Moisture Analysis in Food

Moisture analysis tests different food types for moisture content. It is a core element in food production. Moisture analysis methods in food also support waste reduction by helping to extend the shelf life of food.

What is Moisture Analysis?

Moisture analysis involves testing and measuring food for its moisture content. Too much or too little moisture content can affect food production and impact overall quality.

There are various ways in which water activity takes place in food.

Free water occurs naturally in narrow capillaries, on surface particles and in pore systems. This moisture content is adsorbed water. You find it in the cell patterns of fruit and meat. It binds itself to various proteins.

Cereal grains absorb moisture from the air. Therefore, they require optimum storage conditions to control their moisture content.

In some foods, maintaining their look, feel, smell and taste is dependent on controlling the amount of water they contain. Moisture analysis is a key technique for this.

  • In certain types of food and food production, reducing moisture content will extend the shelf-life of products.

  • Using moisture analysis methods helps food manufacturers stay compliant with their food labelling.

  • For producers of crops and other dry foodstuffs, moisture analysis enables them to measure and establish the dry weight of their produce and determine their yields.

  • Adding moisture is also an inexpensive way of adding weight to certain foods

  • Excessive moisture can encourage microbial growth in food.

Moisture analysis methods in food require precision to achieve accuracy. For example, free water molecules are less likely to evaporate at higher temperatures and they can evade easy detection.

There are also ongoing supply pressures on food producers to factor in. They require analysis techniques that will be rapid and efficient.

Moisture Analysis Methods in Food

The two main types of instruments for measuring and analysing moisture in food are:

  • Moisture meters

  • Moisture analysers.

The scientific method these instruments use is near infrared (NIR) analysis.

All objects, including different foodstuffs, emit some level of infrared radiation (IR). IR comes from electromagnetic energy that is produced by molecular vibrations.

The electromagnetic infrared spectrum has a range of wavelengths. This spectrum is very useful for detecting and measuring different IR emissions from different materials.

NIR is a particular region on the spectrum. The technique of NIR spectroscopy measures light scattered off or through a sample material. The measurement of this light determines the material’s properties.

This technique has no effect on the sample material. It is a non-destructive form of analysis. It’s also a rapid and accurate one.

There is a range of substances and properties in food that will give off unique infrared emissions. These include carbohydrates, enzymes, preservatives and moisture.

The two processes involved in NIR measurements are:

  • Reflectance

  • Transmission.

Reflectance measures the amount of light the sample reflects. Transmission measures the amount of light the sample absorbs.

Different foodstuffs require different processes. For example, reflectance measures moisture content in wholegrains, while transmission can measure fat, protein and moisture content in dairy products.

Depending on what type of food product is involved, moisture analysis may take place at various stages of its lifecycle, including:

  • Harvesting

  • Storage

  • Processing

  • Manufacturing.

Moisture Analysis Equipment

Specialist moisture analysis equipment is designed for different foodstuffs and for different stages in food production.

The Perten DA7440 provides real-time moisture measurements in production environments. This above-line moisture testing instrument is ideal in process control.

In harvesting and production, the Perten AM5200 tests for temperature, weight and moisture in grains, seeds, pulses and other foodstuffs. This supports the optimisation of grain storage conditions and helps farmers make strategic harvesting decisions. This high-frequency moisture meter tests for temperature, weight and moisture in grains, seeds and pulses.

Effective and rapid moisture analysis is also versatile and flexible with the handheld GrainSense moisture meter. This is a portable, on-farm solution offering quick, accurate analysis of field data.

There is similar convenience and portability with the Perkin Elmer DA6200 meat analyser. This instrument tests raw meat and other meat products for moisture and other content. By giving real-time results, it enables producers to make vital processing adjustments without disrupting supply.

Why is Moisture Analysis in Food Important?

Food production is highly competitive. It also involves processes that can be both economically and environmentally costly.

Methods that drive efficiency and ensure continued quality, while cutting down on waste, are central to successful food production.

Moisture analysis is critical in the modern food economy.

It helps extend the shelf-life of foods and reduce waste. It enables producers to optimise their yields and store them to minimise microbial infection.

Moisture analysis methods in food help to ensure food safety and compliance with standards, while making food production more environmentally friendly and efficient.

For more details about moisture testing instruments, please contact us.

Rachael Smith