Cut It, Spread It, Taste It, Chew It

Brookfield Engineering Laboratories has announced the availability of an extensive library of texture analysis application notes relating to the food industry. In simple terms, texture analysis is the measurement of food mechanical properties as they relate to sensory properties detected by humans, such as the way food feels in the mouth or the experience of chewing.

The application notes discuss easy test methods to capture the sensory properties of food materials with the use of
Brookfield’s large selection of texture fixtures. This collection of application notes is an excellent resource for texture
analyser operators, QC technicians, and lab supervisors who are looking for ways of improving quality control of food
product and predicting their behaviors at the consumer level.

Some examples in the collection of application notes include: soft cheese – quantifying curd characteristics can predict behavior such as hardness, smoothness and crumbliness; peas– a simple compression test can determine how firm or ‘mushy’ this vegetable will be when served; and margarine – determine how easy margarine will spread on bread or toast with a penetration an easy sample test.