Packaging Materials, Viscosity, And Texture Analysis

What does packaging have to do with viscosity or texture analysis? R&D Managers worry about how customers perceive their food products. They measure viscosity to certify proper flow behavior for sauces and dressings (see Figure 1) and texture to make sure that the chew­ing action feels right for cookies and crackers. But why be concerned about the containers these products go into or the shipping boxes? Very simply, the adhesives, inks and coatings used for these packaging materials also require viscosity measurement and control to provide durable attractive products that will serve the food manufacturer well. And the ease with which the consumer opens the package is mea­sured by a Texture Analyzer.

Spindle selection is one of the decisions that must be stated in the spec. Whereas the food item can oftentimes be measured with a stan- dard disc spindle in a 600 ml beaker (see Figure 3), the adhesive necessitates or ink working with a smaller sample volume. Conse quently, the Small Sample Adapter™ or Cone/Plate is appropriate for making the viscosity measurement since they require only l6ml and O.5ml respectively. (See Figure 4).