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Learn About Texture Analysis

What is Texture and Why Measure it? (PDF)

  What is Texture and Why Measure it?


Texture analysis is primarily concerned with the evaluation of mechanical characteristics where a material is subjected to a controlled force from which a deformation curve of its response is generated. These mechanical characteristics in food can be further sub-divided into primary and secondary sensory characteristics.

Texture Characteristics
Consumer products succeed in the marketplace in part because customers perceive which "textural characteristics" are desirable. This is certainly true with food products but also applies to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, packaging, industrial materials and even adhesive type materials.

  






Texture
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  Why choose Brookfield?


With over 40 years experience in texture analysis, from the Boucher Jelly Tester to the Stevens range of Analyzers, Brookfield's new Texture Division provides customers with a complete texture assessment service. We specialize in the development of novel and innovative test applications and accessories for solid and semi-solid materials, enabling our customers to maximize the practical value of their texture studies within all test environments. Utilizing simple compression or tension forces, we are able to imitate almost all conditions imposed during the manufacture or handling of a wide range of foods, industrial materials and personal care products. Such measures provide a "real life" insight into the physical properties of a product, often invaluable in maintaining consistent quality manufacture while minimizing rejects in production.

  

Texture
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  Questions and Answers


What is the maximum load range you expect when testing your samples?

  • <= 100g (1N)
  • <= 1000g (10N)
  • <= 1500g (15N)
  • <= 4500g (45N)
  • <= 25000g (25Kg; 250N)

What type of testing do you anticipate?

  • Compression
  • Compression and tension
  • Multiple cycles

What type of result do you need?

  • Single point load (force) value
  • Graph of load profile during testing.

What physical properties of your sample do you wish to determine? If unfamiliar with texture terms, please visit our texture glossary.

  • Hardness
    		•
  • Adhesive force
    		•
  • Cohesiveness
    		•
  • Adhesiveness
    		•
  • Chewiness
    		•
  • Gumminess
    		•
  • Springiness
    		•
  • Brittleness
    		•
  • Modulus
    		•
  • Stress relaxation
    		•
 



Texture Graph
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  Help me choose


Please contact us with answers to the following questions:

What product or material are you testing?

Is it:

  • Part Processed
  • Finished Product
  • Packaged Product

What equipment are you currently using for this testing, if any?

Do you have any sample preparation requirements: such as temperature conditioning, mixing, etc?

Are there any safety considerations when handling your samples?

Can you estimate the minimum load range and the maximum load range required?

What are your power requirements? Voltage? Frequency?

What is the purpose of your test?

  • Research
  • Quality Control
  • Production

Data output should be:

  • Recorded from display
  • Sent to printer
  • Acquired with PC software

What physical properties of your sample do you wish to determine? If unfamiliar with texture terms, please visit our texture glossary below.

  • Hardness
    		•
  • Adhesive force
    		•
  • Cohesiveness
    		•
  • Adhesiveness
    		•
  • Chewiness
    		•
  • Gumminess
    		•
  • Springiness
    		•
  • Brittleness
    		•
  • Modulus
    		•
  • Stress relaxation
    		•
 





Texture Analysis
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  Glossary of of Terms


Coefficient of Friction
the ratio of the force required to move one surface over another to the total normal force applied to those surfaces.
Compression Testing
the sample is "compressed" with a probe of greater surface area to that of the sample.
Creep Testing
sample is compressed to a target load and held for a period of time. The instrument moves to maintain the target load and the distance moved is used as an indicator of sample elasticity.
Deformation
the change in height of a sample when a force is applied.
Fatigue Testing
test is cycled so that the recovery properties of the sample can be evaluated
Extrusion Testing
the sample is compressed until flow commences through an outlet. Texture analysis utilizes both forward (forced through an aperture) and backward extrusion (forced back around the compressing probe).
Load Cell
electro-mechanical device which records the mechanical response of the sample.
Multiple Point Analysis
analysis of the sample properties using multiple points of penetration to provide a cross-sectional overview.
Penetration Testing
the sample is "penetrated" with a probe of smaller surface area than that of the sample. This creates both shear and compression forces within the sample and provides a good indication of product hardness and consistency.
Shear Testing
blades or wires are utilized to cut through the sample and evaluate cross-sectioned characteristics using a combination of compression, shear and tearing forces dependant upon the geometry of the cutting fixture.
Snap Testing
used to assess the fracture and bend characteristics of solid materials supported at either end and compressed in its center.
Stress Relaxation
sample is compressed to a target distance and held for a period of time. The sample relaxes under constant stress and the rate and degree of relaxation is used to evaluate sample elasticity, freshness, etc.
Target Unit
either Load, Distance or % Deformation that the texture analyzer travels to post trigger.
Tension Testing
the sample is fixed to both the base and the traveling beam of the texture analyzer and "stretched" via an upward movement.
Texture Profile Analysis
procedure developed within the food industry using uniaxial compression cycles to assess the mechanical properties of a sample. Two consecutive cycles from a single point of trigger are applied under a constant speed from which seven principle sensorial correlations can be made.
Trigger
load used to determine when probe has made contact with sample surface.
Visco-elastic
materials which cannot be classified as either viscous or elastic and have the properties of both. Texture analysis is used to determine the ratio of viscous element to elastic element.		  





Texture Analysis Graph
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