Why measure just one Texture Analysis parameter?

Apricots have a short storage life principally caused by a rapid softening, which increases the sensitivity of the fruit to mechanical damage, and to the development of fungal diseases.

The current methods to assess fruit firmness give limited information on the evolution and the mechanisms of softening. 

Texture Analysis in Research: Packaging Applications

Due to consumers now hating plastic, waste companies are being forced to find alternative solutions.

The holy grail of packaging development is now to present a recyclable, compostable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly solution which does not compromise on packaging integrity and desired performance.

Researchers from the National University of Trujillo have been investigating biodegradable foam trays based on starches isolated from different Peruvian species.

Texture Analysis in Action: Universal Sample Clamp

Universal Sample Clamp

When penetrating, extruding or cutting a sample during a test it is common that the sample sometimes needs to be held down manually in order to avoid it being lifted up with the withdrawing probe or fixture.  

The penetration of a margarine sample, the cutting of a piece of meat or the backward extrusion of a thick moisturising cream are typical examples when this may occur. 

The resulting measured forces of this occurrence will be displaying the weight of the material (and/or its supporting packaging) being lifted rather than the forces necessary to withdraw from the sample. If lifting of the sample occurs the graph that is obtained will not therefore reflect the entire true textural profile of the sample. 

Texture Analysis in Patents: Personal Care Applications

Stable Micro Systems Texture Analysers are used frequently in patent applications to substantiate claims and provide measured evidence associated with the developed product.  Here are a few recent examples within the field of Personal Care Products…

A patent has recently been released by Procter and Gamble, entitled ‘Skin Care Composition’.

It covers a personal care composition incorporating a dimethicone fluid for the cosmetic treatment of skin that provides an improved moisturisation signal to a user and exhibits good feel properties.

The researchers used their TA.XT2i Texture Analyser to perform a tack test on a film formed from the composition.

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Texture Analysis in Action: Vickers and Shore Hardness Probe

Vickers testing has been a very widely-used technique for many materials for decades due to simple data analysis and test preparation. 

Many applications demand a tip made from a very hard material such as diamond or sapphire, as the indenter must be significantly harder than the material under investigation. However, stainless steel is suitable for testing many softer materials such as tablets, soap, fruit and vegetables, cheese, chocolate and some polymers.

Traditionally, Vickers hardness is calculated by inputting the indentation diagonals into a standard formula. However, instrumented indentation on a Texture Analyser allows automatic hardness analysis without the use of a microscope. It also enables other parameters such as stress relaxation and elastic-plastic energy ratios to be calculated. 

Texture Analysis in Research: Edible Packaging

At the grocery store, most foods — meats, breads, cheeses, snacks — come wrapped in plastic packaging.

Not only does this create a lot of non-recyclable, non-biodegradable waste, but thin plastic films are not great at preventing spoilage – and some plastics are suspected of leaching potentially harmful compounds into food.

Current food packaging is mainly petroleum-based, which is not sustainable. It also does not degrade, creating tons of plastic waste that sits in landfills for years – an issue that is now weighing heavily on the minds of all consumers after recent documentaries. To address these issues, scientists are now developing a packaging film made of milk proteins — and it is even edible.

Texture Analysis in Research: Medical Applications

Scientists from Nantes University Hospital have been researching standardised bench test evaluation of coronary stents and their biomechanical characteristics.

The purpose of the study was to develop a standardised and global bench test protocol to evaluate the biomechanical characteristics of the most currently used drug‐eluting coronary stents. The use of coronary stents has contributed to the reduction of cardiovascular mortality but can be associated with specific complications. Improving the biomechanical matching between the stents and the coronary anatomy may reduce these complications.

Texture Analysis in Action: Multi-head Indexing Probe

Multi-head Indexing Probe

The Multi-head Indexing Probe is another application for the Automated Linear Indexing System that allows adhesives to be tested without manual intervention between tests or the need to clean/dry probes in between sample tests.  

This thereby allows for ‘walk-away’ time from testing due to the system being able to automatically index to a new probe after each test. 

The video shown here gives an example of how the Automated Indexing System can operate with this Multi-head Indexing Probe.