Feed producers often manufacture various products with different recipes for a range of animal species. Traditionally, multiple product-specific, near-infrared (NIR) calibrations have been used to predict the protein contents of the feed pellets. Although the recipes vary, there are similarities between the products meaning it would be possible and more practical to develop a few …

Many modern food processing techniques and new, alternative ingredients (i.e. plant proteins, resistant starch) require temperatures at or above 100° C, but few rheological devices offer analysis of ingredient and food viscosity at that temperature. Modern food processing techniques such as pasteurization and sterilization require high temperatures beyond the boiling point of water. Understanding how …

When starting to use a new NIR calibration it’s good practice to validate and adjust it. Especially if it was developed using a different reference lab than the one it will be compared to in routine use. Unfortunately, different labs don’t give identical answers when analyzing the same samples, even when they use exactly the …

NIR instruments need to be trained, or calibrated, for the measurements you want to perform. Often instruments come pre-calibrated from the factory, but understanding some basics of NIR calibration techniques can be helpful for users. NIR is a secondary form of analysis and to calibrate an instrument you need to measure a number of samples …

What is an NIR network? NIR grain networking is a well-established concept. The goal of a network is to provide a self-consistent population of instruments such that all instruments produce the same results on the same samples. The farmer/producer gets paid based on the grain quality/grade and the amount of grain delivered. It is critical …

NIR is the commonly used term for Near InfraRed spectroscopy, an analysis technique which has been used in the food and agricultural industries since the late 1970s. Over the years it has become very widely adopted worldwide, as it offers signification benefits over the chemical analysis methods it replaces. Faster – NIR gives results in …

We all like to enjoy our food. Herbs and spices add flavor and aromas to foods in order to entice the senses and build anticipation of an upcoming meal, while products like Manuka honey and extra virgin olive oil provide flavors that are different to conventional commodities. These premium food products command higher costs, due …

A Global Agricultural Challenge When it comes to feeding the world, we face a serious problem. Every second of every day, five new lives join the more than 7.5 billion people currently inhabiting our planet. Within the next 30 years, our numbers will exceed 9.6 billion.1 To help feed the world’s growing population, G20 nations …

We do love our dietary supplements. A venerable alphabet of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, botanicals, enzymes, and energy drinks can be had on line and in local stores that make all sorts of health claims. Apparently many of us believe them since the global market for dietary supplements is nearly $220 billion a year.1 …

The Importance Of Being Authentic “A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime—it’s not very scientific, but it helps, “Alexander Fleming, the Scottish discoverer of penicillin, once said.1 He was not alone in his love of a wee dram of what the ancient Celts called uisge beatha or “the water of life.” Through the centuries …

Win-Win Arrangement At a recent open house, held in Veghel, Netherlands, NutriControl BV and PerkinElmer officially launched a new demonstration laboratory that features some of the most advanced analytical testing instruments available to the global food, feed, nutritional, and dairy industries. “It is a win-win situation,” says Gert Wilgenhof, BeNeLux Sales Leader for PerkinElmer’s Discovery …

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts and orders that have, up till now, handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. FSSAI was created for developing and upholding science-based standards for articles of food and to …