Particle Analysis Instruments for Food QA/QC
Quality assurance and control (QA/QC) of food goods is a tightly-regulated issue worldwide. It must be conducted at every stage of production, from harvest and transportation to processing and packaging. Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), shelf-life determination, research and development (R&D) into new product recipes. Each of these processes benefits from advanced particle […]
Importance of Powder Flow in Cosmetic and Personal Care Products
Cosmetics and personal care manufacturers consume enormous volumes of both synthetic and organic powders every year. These vary from clay minerals and starches to synthetic polyethylene powders, each of which may be used in their raw form, blended with additional powdered materials, or integrated into a continuous- or solid-phase end-product. The variations in cosmetic and […]
Particle Shape Analysis with FlowCam Image Analysers
The various particle shapes within a sample may be indicative of its origin, or its physio- and biochemical characteristics. However, samples are often characterised with respect to particle size rather than morphology. Typical counters use a standard volumetric characterisation technique to measure the concentration of particles in a sample, which requires a singular measurement for […]
Zeta Potential Analysis of Coconut Milk
The most enduring challenge in the food and beverage industry is achieving an objective measure of quality for subjective attributes such as flavour and texture. This is complicated by broad-ranging and enduring societal changes that have forced manufacturers to re-think their product recipes and improve their plant-based offerings. At the outset of 2019, the charity […]
Christmas Material Characterisation: Analysing Chocolate with Meritics
Indulging in chocolate has become a festive staple, from advent calendars and selection boxes to bracing mugs of hot chocolate. There is a measure of subjectivity to our enjoyment of chocolate-based products, but there are numerous neurocognitive benefits of chocolate-consumption that go beyond personal perception. Material characterisation of the chemical relationship between chocolate and neurocognitive […]
3 Applications of Powder Flow Analysis
Understanding powder flowability is complicated by the common misconception that the flow properties of any powder product exist somewhere on a linear spectrum, i.e. between nonflowing and free-flowing. In fact, powder flow is a dynamic and multivariable characteristic. It is dependent upon myriad factors including particle size and size distribution, particle morphology, and powder composition. […]
RM200 Rheometers for Food Industry Applications
The rheological properties of food products are key for determining instability mechanisms that may impact their texture or flavour, texture, and shelf life. Often these characteristics are assessed using viscometers, which determine the viscosity of products with fluidic properties under pre-defined experiment conditions. This is a limited method when it comes to testing products of […]
Particle Size Analysis and 3D Printing
Additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects has existed in rudimentary forms for decades, but relatively recent advancements into 3D printing technologies have rapidly expanded its potential applications. The printing of simple structures from polymeric materials has been surpassed by bioprinting and lithographic manufacturing of ceramics. Complex structures and components are now widely produced and reproduced at […]
Particle Characterisation – History and Techniques
Introduction If you are new to particle characterisation the terms and descriptions can seem a bit alien. Here is a quick description of the various methods Meritics has; with a little bit of history thrown in. The effect of particles on a final property has been known for a long time, and the methods for […]