News. Food & Beverage. Optimizing Accuracy and Speed of Multiple Ingredients Analyses. Weighing and Analysis in the Laboratory

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1 Food & Beverage Weighing and Analysis in the Laboratory Analytical solutions in the laboratory 6 News Edition No. 1 / February 2013 Optimizing Accuracy and Speed of Multiple Ingredients Analyses The leading liquor company in South Korea, JINRO, produces various liquors, traditional wines and even drinking water. To guarantee the best quality of these products, all parameters relating to taste and flavor must be controlled. The flexible and easy to use T50A Excellence Automated Titration System perfectly supports their most important analyses. The taste and flavor of all JINRO products are easily altered by a multitude of parameters. In some cases of traditional wine, a specified content of SO2 (sulfur dioxide) is critical as a stabilizer to prevent spoiling. Contents, such as K + (potassium ion) and other inorganic ions in water used as the base solution of liquor, must be accurately measured and adjusted to ensure the quality of final products. Measuring ph, acidity, SO2 and other parameters on such a wide variety of products with different specifications and test equipment makes quality control in the JINRO laboratory a demanding endeavour. High throughput demand Not only are there many types of analyses, but the pace of analysis is fast too. With the JINRO Chung-Won factory running more than 5 different production lines, producing more than 1,000 bottled products every minute, quality control testing must be fast and exact. With some titrations needing more than 4 minutes for each sample, manually or automated, there is very little room for mistakes and retests. Quality control through automation With such a large number of the tests being either titrations or direct ion measurement, the METTLER TOLEDO T50A Excellence Automated Titrator in collaboration with the Rondolino Sample Changer is considered as one of the most valuable instruments in the JINRO QC lab. These huge workloads are only achievable with an automatic titration system that

2 Know-how Titration Titration Sensor Maintenance Watch our tailored on demand webinar for titration sensor maintenance to gain tips and tricks about using, cleaning and troubleshooting your titration sensor. Dong Gi Park (left), QC manager of Jinro and Do Hyung Kim, sales team leader of MT Korea. eliminates errors. Time-consuming retests are then a thing of the past and operators are free to perform other QC tasks while the titration is performed. With the easy to use One Click concept enabling user specific shortcuts for manual operations as well as test procedures, operators learn to operate the T50A quickly and routine operations become quick and easy. Fast and secure results The immediate plug and play detection of intelligent titrant burettes and electrodes ensures that the proper equipment is in place before each titration begins. This reduces mistakes considerably. Mr. Park, QC manager, comments on the T50A, One Click titration is very useful and simple for all the staff to operate. Intelligent burettes and electrodes perfectly support our requirements and prevent mistakes during titrations. Furthermore, the LabX titration software helps to create methods for each individual product in order to building a tailored database used as a modern data management system. LabX can even be used to compare other factories data easily. As a QC manager, Mr. Park has always focused on applications. His laboratory boasts two T50As with 9 different types of intelligent electrodes (with planning for future additions) performing an array of titrations and direct measurements. As a titration specialist for liquor products, Mr. Park has used his extensive knowledge and the T50A s clear method editor to optimize his analyses for improved accuracy and time saving. Text: Do Hyung Kim, Sales Team Leader of METTLER TOLEDO Korea Publisher Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory Division Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Production LAB Division Marketing Global MarCom Switzerland Subject to technical changes. Mettler-Toledo AG 02/13 Printed in Switzerland. 2

3 Know-how Gain Accuracy and Save Money in Balance Testing A world-famous food & beverage manufacturer with a US$100 million-plus annual turnover needed to confirm minimum weights for balances in their standard setting, Singapore based R&D facility. Quality assurance managers now insist on GWP Verification for bullet-proof documentation and enhanced accuracy during internal reviews. Learn more our risk based approach to select and test your weighing instruments Get insight into typical customer cases and configuration examples by downloading our complimentary white papers. The company s goal was to reduce the environmental impact for product and package manufacturing. However, the company s QA manager suspected that minimum weights on several balances at their Singapore based R&D facility, which helps set quality standards for plants worldwide, were giving inaccurate readings. Fearing skewed results - and the errors and waste that comes with them he sought a methodology that could help ensure accuracy and set the stage for subsequent improvements across multiple manufacturing operations. GWP and local regulations The GWP Verification solution is uniquely designed to help manufacturers set and confirm minimum weights for accurate results while meeting process requirements. Before Good Weighing Practice could be used in a comprehensive SOP review, METTLER TOLEDO Singapore needed to assure management that GWP works within, and not alongside, a wide range of QA schemes in use today. This included their national standard (SAC- SINGLAS). ISO accreditation was also mandatory for the company. Complementing internal procedures Ultimately, this food & beverage manufacturer ordered a complete GWP Verification. While SOPs were found to be solid, the GWP Verification assessment complemented the company s existing ISO calibration protocol. METTLER TOLEDO Singapore was also able to make several helpful suggestions for balance adjust- ments and capital investments that would enhance accuracy and reduce waste. These improvements have paid for themselves many times over through savings in materials and fewer bad batches at plants around the world. Gaining compliance and peace of mind In addition to guaranteed accuracy and, therefore, product quality, the QA manager also gained peace of mind that his minimum weight values were safe. METTLER TOLEDO s GWP Verification output was able to validate the company s internal quality standards and issue ISO certificates for all new balances to further ensure bullet-proof weighing procedure compliance during audits. Based on the savings this global company is beginning to see as a result of more accurate weighing and recipe formulation, one executive noted that GWP Verification is a new must have standard for their internal quality evaluations. To learn more about how GWP Verification can help meet internal quality demands and external compliance requirements, visit: Text: Dimitri Burkhard, Product Manager GWP Download free GWP White Papers: White Paper A Risk Based Approach to Select and Test Weighing Instruments Good Weighing Practice (GWP ) is a universal approach to selecting and testing weighing instruments based on user requirements. GWP allows to reduce measurement errors and ensures reliable weighings in a straightforward and efficient way. Contents 1 Summary 2 Selection of a Weighing Instrument 2.1 Specifications & Uncertainty 2.2 Essentials to Select a Weighing Instrument 2.3 Example 2.4 Safety Factor 3 Testing Procedures and Frequencies 3.1 Regulatory Requirements 3.2 Test Procedures 3.3 Test Frequencies 3.4 Test Limits 3.5 Test Weights 3.6 User Tests 3.7 Instruments with Automatic Test and Adjustment Features 4 Appendix 5 Glossary 6 Literature References 3

4 Moisture Determination The measurement chamber is completely flat and sealed for easy cleaning. A Solution that Sticks Moisture Analysis of Chewing Gum With sticky samples and a challenging production environment, moisture determination in chewing gum manufacture places many demands on a moisture analyzer. With real-time drying curves, per product control charts, and easy-cleaning features, METTLER TOLEDO s new HS153 Halogen Moisture Analyzer is the perfect choice for fast and reliable moisture control on the factory floor. The basic ingredients for chewing gum are synthetic gum bases, sweeteners and flavors. For long lasting taste, the flavors and sweeteners are often encapsulated by sophisticated techniques and then combined with other ingredients before being added to the gum base. Preparation of the flavor component is a closely guarded secret but moisture content is a key parameter. Regular moisture testing not only requires fast and reliable methods but also instruments which are robust enough to cope with the sticky samples and dusty environment of chewing gum production. Quick and easy cleaning Preparation of chewing gum ingredients creates a lot of dust which is sugary and sticky. Sensitive instruments, including moisture analyzers, are at risk from this dust. The innovative design of the HS153 features a weighing cell at the rear of the instrument which separates it from the heating unit. The hanging weighing pan design means the measurement chamber is fully sealed and the weighing cell is completely protected. Not only is there no danger of the weighing cell being damaged by sample material but the chamber is completely smooth and flat making it very easy to clean. Easy result tracking As the moisture content of each flavor component is being analyzed, the drying curve is shown in real-time on the large color display. This allows the operator to visually follow the progress of the analysis. The moisture content of the flavor component has a direct influence on the shelf life of chewing gum and has an upper limit of 4.00%MC. A green or red result-screen indicates at a glance if the 4

5 sample has passed or failed. This fast and easy notification allows production managers to promptly adjust manufacturing processes for optimum quality. The HS153 maintains control charts for every component; any trend in the moisture content over time can be clearly seen in the chart providing a higher level of process control. Boosting productivity The One Click moisture graphical user interface allows the home screen to be personalized to individual users. Each user sees only the information needed to perform his or her tasks. Stored methods for individual flavor components can be started with just One Click maximizing ease-of-use, avoiding errors and ensuring compliance with quality procedures. The integrated workflows enable users to operate the instrument with minimal training. The HS153 Halogen Moisture Analyzer offers state-of-the-art performance with unprecedented speed and security. Furthermore, the robust, innovative design of the HS153 is proven to withstand the challenging environment of chewing gum production. Text: Helen Vogt, Product Manager, Moisture Analyzers Integrated control limits simplify pass/fail decisions. HS153 Moisture Analyzer SmartCal Verifies Your Moisture Analyzer Performance within 10 Minutes For more information, refer to page 11 or 5

6 Material Characterization Investigate Crystallization Behavior of Lactose in Milk Powder Amorphous lactose is one of the main constituents of milk powder (powdered milk, dried milk) and is highly hygroscopic. If milk powder is stored in an open container, it becomes lumpy due to the uptake of moisture. The lactose present in milk powder can also crystallize as a result of increased water content. This can lead to changes in the flavor and taste of products containing the milk powder. The behavior of lactose in milk powder can be investigated using the TGA- Sorption System. TGA/DSC1 Due to processing conditions, the lactose present in all kinds of milk powder is in an amorphous state. Milk powders are, therefore, hygroscopic. The uptake of moisture can lower the glass transition temperature of the lactose to values below ambient temperature. The lactose then softens and the milk powder becomes lumpy. If the water content is sufficiently high, the lactose can also crystallize. This leads to changes in the taste and consistency of products in which milk powder is used. The influence of moisture on the glass transition temperature and the crystallization behavior of lactose in milk powder can be investigated by TGA-Sorption. Experimental details The experiments presented here were performed using a TGA/DSC 1 with a SDTA sensor in combination with a humidity generator (MHG, from Projekt Messtechnik). The sample was a random skimmed milk powder obtained from a supermarket. According to the data from the supplier, the milk powder contained 52% lactose. The sample mass used for all experiments was typically about 8 mg. In the sorption experiments, the humidified gas flow rate was 100 ml/min with the protective gas flow 5 ml/min. To investigate the influence of moisture on the milk powder, a sorption experiment was performed at 27 C. To do this, the relative humidity (RH) of the purge gas was continuously increased from 0% to 80% over a period of 1800 minutes. Before the actual sorption experiment, the sample was dried at 0% RH for 10 hours. Results The measurement curve obtained is presented in Figure 1. The curve shows that the uptake of water is initially slow but, after about 840 minutes, it increases noticeably. The sample mass then decreases after about 1320 minutes but increases again soon after. This behavior can be explained as follows: 6

7 Figure 1. Dynamic sorption behavior of dried milk powder at 27 C. The glass transition temperature of the lactose present in the milk powder is, at first, higher than the measurement temperature. As the water content of the sample increases, the glass transition temperature of the lactose decreases. When the glass transition temperature reaches the measurement temperature, the glass transition of the lactose occurs. The increased mobility of the lactose molecules enables the lactose to absorb water more rapidly. The change in slope of the TGA curve, therefore, occurs at the water content at which the glass transition temperature of the lactose corresponds to the measurement temperature. Furthermore, the increased mobility of the lactose molecules enables the lactose to crystallize. Since crystalline lactose is considerably less hygroscopic than amorphous lactose, excess water is released during crystallization. This explains the decrease in sample mass. The peak maximum in the sorption curve consequently corresponds to the water content of the milk powder at which the spontaneous crystallization of the lactose begins. Text: Dr. Matthias Wagner, Product Manager Materials Characterization; Dr. Markus Schubnell, Application Physicist 7

8 Good Measuring Practices Good Measuring Practices Reliability Throughout the Lifecycle Good Measuring Practices by METTLER TOLEDO is a global program supporting you in laboratory and production environments with quality assurance recommendations for weighing, pipetting and chemical analysis. The five steps of every Good Measuring Practices guideline cover the entire lifecycle of your instruments. By focusing on your processes and its associated requirements and risks, we provide you with effective measures to maximize operational security and minimize testing efforts and process risk. GWP Good Weighing Practice GTP Good Titration Practice GPP Good Pipetting Practice Guaranteed better weighing results GWP helps ensuring consistent product quality and avoiding outof-spec results or bad production batches. With GWP you comply with all regulations relevant to your industry for a minimal time and financial investment. GWP provides documentation to verify the accuracy of your balances and recommends optimal testing procedures. Reliable results and dependable titration in practice GTP forms the basis of dependable and risk-free titration. The appropriate titration system is selected based on user requirements, and professionally commissioned and installed. GTP helps protecting your investment far into the future, supporting you with tailored training and equipment qualification. It also proposes schedules for regular inspection and preventive maintenance. Optimize workflows for more reliable and repeatable results Improve your data quality with GPP our comprehensive, systematic approach to maximizing pipetting accuracy and repeatability. GPP is grounded in 40+ years of expertise working side-by-side with researchers in order to achieve the highest level of accuracy and precision across all applications

9 GDRP Good Density and Refractometry Practice GEP Good Electrochemistry Practice Minimize risk and improve performance GDRP is based on our expertise in density and refractive index measurement. Understanding the reasons and sources of measurement errors helps improving quality while reducing risks and costs. Professional commissioning, training, qualification and seamless documentation guarantee compliance with your process requirements from the very first step. Optimized ph results from the beginning GEP assists with professional tools and documentation to get reliable results for your laboratory ph, conductivity, DO, ion and redox applications. Use GEP to select the correct calibration solutions to comply with regulations, perfectly maintain your sensors to optimize product lifespan and reduce costly measurement mistakes to a minimum. Check your risks in weighing, titration and chemical analysis Risk Check All of the Good Measuring Practices guidelines start with an evaluation of your measurement processes and an assessment of their associated risks. Based on this information, you are provided with straightforward recommendations for selecting, installing, calibrating and operating your devices. For more Information: Good Measuring Practices 9

10 Product Highlight Precise and Secure ph Measurements with SevenExcellence The SevenExcellence easily deals with the demanding data input, measurement and archiving tasks that are so important during production and for the QC of raw materials and finished products. It has an ingenious method concept ensuring that each particular analysis is always performed with the identical, SOP compliant settings. Its professional user management system eliminates the risk of unintentional or unauthorized changes to settings and deletion of results. Start a method with OneClick The intuitive touch screen menu speeds up and simplifies the instrument s operation. Flexible peripherals Choose from a vast collection of peripherals to increase efficiency and optimize workflow even further. Modular expansion New measurement parameters can be added to the instrument at any time to make it flexible and expandable enough to cope with any measurement requirements. 10

11 Verifying Moisture Analyzer Performance within 10 Minutes It takes just 10 minutes to perform a SmartCal test and confirm if your moisture analyzer is working correctly. Testing temperatures correspond to those you use every day for your food and food ingredient samples. Regular testing with SmartCal provides seamless QC documentation of instrument performance to ensure compliance with food industry standards, such as those from the BRC and IFS or ISO Ensure valid moisture results SmartCal is a granular test substance of known moisture content which reliably indicates whether the moisture analyzer is working within specifications. Testing in just 10 minutes The test is as easy to perform as a regular measurement. Simply pour SmartCal into the sample pan and press start. Results are available in 10 minutes. Satisfied auditors Proper moisture analyzer verification guarantees accurate performance. SmartCal ensures accurate results and assists with the demands of industry regulations and company audits. Order your free SmartCal sample: 11

12 Everything in Our Lab Works With Just One Click Joanne, laboratory assistant: "Thanks to my personalized Homescreen, I can perform all the different analyses very quickly and efficiently." Bob, production assistant: "All I have to do to analyze the intermediate product every hour is press a Shortcut." Clark, quality assurance: "The individual user rights feature means that I can make sure that users stick to our quality guidelines." The One Click operation provides unsurpassed user guidance, secure navigation and easily selectable and adaptable methods. Learn more and see One Click in action: Key benefits of One Click operation: Know one know all One Click is a common interface for all your lab instruments. This means, if you can program and run analyses on a balance, you can also do it on a titrator, without extra information required. See only what is relevant to you User screen individualization permits you to adapt your home screen to your requirements: You only see what you need and avoid confusion by unneeded functionalities. Play by the rules Adherence to SOPs is now a functionality of your instrument via the pre-programming of methods. Transcription and calculation errors a thing of the past. Mettler-Toledo AG Laboratory Division Im Langacher CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland For more information