocols? Our Enhanced Security Module provides advanced security features, including electronic record and signature management, to align with FDA CFR21 Part 11 guidelines. Whether you need heightened data integrity or secure access control, this module has you covered.

Achieving excellence in poultry and egg quality

Poultry meat has become the most produced meat globally, surpassing pork in popularity. With this rise, quality concerns like tenderness and juiciness have taken centre stage, directly impacting consumer satisfaction and product pricing. Meanwhile, the poultry industry faces growing challenges to meet demand without compromising quality.

The challenge: Tenderness and tough meat

Tenderness is the key textural characteristic that influences a consumer’s acceptance of meat. Yet, the industry is grappling with an increasing prevalence of tough meat — often a byproduct of heightened demand for processed products and accelerated production methods. This makes reliable methods for measuring meat quality more crucial than ever.

Understanding how a Texture Analyser works – Force capacity and sensitivity

The choice and quality of several key components used in a Texture Analyser will affect the accuracy, precision and resolution of its measurements. Force, displacement and time are the key data channels from which others such as stress and strain are calculated.

When testing a sample, the quality of a measurement is crucial in enabling comparison between batches or within batches over varying time periods. Some measurement methods rely heavily on a high resolution in all data channels.

Common pitfalls in texture measurement and how to avoid them: Troubleshooting guide

Texture measurement is a crucial process in product development and quality control, especially in industries like food, pharmaceuticals, and materials science. However, achieving accurate and reliable results can be challenging due to various pitfalls.

1. Inconsistent sample preparation

Problem: Variability in sample size, shape, and condition can lead to inconsistent results.

Solution:

• Standardise preparation: Use templates, moulds, or cutting guides to ensure all samples are uniform in size and shape.
• Control environment: Maintain consistent environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) during preparation and testing.

Example: For a compression test on gel samples, use a mould to prepare samples with identical dimensions and store them in a controlled environment before testing.