Total Moisture Control for High Quality Foods

A Total Solution for Moisture Content Analysis

Analysis of moisture content in the food industry is essential for ensuring final product quality. Analyzing raw ingredients is the first quality assurance process step and monitoring the moisture content at key stages during production is also important for optimal process control to ensure that quality levels are maintained throughout.

The standard reference method for analyzing moisture content uses the drying oven. Although this is a time consuming procedure, it produces very precise results and allows many samples to be tested simultaneously. Alternative, or secondary, methods are usually much faster but must be cross-validated against the drying oven method.

A secondary method for fast results
The Halogen Moisture Analyzer is a typical example of a secondary method and uses infrared drying technology to heat up the sample rapidly and homogenously. Samples lose water very quickly giving rise to very short testing times (typically less than 15 minutes). The integrated analytical balance monitors the sample weight and the moisture content is continuously recorded. Manual handling is minimal leading to transfer and calculation errors being eliminated.


A new solution for the oven drying method
One click™ Loss on Drying offers a much easier and stress-free way of performing moisture analysis using the drying oven reference method. Full user guidance is provided on the balance and all calculations and documentation are taken care of automatically. Barcodes can be used to uniquely identify crucibles so sample handling is considerably easier. With all data handled automatically, transcription error is eliminated and the whole process becomes much more secure.


A Total Solution
Halogen Moisture Analyzers are ideal for use as part of in-process control. Results are obtained quickly allowing the production process to run without interruption. Batches can be pre-released while waiting for results from the reference method. The fast analysis of incoming raw ingredients determines if products are acceptable, allowing full delivery to be taken and reducing temporary storage times and costs.

The oven drying method is particularly suited to handling large numbers of samples and may be necessary to meet legal or customer requirements. In some cases, the moisture analyzer provides a fast initial result, which is then verified using the oven drying reference method. One Click™ Loss on Drying can now offer users a far easier and stress-free method of performing the entire oven drying analysis.

The two methods complement each other to provide a total solution for moisture content analysis.

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Watch our One Click™ Loss on Drying Video