![]() ![]() Force accuracy is achieved up to 0.1% of full scale. It features a hand switch or optional foot switch to control tester speed and direction.Ī digital force gauge is used to determine the peak forces encountered in order to test the firmness characteristics of the sample. The tester can be driven with a lever or hand wheel, while a digital indicator or ruler may be used to measure the puncture depth.įor firmness testing or associated puncture, compressive-extrusion, cutting-shear, tensile and compressive testing, the manually controlled, motorized Chatillon LTCM-100 Series tester can be used. It uses a portable mechanical or digital force gauge to make either tensile or compressive measurements. The Chatillon MT150 Series (Figure 1) is a manual mechanical tester suitable for determining the firmness of fruit and vegetables. Instrumental testing allows standards to be introduced and implemented and can provide full documentation of the test procedures. In production, food texture analysis is used for the measurement and control of process variations such as temperature, humidity and cooking time.įigure 1: Chatillon MT150 manual food texture testerĭifferent types of testing instrumentation available from AMETEK STC range from manual and motorized food firmness testers to a fully software-controlled texture analyzer. At the research and development stage, new or alternative ingredients can be compared with existing ingredients. Food texture analysis can highlight quality improvement opportunities throughout the supply chain and the production process. Comparing the results from mechanical texture analysis with trained human sensory panels has shown that the measurements have a high correlation with the various sensory attributes associated with textural quality.įor natural products such as fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish, textural properties can be traced back to the way the product is grown, or reared, while for processed food, the textural properties can be used to optimize the process. In food texture testing, standard tests such as compression, tension and flexure are used to measure hardness, crispiness, crunchiness, softness, springiness, tackiness, and other properties of food. Since texture is a property related to the sense of touch, it can be measured easily by mechanical methods in units such as force. Texture testing has applications across a wide range of food types, including baked goods, cereals, confectionaries, snacks, dairy, fruit, vegetables, gelatins, meat, poultry, fish, pasta and even pet food. Texture testing is a well-established technique for evaluating the mechanical and physical properties of raw ingredients, food structure, and designs, and for pre- and post-quality control checks.
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