Advanced Texture Testing for the Baking Industry

Lloyd Instruments has developed an advanced texture profiling system designed to help the baking industry ensure end-product quality.

The TA1 texture analyzer is an inexpensive, high performance testing solution capable of evaluating textural characteristics such as hardness forces, puncture, extrusion, shear and compression of a wide range of products in the development or quality control stage.

Although the use of human sensory panels for testing the quality of product is a well-known technique, it is very time-consuming for present-day mechanized baking industries. In that way, the TA1 texture analyzer offers a rapid, efficient and low cost quantitative approach with better reproducibility or data accuracy.

Key Features of TA1 Texture Analyzer

• XLC load cells with anti-rotation collars facilitating easy axial alignment

• Large work area housing wide range of samples

• Load accuracy - ±0.5% down to 1% of load cell value delivers high dynamic range

• Jig, probe or fixture to meet the specific needs

• Optional NEXYGENPlus software with a vast library of pre-defined test set-ups with respect to the international standards

• Other features include food testing base, a drip tray, probe and base machine for routine entry-level applications

In addition, the TA1 texture analyzer comes with a dough preparation set for analyzing the stickiness of the dough. It also consists of a “Ottawa” jig for evaluating the dough roll out, and special knife blade attachments for testing air pockets, crust hardness and dough springiness. Using the flat-ended probe, the dough hardness and dough stickiness can be measured in complete test with compressive “puncture” stroke and withdrawal stroke, respectively.

The texture analysis software features audit trails and strict multilevel user security with 100% traceability of data, and playback and video capture options.