All commercial food brands must meet the high standards that their customers have come to expect. A change in the quality of their product may cause a shift in the customer's purchasing habits. Consistency and flavor are essential for satisfied customers and continued sales.
The measurement of "Brix" is vital for producers of many commercial food items, such as wine, fruit juice, jams, and carbonated drinks, to monitor quality.
Brix is a unit of measurement for sucrose and other sugars (and other dissolved solids) concentrations in aqueous solutions. One degree Brix (symbol °Bx) represents the strength of a solution as a percentage by mass and is described as 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of the solution when measuring sweetness.
Inline refractometers provide vital details about the make-up of commercial fruit, juice, and wine products. Many commercial food processing plants use refractometers to ensure quality by blending their products to a consistent Brix stage. Since the dissolution of sucrose and other sugars in a solution alters the solution's refractive index, calculating this adjustment is a reliable way to assess consistency and efficiency. A refractometer works by shining an LED light source through a product sample and onto a prism surface from various angles. A critical angle can be measured and the refractive index correctly estimated by calculating the difference in the light source's reflection and refraction. Thus, inline refractometers are effective instruments for measuring Brix in all food processing applications. Furthermore, this measurement and calculation can is performed reliably, repeatably, and quickly.
Inline refractometers calculate sucrose, fructose, and dextrose content in the following applications:
- Dairy, soft drinks, and fruit juices
- Apple sauces, jams, and jellies are all delicious.
- Beer, wine, coffee, and tea are all available.
- Oils from vegetables.
- Sauces and pastes made from tomatoes.
- Honey
Contact Electron Machine Company at 352-669-3101 or visit http://www.electronmachine.com if you have any question regarding the usage of refractometry in food and beverage production.
