Using Texture Analysis in the Development of Healthy Snacks for Kids

With the problem of childhood obesity capturing headlines as never before, many parents are looking critically at their children’s diets, giving greater attention to factors such as fat and sugar content when choosing breakfast options, packing lunches and planning dinners. 

But while many parents try to help their kids choose healthier between-meal snacks, they tend to do so with a focus on minimising the negative (fat and sugars), but overlook the opportunity to increase the positive (protein, fibre and other nutrients).

The chief concern is that most snack foods designed to appeal to children tend to deliver plenty of carbohydrates, fats and sugar, but fall short on delivery of vitamins, minerals and fibre. At best, this is a missed opportunity in the area of child nutrition.

Formulating the Perfect ‘Free-From’ Cake

Baking a cake from scratch at home for a family member’s birthday celebration is one thing; baking a cake for sale in a grocery store is another. 

As long as you use the correct ingredients and follow the recipe, the cake you bake at home is pretty much guaranteed to be moist and delicious. 

However, cake products that are produced for sale in grocery stores, convenience stores, and vending machines have to survive the rigours of industrial processing and packaging, shipping, and shelf life. Some are packaged and sold as ready-to-eat products, while others are baked and frozen. 

Healthy living presents new textural challenges

As manufacturers work hard to comply with the ever increasing demands of the modern day consumer – be it low-fat, low-sugar, high fibre – texture analysis plays an increasingly important role. 

Continual enhancement of the quality of existing products, as well as NPD, is key to the success of a brand. Using sophisticated texture analysis instruments, manufacturers can ensure high quality production and, ultimately, consumer satisfaction.

Weight management and healthy eating are still top of the agenda for today’s consumer. Recent reports show that consumer awareness of the importance of nutrition and nutritious consumption is ever increasing  – statistics which are supported by an upsurge in sales of low-fat, low-calorie, high-fibre and omega-3 rich products. 

The Texture of Food for Infants

The weaning period is a transition from milk to family foods and is a critical phase for the development of food acceptance and eating habits of children. 

The texture of the food introduced plays an important role in shaping preferences. Texture acceptance follows the developmental sequence of oral functions and infants are more likely to accept texture they can manipulate in their mouth. 

Presently, ready-to-eat foods are an important part of weaning foods in most of the developing and developed countries. These commercial preparations meet nutritional needs at different age groups. Nevertheless, there is limited information available on the texture of these commercial preparations. 

Texture Analysis in Action: Alphabetical Attachments Index

Over the past year or so, our Texture Analysis in Action blog posts have brought together information from our Applications Directories and other sources, along with videos of the tests in progress, to give a detailed overview of our test attachment range.

Now you can access these posts individually, by clicking on the links below.

You can of course also filter any other blog post series which may be of interest to you, by using the Filter by Label facility.

Why not bookmark this page, so that you can refer to these posts at your convenience in future?

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Texture Analysis in Action: Peel Testing

Stable Micro Systems offers a number of alternative fixtures for testing Peel Strength.
 
UNIVERSAL PEEL RIG (A/UPS)

Significant improvements have been made to previous designs of peel rig for evaluating the quality and strength of container seals and adhesive bonds.

Assessment of the peel properties of
a foil container lid

 
The Universal Peel Rig consists of a multi-position platform which is adjustable to allow the container to be held at 0, 45 and 90 degrees. The platform is screwed securely into position on the base of the Texture Analyser, to suit the container. An adjustable rubber strap accommodates different sized containers and multiple shapes. 

When attached to the peel tab of the container, a low profile peel clip and post maximise the peel length for use on a standard height Texture Analyser.

In combination with a software macro, the appropriate test fixture produces fast, accurate results for comparing batches in packaging and adhesive quality control and product development programmes.

Measuring the Texture of Added Flavours to Food

Measuring Powdered/Granulated Ingredients
 
Everyone knows the incomparable taste of 
homemade sauces and gravies, painstakingly created from a fond or bouillon, formed by the prolonged simmering of bones, offcuts of meat and vegetables. 
 
Whilst the flavour is unmistakable, their preparation is extremely time-consuming and expensive. The food manufacturer has available a wide range of ingredients that can be used to create sauces and gravies with relative ease and convenience. Bouillon powders or cubes are commonly available.

Texture Analysis in Action: the Adhesive Indexing System and Adhesive Testing

There is a sizeable range of attachments available, each of which is designed to carry out various aspects of adhesive testing.

ADHESIVE INDEXING AND 90° PEEL RIG (A/90PR)
Using this device, a 90 degree peel angle is maintained by the use of a cord and pulley system. A strip of tape is applied to the test bed or other standard surface of interest (according to customer specifications). 

The tape is peeled from the panel at a 90º angle at a specified rate, during which time the force required to effect peel is measured. 

The test is commonly used for quality assurance purposes where the minimum or maximum peel values expected for a particular tape can form an acceptance criterion.