Colour Measurement Solutions for the Food Industry Colour Measurement for Development and Quality Control of Food and Ingredients You Eat with Your Eyes Colour Measurement of Food is Essential Whether checking the ripeness of fruits and vegetables, the appetizing colour of a ready-made tomato sauce or the rich colour of chocolate, the impact of colour on what ends up in the consumer’s basket is undeniable. Colour communicates freshness, flavour and quality. Compared to the variety of parameters which require accurate analytical monitoring in a food laboratory, colour represents the only immediately apparent quality indicator. It deserves the appropriate attention through objective and repeatable measurement of raw materials, production processes and the final product. When selecting foods in a store, customers expect consistency. Colour variance may be a result of natural characteristics, but consumers may suspect poor processing, a change of recipe or outdated products. Processed foods require accurate analysis and monitoring of colour change throughout production. Temperature change, time and processing can all impact upon colour appearance and stability, making accurate colour control essential. In addition to ensuring consistency for products that are displayed in large numbers on supermarket shelves, colour measurement has proven useful in monitoring consumer preference surveys, for research and development and improvement of processing methods. In the agricultural industries, instruments, colour data and colour indices are replacing grading scales based on visual assessment (e.g. meat classification, salmon colour, egg yolk colour). Konica Minolta is a leading provider of colour management solutions to the food, ingredients and beverage industry, supplying instruments to suit applications, either in the field, in the laboratory or production. Konica Minolta instruments are supported by a range of accessories designed to assist users in obtaining repeatable measurements and reducing sample preparation time. Consistent sample presentation is often the key to accuracy, and using the correct accessories in a repeatable process can have a significant impact on colour data. 2 Example Applications Measuring Colour and Haze Control of Raw Materials During the specification and ongoing control of raw materials, a spectrophotometer allows quantification and control of colour; this can be for fruits, colourants, flavours, sugars, meat, cereals, etc. Process Control Measurements can be implemented to check the impact of processes and expected colour of the product throughout its manufacturing process or storage time. Colour measurement can act as a simple process control tool, for example as a colour index for brewed or aged product. Product Assembly When blending certain products, a spectrophotometer quantifies the influence of the varieties and provides their colorimetric information. When blending different ingredients, colorimetric information can help producers to consistently achieve the desired visual appearance. Verification of the finished product In order to guarantee the colour of the finished product, a spectrophotometer or colorimeter can provide fast and efficient quality control data, comparing production samples against a reference, tolerance or colour index. This allows producers to ensure consistency over time and production sites, as well as ensuring a consistent shelf appeal to the consumer for brand recognition. 3