Particle Analysis of Chocolate

Food

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Microplastics analysis in food: assessing human exposure through Raman micro-spectroscopy

Sugar, a widely consumed dietary ingredient, is present in numerous food products, including desserts and beverages. Its production involves several stages—extraction, purification, crystallization, and drying—each presenting potential contamination risks from plastic-based equipment and packaging. In this work, we demonstrate the typical workflow for microplastics analysis using Raman microspectroscopy.

Rice mainly consists of starch, but it also contains inorganic nutrients, and it has been reported that different inorganic elements have different distributions in a rice grain. We carried out elemental distribution imaging of inorganic nutrients with the HORIBA XGT-9000 X-ray analytical microscope. The result successfully visualized that P and K were accumulated in specific areas of a rice grain, while S and Zn were uniformly distributed within a rice grain.

A wide range of elements are present in plants. Some elements exist to play important roles as plant nutrients or enzymes, and some elements accumulate unexpectedly due to environmental pollution. While it is important to understand the bulk concentrations of individual elements from a nutritional and ecotoxicological perspective, the distribution of elements is also important for a better understanding of the mechanisms of metabolism and uptake in plants.

We introduced a fast and non-destructive imaging method for inorganic minerals on a multivitamin supplement tablet containing various essential minerals to body functions. We used the HORIBA XGT-9000 X-ray Analytical Microscope for the imaging, and we could visualize the distribution of the key inorganic elements on the tablet less than 20 minutes even though the concentration of the elements are tens of mg or less per tablet.

Element images of 70% polished rice grain.

Individual rice grains are analyzed by micro-XRF to examine the effect of grain polishing. The concentration of mineral elements found on a grain can be related to the degree of polish.

Optical image and transmission X-ray image of the sausage acquired with the XGT-9000

This application note introduces foreign matter analysis in food products using the XGT 9000. There are three analyses as follows: Foreign particles on an oily salami, foreign matter inside a laminated ham and sausage, and a fly found in a drink product.

Edible insects have received attention as a possible solution as a supplemental source to reduce food insecurity because of their nutritional benefits such as protein, fat, and minerals. Micro-XRF can be used to understand the elemental distributions in insects non-destructively. In this application note, we carried out elemental map imaging on edible crickets using a HORIBA XGT-9000 X-ray analytical microscope and revealed the rich source of zinc in their jaws.

Spectroscopic characterization of the structure of the wheat grain (Triticum aestivum).

Raman analysis of a 50 μm section of a wheat grain kernel has allowed spectral features corresponding to starch, lipid and proteins to be identified. The distribution of these components on the micron scale has been studied using a Raman mapped image. Decomposition of the Amide I band allows a correlation between protein structures and grain hardness.

This application note summarizes a groundbreaking study in the world of food safety and conservation that delves into the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phenomenon of nonconjugated rhodamine derivatives, sheds light on the underlying mechanism driving their luminescent properties and unlocks their potential in food spoilage detection.

In this application note, a method for accurately predicting the amounts of major constituents of kava root from spectroscopic absorbance and fluorescence measurements made with the HORIBA Aqualog® and the A-TEEM technique is presented.

Saffron is a target for adulteration due to its high price. Other compounds can be added, such as minerals, oils or synthetic colorants. The two in one Duetta spectrometer was used to rapidly acquire Excitation Emission spectra for different saffron samples from different suppliers.

Time‐resolved Fluorescence for Monitoring Food Composition

The use of time‐resolved fluorescence has expanded as the relative cost of instrumentation has decreased in recent years. One area where this is especially true is in the food industry, where time‐resolved fluorescence has been applied in the characterization of food stuffs as well as aspects related to food safety and degradation.

Flavor emulsions are concentrates used for food products. The flavor could be a natural product or a synthesized material, emulsified to make delivery easier. Analysis would require the concentrated emulsion to be diluted in to water. Additional surfactant may be required to stabilize the emulsion upon dilution.

Bean paste is a milled bean product containing large sections of the seed coat along with varying sizes of ground cotyledons, the fleshy section of the bean. Particle size of these components has a direct effect on mouth feel, flavor, and consistency of the final product. To ensure a consistent product, a company should have some procedure to monitor and control size from batch to batch and facility to facility.

Flour is the product of milled grains. Typically the distribution is wide and the size varies depending on the desired final product. Flour particles have a tendency to swell when run wet. The solution is to use ethanol and a sequence program to automate the process as much as possible. When flours are run dry they will closely match wet data without the threat of the particles swelling.

Particle size determination is an important parameter for any particulate system and it plays a vital role in the quality of diverse products manufactured by the food industry as well. In this study, particle size of wheat flour is measured by laser diffraction technology that has emerged as the most important and effective technique in the world of particle size analysis.

In this Application Note, we will focus on the importance of monitoring particle size and distribution range throughout two different processing technologies used to improve shelf-life and efficacy of CBD products.

Particle Analysis of Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is one of the most popular condiments world-wide and is prepared in many different ways. As health conscious consumers begin to scrutinize the ingredients on nutrition labels, there is growing pressure on manufacturers to create a mayonnaise product with lower cholesterol, lower calories, and healthier oil content while maintaining the consistent taste and mouthfeel of regular mayonnaise.

Material Characterization of Sugar Substitutes

This study focuses on the critical particle diameter of dry sugar granules as particle diameter is an indicator of: Flowability, Dissolution and mixing, and Powder uniformity.

Foods we love rely on flavorings (or flavorants) to enhance their taste. Flavorants can reduce the costs of food processing while allowing a healthier diet. For maximum impact, particle size is important. Chefs and food scientists look beyond the name of the flavor and consider how it behaves during cooking and manufacturing. Much of this depends on particle size.

Particle Characterization and Quality Control of Sugar Crystals and Powdered Sugar

Quality control is an essential part of the sugar production. Sugar particle size specifications affect product dissolution rate, flowability, dust generation, and directly affects applications such as the spread of cookie dough or compaction strength of a chewable tablet. Traditionally, sugar manufacturers have chosen to use sieving analysis due to its low initial cost and its seemingly simple operating procedure. In this study, the LA-960V2’s ability to rapidly analyze particle separation and the particle size of powdered sugar at its de-agglomerated state is demonstrated.

Many food products exist in particulate form ranging from powders to emulsions, suspensions and pellets. The size distribution of the particulates can affect the taste, appearance, stability, processability, and functionality of the final product.

Particle Analysis of Chocolate

The chocolate production process today is a marriage between technology and craftsmanship. Generally, the presence of particles above 30 µm leads to poor mouth-feel. It is perceived as gritty. Meanwhile, particles below 20 µm feels silky and smooth. Below 30 µm, 2-3 µm of a particle size difference can be detected by the tongue as a different level of smoothness. Therefore, monitoring, standardizing and setting specifications for particle size testing is a critical and necessary measure for quality control across chocolate plants.

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