Cheese & Butter
Several methods of analysis are used during the breakfast cereal manufacturing process to ensure food quality control of food moisture including near infrared (NIR) analysis, wet chemistry analysis and image analysis. In less than a minute our near infrared (NIR) systems provide simultaneous results for moisture, protein, ash and fat.
Butter is manufactured mostly from cream separated from milk. Some butters, alternatively classified as “spreads” are manufactured from a blend of cream and edible oils such as canola oil. Butter is also salted or unsalted. Cream or milk butter fat is the most valuable constituent in butter. The control of the fat content close to the target value is the main justification for return on investment.
Two main types of butter churns are used, batch churns and continuous churns. If the manufacturer uses a batch churn, the standardization of the raw material, cream is not necessary. If the processor uses a continuous churn, standardization of the cream to a certain fat level helps to maintain a steady operation of the churn. The cream is tested for fat content and the adjustment is made in the cream silo. The consistency of the cream in the silo is maintained by circulating the silo and tested to maintain this consistency.
The Unity Scientific SpectraStar 2400 and 2500 near infrared Spectrometers provide the rapid analysis of hard and soft cheeses for moisture, fat, FDB. The open geometry of the Top Window design allows for analysis of large samples as well as “through the package” testing. Analysis time of <30 seconds is typical.
Unity NIR analysis provides a safe, effective fat analysis alternative to the Soxhlet extraction method. Unlike NIR Spectroscopy, this complex Soxhlet method usually takes several hours and requires the use of hazardous chemicals. Sugar can be analyzed using HPLC. Free fatty acids and iodine value are analyzed by titrations. These methods are time consuming and require chemicals.