1. science
2. chemistry

Food
Weighing
and solutions
Analysis inin the
Analytical
the Laboratory
laboratory
Easy Measurement
of Tomato Paste
A globally famous food supplier manufactures tomato paste and tomato
products and distributes worldwide. In its quality test lab, METTLER
­TOLEDO’s DL22 Food & Beverage Analyzer plays an important role in
analyzing the nutrition content of potato paste accurately, efficiently and
safely.
Challenges in Measurement
Tomato is rich in nutrition and has multiple uses. Its vitamin C is beneficial to the
human body and raises its capability to
resist cancer. Tomato paste is a condensed
fresh tomato product with a bright red color. It’s often used as the basis for making
ketchup or reconstituted tomato juice.
Traditionally, tomato paste is tested
through manual titration. This method is
prone to errors due to the characteristic
of paste itself and the skill of operators.
End points are judged visually from the
color change on the indicator. However,
the bright red color of the paste may interfere with accurate judgment.
Tailor-Made for Food Industry
The DL22 Food & Beverage Analyzer from
METTLER TOLEDO is a specialized titrator for the food and beverage industry.
It overcomes all the uncertainties which
arise from manual titration. It is based on
the principle of potentiometric titration
which detects potential sudden change
that indicate that the end point has been
reached, free from solution color interference.
There are several other advantages. Samples can be fully dissolved and mixed for
optimal measuring results thanks to the
DL22’s propeller and magnetic stirring
functions. Titrant dispensed is controlled
by a motor-driven dosing unit and pushed
by a piston. As lifting distance can be controlled precisely with mechanical technique, the minimal adding precision of
titrant can reach ±0.0001mL. The result
3
News
Titration
is automatically calculated by the instrument in order to avoid transcript errors.
Tailor-Made for Food Industry
Lab operators praise the high efficiency of
the DL22, “All we need to do is start the selected method and go on to perform other
tasks,” said one technician. “All the end
results are printed automatically. No more
tedious calculation works.” The DL22
analyzer provides preprogrammed test
methods developed for food and beverage
industry requirements, i.e. applications
including total acid, reducing sugar, vitamin C, chloride content and pH value.
“Previously, samples had to be kept in
boiling status in order to complete the
titration. The operators were exposed to
risks of being burnt.” said the operators
who are responsible for detecting the reducing sugar content. “Now, we only need
to press the ‘Run’ button and the rest is
carried out automatically.” The laboratory director also points out, “We highly appreciate the password protection function
ensuring that only an authorized person
can alter the different titration methods.”
Featuring reliability, efficiency and safety, the DL22 analyzer makes the different testing requirements of tomato paste
easier and more professional.
www.mt.com/dl22FB
Know-how
Learn more about
analytical chemical
applications
UserCom 13, the user magazine,
provides valuable information
about the following topics:
• Customer Reports
• Applications
• Expert Tips
• New Products
Download free UserCom 13
www.mt.com/AC-UserCom13
Publisher
Mettler-Toledo AG
Laboratory Division
Im Langacher
CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland
Production
Segment Marketing LAB
Global MarCom Switzerland
Subject to technical changes.
© Mettler-Toledo AG 08/09
Printed in Switzerland.
2
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
Reliable Sugar Production
Meeting Customer Expectations
Every autumn 10 000 tons of sugar beets are delivered to the Frauenfeld
sugar plant daily from which 125 000 tons of sugar are produced annually. Such a high throughput along with a harsh production environment
presents real challenges for much of the equipment used. The METTLER
TOLEDO precision balances and laboratory instruments used in the quality control laboratory have successfully overcome these challenges.
highly accurate sample weight reading for
exact final sugar content determination.
Further precision balances are used to
weigh the reagents and during the preparation of standards.
Sugar beets.
Checking the Sugar Content
The sugar beet is tested in an incoming
control laboratory upon delivery from the
fields. As farmers are paid according to the
quality of sugar beet delivered, the beet
sugar content must be determined. This
initial testing process mimics the actual
production process, although on a much
smaller scale. In Frauenfeld, the whole
process is fully automated. A METTLER
TOLEDO GB1302 Precision Balance (of
1310 g capacity and 0.01g readability)
is integrated into the system to provide a
Sweet Quality Control
Following production, the sugar is tested
in the QC laboratory working to GLP quality standards. Seven technicians in the QC
laboratory use in-house SOPs to test the
sugar for color determination. As well as
using METTLER TOLEDO balances and
pH meters, the Frauenfeld sugar plant
also uses an HB43-S Moisture Analyzer.
The moisture content of the final sugar
should not exceed 0.04%.
HB43-S Moisture Analyzer is
used to determine the moisture content of final sugar.
By employing a comprehensive array of
analytical methods and sophisticated laboratory equipment, the Frauenfeld plant
ensures that their sugar fulfils customers’
high expectations.
www.mt.com/excellence-precision
www.mt.com/sugarMA
A METTLER TOLEDO precision balance is integrated into an automatic
sugar content determination process.
Quality is Written in Capitals
The head of quality control at the Frauenfeld sugar plant, Dr. Gabriele Schober,
praised the performance of the METTLER
TOLEDO balances under difficult operating environments including: humidity,
high temperature and the strong vibrations caused by the conveyor belt transportation of sugar beet for large scale
production. Apart from their robustness,
METTLER TOLEDO instruments are also
outstanding for their accuracy, efficiency
and reliability.
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
3
Karl Fischer Titration
V30 Karl Fischer Guarantees
Unique Nutella Taste
The unique taste of Nutella is guarantee by a secret recipe but also by
constant quality control. One of the most important parameters to be
monitored is the water content, which is carried out using a volumetric
Karl Fischer titrator from METTLER TOLEDO.
Water Content: a Practical
Problem
Ferrero is one of the biggest confectionary companies in the world with more
than 20 000 employees and 15 production
plants. Among many well known products,
one of the most popular is Nutella, a delicious cream consisting of chocolate and
nuts in a unique, fantastic taste combination.
The Problem Solver
This is a thing of the past with the new
METTLER TOLEDO V30 Volumetric Karl
Fischer. It is now possible to connect a
high-speed homogenizer, activated automatically by the instrument that assures
the complete dissolution of the sample so
that water is completely available for the
titration. Thanks to this, toxic solvents
previously used are no longer necessary.
Thanks to the shortcuts of the exclusive
‘One Click Water Titration’ concept and
to the new Solvent Manager™ device, the
replacement of the titrated liquid with
fresh solvent in the titration beaker can’t
be easier. The operators have only to press
a button on the instrument’s touchscreenand that’s all. No one comes into contact
with any dangerous chemical substances.
Dr. Jan Pierre Studer, the QC responsible,
says, ‘With METTLER TOLEDO we have a
long history of cooperation. We know we
can count on their simple-to-use and reliable instruments and the expertise of their
technicians both in pre- and after sales
support. With the V30, the water determinations are now more secure than ever.”
www.mt.com/Karl-Fischer
The water content in raw materials and
products is crucial for quality. Too much
water can cause problems in production
and storage. For these reasons, the QC
lab of Ferrero in Alba, northwestern Italy,
needs to know its exact content.
Many samples are not soluble in methanol
and thus chloroform must be used as an
additional solvent to ensure the complete
sample’s dissolution. This solvent, and
others eventually needed as auxiliary medium for Karl Fischer titrations, are very
often toxic and particular care is needed
by the operators handling them.
4
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
V30 Volumetric Karl
Fischer Titrator with
Solvent ManagerTM.
Enhancing the Quality of Peanuts
with Thermal Analysis
The selection of raw materials and the roasting process are important
aspects that influence the manufacturing and production of high quality peanuts. Over-roasting or under-roasting can significantly affect the
color, flavor, texture and shelf-life of the end product. Nowadays, optimization of the roasting process and quality control of peanuts can be
easily achieved by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
Analyzing the Roasting Process of
Peanuts
Peanuts were grated into fine powder and
filled into medium pressure crucibles. The
same amount of weight in water was added
and the crucibles were sealed. Evaluation
of DSC curves indicates that temperatures
in the range of 149-163 °C for 5 to 8 minutes are required for optimum finishedproduct texture, flavor and color. The optimum temperature and time conditions
were established by determining the effect
oil-roasting has on the peanut’s levels of
residual undenatured arachin and nonarachin protein fractions (Figure 1).
The DSC curves in Figure 1 show evaluations for blanched and roasted peanuts respectively. The heating curves of blanched
peanuts exhibit a small starch gelatinization endotherm at 80°C. This indicates
that some gelatinization has already occurred during blanching. However, the
denaturation peaks for nonarachin and
arachin at 98 and 113°C, respectively,
suggesting that blanching has not resulted
in any significant protein denaturation.
In comparison, roasting would result in
a smaller residual starch gelatinization
peak, the absence of the non-arachin peak
and a broadened arachin peak which is
significantly reduced in size. This indicates that arachin is partially denatured,
due to over-roasting at too high a temperature.
Figure 1: DSC curves for blanched and roasted peanuts.
Differential scanning calorimetry is a
fast and easy technique that can be used
to establish criteria for the optimization
of raw material selection and the roasting process of peanuts. The DSC 1 profiles provide valuable information on the
temperature and time conditions required
for optimum texture, flavor and color as
well as determining the effect oil-roasting
has on the undenatured nonarachin and
arachin proteins of the peanut.
The DSC 1 is an extremely useful instrument for quality control, research and development and, ultimately, for satisfying
consumer expectations.
DSC 1
www.mt.com/dsc
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
5
Pipette Tips
100% Inert Pipette Tips
a Necessary Ingredient
For food manufacturers, it is vital that quality control processes are
not contaminated by the equipment in use including pipette tips. Highperformance tips need to be free of any bioactive components, be it from
external contamination or the plastic itself. From raw material selection
and clean production to safe packaging, RAININ’s 100% inert BioClean™
tips are the purest and safest on the market.
Many products on the market are labeled
as 100% contamination-free or sterile,
but recent publications[1] show that even
these tips can compromise the outcome of
scientific work.
How Plastic Labware can Influence
your Experiments
Results can be affected by additives in the
virgin polypropylene, such as the detergent DiHEMDA and releasing agent oleamide, commonly used by manufacturers
of pipette tips. These bioactive components can adversely affect the outcome
of experiments. RAININ’s BioClean Tips
have been proven to be free of such components and therefore have zero interference on results.
RAININ BioClean™ – 100% Clean,
100% Pure
BioClean tips from RAININ show no traces
of such additives or bioactive contaminants, in internal quality controls and
external audits.
• Proven absence of bioactive components
in the materials
• Proven lack of external contaminates
(DNA, DNAse, RNAse, ATP, Pyrogens,
PCR Inhibitors)
Contaminants Tested
Testing Detection Levels
RNase
≤ 10-9 Kunitz units/μl
DNase
≤ 10-7 Kunitz units/μl
DNA
< 1 copy human DNA
Pyrogens (LAL test)
0.001 EU/ml
ATP
< 10-12 mg/μl
Trace Materials
No trace metals
Trace Organics
No organic contaminants
[1] McDonald, G., Hudson, A., Dunn, S., You, H., Baker, G., Whittal, R., Martin, J., Jha, A., Edmondson,
D., and A. Holt. 2008. Bioactive Contaminants Leach from Disposable Laboratory Plasticware.
Science 322 (5903): 917. [2] CFR Title 21 (2003) 177.1520 (a), (b) and (c) 1.1, Basell Polyolefins
Datasheet.
6
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
RAININ BioClean tips are completely inert
and do not influence experimental outcomes in any way. RAININ BioClean tips
are a safe investment for your lab performance.
Maximum Performance with Zero Interference
• The Purest Material
• Clean Production and Packaging
• Best Tested for Maximum Safety
www.mt.com/bioclean
Medical steam sterilizer.
Tips & Tricks
Innovative Solutions for
Moisture Control in Food
Immediate Productivity,
Thanks to a ‘Built-In’
Method Library
Farmdale Creamery in San Bernardino, California, is using METTLER
TOLEDO’s HB43-S Halogen Moisture Analyzer for in-process monitoring
of moisture content during cheese production. With the built-in ‘plug and
play’ applications the moisture analyzer has more than 100 established
methods at hand.
Monitoring Vat-to-Vat Variation
Farmdale Creamery produces cheese, buttermilk and sour cream at its San Bernardino cultured dairy plant and uses the
HB43-S Moisture Analyzer to monitor vatto-vat variation during production. The
system’s built-in application methods and
compact size make it ideal for this role as
explains Ms. Shannon Shunk, QA manager at Farmdale, “The HB43-S Analyzer is a
straightforward and reliable instrument,
robust enough to cope with the production
environment. For our application, it offers rapid moisture analysis, and provides
reproducible results in just 5 to 8 minutes.” Clear operating instructions on the
display and the chemical-free procedure
ensure safe and error-free measurements
under all conditions.
Quick and Simple Method
Development
The integrated method library has been
designed by METTLER TOLEDO with the
specific needs of the food industry in mind.
All the methods that can be activated on
the HB43-S Analyzer correspond to official
reference methods in food analysis and can
Wherever quality and shelf-life
depend on moisture content, fast
and accurate moisture analyses are
vital. The 100 tried-and-tested food
methods documented in the method
library provide valuable information
for accurate and fast food testing.
Sign up and request the valuable
food methods:
www.mt.com/foodMA
be easily fine-tuned to the user’s requirements. Ms. Shunk confirms how method
development has been greatly simplified,
“The built-in plug and play applications
are a real benefit of this instrument providing established baseline methodologies
for many food analysis functions. Overall,
the HB43-S Analyzer is a very user-friendly
instrument, and consistently does exactly
what we need it to.”
HB43-S Moisture Analyzer
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
7
Online Tools
Use www.mt.com as a
Work Efficiency Resource
Quick results with application notes
METTLER TOLEDO
Application Data Sheet for
Moisture Determination Using
the Halogen Moisture Analyzer
This data sheet contains details of Halogen Moisture Analyzer settings for drying coffee
cream. These settings enable you to develop your own drying method. The settings must be
checked individually and adapted to the relevant sample. The reference method data enables
you to make comparisons with the Halogen Moisture Analyzer method.
Moisture Determination Method for Coffee Cream
Description/material properties
Valflora coffee cream UHT, 0.25 l TetraPak, Migros
We offer comprehensive application support for
weighing, moisture analysis, titration and many
other analytical methods. Our titration application
database alone holds over 300 applications for each
relevant industry segment.
e.g. Titration Applications:
www.mt.com/titration_applications
Reference Method: Oven
Accessories
METTLER TOLEDO AX205 DR balance, oven, aluminum pans, pipette, desiccator with silica gel, sea
sand, small glass stirrer, spoon
Sample preparation/procedure
Pre-dry the aluminum pans with 20 g of sea sand and a small glass stirrer in the oven (1 hour at
110°C) and then leave to cool in the desiccator. Using the pipette, place the cream in the pre-weighed
aluminum pans and stir well. Leave the samples to thicken in the oven for 30 mins at 90°C, then start
drying them at 103°C in the oven. Remove the contents after the preset drying time has elapsed, leave to
cool in the desiccator and weigh. Repeat the process until mass constancy is achieved.
Sample weight:
4
[g]
Drying temperature:
103
[°C]
Drying times:
3/1/1
[hour(s)]
Moisture content (average of 6 measurements):
77.67
[%]
Standard deviation:
0.30
[%]
Important notes/bibliography
Literature: Schweizerisches Lebensmittelbuch (Swiss Food Book) (Issue 5), 3A / 03
Tips & tricks for daily work improvements
www.mt.com offers a great deal of background information on techniques, such as weighing processes,
in addition to tips and tricks on how to improve
your results. Our UserCom magazines offer many
examples of how to carry out better and more efficient working practice.
e.g. Good Weighing Practice:
www.mt.com/GWP
e.g. Thermal Analysis UserCom:
www.mt.com/ta-usercoms
8
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
e.g. Moisture Applications:
www.mt.com/moisture-methods
Learn new techniques with little time or effort in our webinars
You can join a wide array of webinars to gain knowledge about
various topics from process optimization and applications to
advanced techniques.
e.g. Automated Chemistry Webinars:
www.mt.com/ac-webinars
e.g. Thermal Analysis Webinars:
www.mt.com/ta-webinars
Get the right help to fix problematic issues quickly
We offer tools which interactively troubleshoot common
issues with lab equipment, such as electrodes for example.
Electrode Diagnosis Cockpit:
www.mt-electrode.com
Download comprehensive documentation
We offer manuals and other documents related to our products
and your business including various information supporting
your equipment qualification needs.
e.g. Balance Instruction Manuals:
Find corresponding manuals on our product page
e.g. Conformity Documents:
Find corresponding manuals on our product page
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
9
G20 Compact Titrator
Intelligent Solutions for Incoming
Inspection and Quality Control
The new G20 Compact Titrator combines simplicity and dependability for the food industry
in one instrument. The G20 is especially designed for basic applications and can be simply
operated due to the well established unique One Click™ user interface and the Plug & Play
accessory concept. Automate up to 9 samples with the automated Rondolino titration stand
whilst LabX light titration laboratory PC software offers data reliability and comprehensive
documentation.
Dependable Operation
Plug & Play
The burette and sensor automatically
identify and reduce any errors during
installation.
One Click Titration™
Shortcuts
The One Click™ user interface offers four
shortcuts for an immediate operation start.
Every user has personalized screen, shortcuts
and operation language.
10
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
Easy Automation
Compact Sample Changer
Analyze up to 9 samples automatically with the Rondolino Sample
Changer.
www.mt.com/G20-Titrator
Daily preparation of solutions or formulations require efficient weighing
solutions without compromise. With the Excellence Plus Precision Balances the weighing process can be significantly improved.
Full compliance
Full regulatory compliance
is easily achieved with the
XP Precision Balances' innovative QM tools which
warn, remind and protect.
That’s the weigh
The XP Precision Balances
provide outstanding measurement performance and
process security for – optimum weighing productivity.
Designed to be cleaned
Thanks to its straightforward design with large, flat surfaces and
removable terminal, the robust XP
Precision Balance is fast and easy
to clean.
www.mt.com/XP-precision
METTLER TOLEDO
FoodNews 3
11
Spotlight on Promotion
Get
e
e
r
F
Save Time and Money
with ErgoClips
ips*
l
C
o
g
r
E
Say goodbye to the traditional weighing process using weighing papers.
• One step dosing directly into the tare container eliminates transfer errors
and saves money by minimizing sample loss.
• The ErgoClips safer dosing method substantially reduces contamination
risks, enables fast dosing processes and increases productivity.
ErgoClips can be easily assembled on all XP/XS Excellence Analytical and
Micro Balances. For more information, visit
www.mt.com/ergoclips
*Get 3 ErgoClips free with each XP/XS Analytical Balance order!!
Contact your local representatives for detailed information.
Mettler-Toledo AG
Laboratory Division
Im Langacher
CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland
www.mt.com
For more information