Sympatec Particle Size and Shape Analyzer for Fruit Juice
Analysis of particle size and shape in product development and quality control of fruit juices
The reality
Freshly squeezed orange juice and other fruit juices with higher fruit flesh content are becoming increasingly popular. There are also modern, healthy drinks with pieces of fruit – such as pineapple, aloe, coconut, pumpkin, strawberry that have a high fibre content. The chunky, natural fruit components play an important role in high-quality fruit drinks. They need to be treated as carefully as possible and appear intact in the final product; this places special demands on the production and filling process. The reliable characterisation of the solid components in terms of size and shape ensures compliance with quality standards in incoming goods, further processing to the final product itself.
Traditionally, processes such as wet screening and microscopy are used in the analysis of fruit juice. These measurement principles are usually very time consuming and yet can acquire record a small number of particles, which weakens the validity of the analysis. The dynamic image analysis with QICPIC opens up the possibility of determining characteristics such as the size and shape of juice cells, fruit pieces, fibres or pulps directly in the drink from development to production. In this case, large sample volumes with a high number of particles are measured in a short period of time and this therefore provides statistically relevant measurement results.
The solution
Recommended Sympatec Particle Size and Shape Analyzer configuration
Dynamic Image Analysis sensor QICPIC 11 - 16,000 μm with Wet Disperser FLOWCELL
Particle distribution of pulps in orange juice (FERETmean)
Wet dispersion systems, such as FLOWCELL or LIXELL, facilitate very careful treatment of the sample material. The corresponding control and evaluation software PAQXOS enables a variety of meaningful analyses for the exploration of the acquired data. Various evaluation modes, distribution diagrams for size and shape, a particle gallery or the raw data film measurement provide a comprehensive insight and enable a deeper understanding of the product and process.
Measurement methods developed for various product qualities can be transferred to other systems as a standard operating procedure (SOP) – also at other sites. Consistently high product qualities can be controlled correspondingly reliably and justify the confidence in the premium quality of the products.
Batch A with intact juice cells & Batch B with damaged juice cells
Application strengths
- Meaningful and quick results within minutes
- High statistical reliability due to high number of particles
- High system-to-system comparison thanks to standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Less overhead for sample preparation
- Free movement of coarse particles too in the measuring range and their random orientation
- User-specific selection and filter criteria for identifying certain fractions by size and shape
The benefits
- Time saving thanks to quick and easy application
- Shorter measurement times compared to screening and microscopy
- Quick check of the quality of the fruit concentrate (raw material) in the incoming goods before processing
- Check of the squeeze level of the fruit cells
- Reliable identification of large, critical pieces of fruit
- Many different products measurable with a single system
- Same final product quality standards worldwide thanks to good system comparability and standardised measurement procedures
- Higher output quantities in the desired quality | Less waste
In the dynamic realm of Fruit Juice manufacturing, ensuring product quality and innovation are essential for staying competitive in the market. The implementation of Sympatec Particle Size and Shape Analyzer QICPIC and FLOWCELL proves to be indispensable in this pursuit. By accurately measuring particle size and shape in Fruit Juices, these advanced analytical tools provide valuable insights into product consistency, stability, and sensory attributes. Manufacturers can maintain precise control over particle distribution, preventing issues like sedimentation and phase separation, which often compromise product quality. Additionally, this cutting-edge technology aids in the development of new and improved Fruit Juice products by facilitating a deeper understanding of the relationship between particle properties and overall product characteristics.
With the Sympatec Analyzer, manufacturing plants can confidently optimize formulations, enhance taste and mouthfeel, and meet consumers' evolving preferences, ultimately ensuring a competitive edge and customer satisfaction in the ever-evolving Fruit Juice market.
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