The exciting new addition to the Series 9 online NIR moisture gauge is already saving time and money for manufacturers throughout the food industry in the UK. The Series 9 was launched originally to measure the moisture, fat and protein levels along a production line ensuring the products contain the exact amount of measured constituents required for freshness, taste and texture.
The new additional feature of the Series 9 goes even further to aid production efficiency and product perfection. The latest Series 9 now has the capability to provide repeatable, numeric colour readings simultaneously with other critical constituent measurements such as moisture, fat/oil and protein which, when combined can be confidently used as part of a process control strategy to deliver consistent product quality every time. The gauge can output the colour in industry-standard colour scales and the technology is already being used across a variety of food manufacturing companies with great success.
Biscuit manufacturers are a prime example as uniformity of colour is an absolute necessity for any biscuit brand. Consistent colour creates a more appetising appearance for biscuits as a golden brown hue signals they have been properly baked. Any significant deviation from that expected colour may raise concerns about freshness or taste and disappoint customers leading to a loss of reputation. The Series 9 has long been used by biscuit manufacturers to test for fat content and accurate moisture content – too much leads to a soggy biscuit but too little results in a dry crumbly end result. In addition, the correct moisture level is crucial for prolonged shelf life. Now in tandem with these measurements, the biscuits’ colour is monitored so that a perfectly consistent product is produced.
Coffee production also relies heavily on achieving the perfect ‘Degree of Roast’. Leading manufacturers have replaced the traditional visual classification of roast levels by introducing more accurate machine measurement across all stages of coffee production; sorting at entry level, roasting at production and grading during the packaging process. The exact ripeness, level of heat during roasting and end quality are all determined by colour and matching to the required Degree of Roast so employing technology to accurately and instantly record data at the various stages of production drastically improves production efficiency and quality.
The production of cheese is another example of how important colour monitoring is to quality. Variation in the colour of cheese is a product inconsistency unliked by most discerning customers! The end colour is influenced by a variety of factors such as the level of beta-carotene in the grass eaten by the cows and the level of natural food colourant used by the cheese maker. Monitoring the colour of the raw ingredients through to the actual production means a higher level of quality and consistency is achieved.
There are so many varied applications of colour monitoring technology and the Series 9 is suitable for them all. It is unique by being the only NIR colour and moisture analyzer on the market and is proving to be the best system for true process and quality control right across the food industry. It is fully compatible with industry-standard colour scales including
- CIE L*, a*, b*
- Tristimulus X, Y, Z
- RGB
- CIELCH L*, C*, h
- ΔE* & ΔEcmc
- Degree of roast (DOR) in coffee
If you are interested to know how the Series 9 can improve your quality output, then why not get in touch with one of our product specialists today
