Food Moisture Analyzer

A halogen moisture analyzer is suitable for measuring the moisture content in all kinds of food products. Typical moisture measurement application in the food industry include samples that are solid (e.g. flour, cookies, potato chips, cereals, milk powder, coffee beans, grains), pasty (e.g. yogurt, ketchup, condensed milk, meat) and liquid (e.g. milk, fruit juice).

Moisture content is a critical parameter throughout the food manufacturing process and monitoring moisture content ensures a consistently high-quality end-product. The food samples may therefore be ingredients or raw materials, intermediate products, or final products. Measuring moisture content using a moisture analyzer is a fast and convenient solution for many food product manufacturers, including those producing convenience foods, ready meals, dairy products, snack foods and baked goods, as well as manufacturers of pet food and animal feed.

• How to Measure Moisture Content in Food?

Moisture content has a bearing on a variety of product characteristics, such as shelf life, texture and overall quality, as well as being important for manufacturing processes. Moisture content is also important for determining price; in many cases, there is an upper limit for moisture content. As a manufacturer, you want to optimize processes to ensure product quality and increase profits, while reducing food waste and optimizing costs. With a moisture analyzer, a moisture measurement can be performed within 5-15 min in most cases. This short time to result helps to speed up certain processes within your company, such as goods-in inspection, the monitoring of production processes, and quality control. Furthermore, thanks to the QuickPredict function in the HX204 and HS153 moisture analyzers, the measurement time can be reduced to 2 minutes, facilitating even faster decision-making on the production floor.

A moisture analyzer works according to the thermo-gravimetric principle, also often referred to as the 'Loss on Drying' (LOD) principle. A moisture analyzer consists of two modules, a weighing unit (balance) and a heating unit. To measure the moisture content, the sample's start weight is first recorded. A halogen lamp or other infrared radiator then heats and dries the sample while the balance continually records the sample weight. When the sample no longer loses weight, the lamp switches off, the final weight is recorded and the moisture content is calculated. The total loss in weight is used to calculate the moisture content.

METTLER TOLEDO’s moisture analyzers are designed to be easy and intuitive to use. Individual user profiles, method shortcuts on the home screen, and onscreen guidance support users with all levels of experience of working with a moisture analyzer. Watch this short video to learn more about how features such as user management, language selection, weighing-in aid and method shortcuts make moisture content determination of food samples easy, both in the laboratory and on the production floor.