Miller Magazine Issue: 117 September 2019

71 TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM MILLER / SEPTEMBER 2019 Viscosity measurements are of key importance in many sectors, such as the food industry in the case of starch and starch-containing products. Why are they so important? UI: Measuring viscosity is necessary in order to control the quality of raw materials, to optimize and monitor the production process, and of course also for the final inspection of the finished product. This ensures that only the best raw materials are used and that complaints are minimized. Malfunc- tions and the resulting losses in production also need to be avoided. In addition, they are also used to develop products and production processes. Which factors influence viscosity and hence the processing chain? UI: Natural products such as starch are subject to natural fluctuations, which depend on their type and variety, as well as their cultivation and weath- er conditions. Depending on their individual prop- erties, they have a differing level of suitability for certain uses. Further on in the processing chain, temperature, quantity, heating and cooling rates, as well as shear forces acting on them, play a big role. By determining product-specific viscosity curves, the properties can be controlled and pro- cesses optimized. JW: In order to determine the best possible use of a raw material and analyze its quality, the ge- latinization properties of starches and starch-con- taining materials are examined. When processing flours, the effect of raw material-specific enzyme activity on the gelatinization process is also ana- lyzed. It is also decisive for the processing prop- erties of the flour and has a huge impact on the result after baking. Which challenges do companies face overall, and in particular for the quality control of viscos- ity measurements? UI: Viscosity measurements are necessary in many industry sectors. Among other things, this also includes needing to inspect various materi- als within a single company. Hence, it is above all important that a device for viscosity measurement can be used flexibly enough to live up to the vari- ous requirements. JW: The speed of the viscosity measurement and a reliable result are particularly important dur- ing production quality control. Because all raw ma- terials need to be checked and the end products also need to be inspected, this means compre- hensive analysis requirements which need to be fulfilled by laboratories, where they take up pro- cessing capacity. In this case, the reproducibili- ty of the results also plays a role. The better the reproducibility, the less frequently measurements need to be repeated for confirmation. The factor of speed affects the entire production process. Be- cause approvals for the use of raw materials or end products can only be issued after quality in- spection by the laboratory, the entire production operation depends on the analyses. In a worst- case scenario, this results in disruptions and loss- es in production, or the quality of the end product does not adhere to requirements and entire pro- duction batches are unusable. Of course, this also costs companies money. Brabender has now brought the ViscoQuick to the market, which promises to deliver rapid and straightforward measurements. How is it differ- ent from existing systems? JW: First of all, the ViscoQuick is a device that can be used for various purposes. It can analyze starches, as well as viscous and paste-like mass- es. This means that the ViscoQuick is a device with a wide range of possible applications which covers many industry requirements. The ViscoQuick of- fers companies multiple advantages over existing New quick measurement device for viscosity measurements: The Brabender ViscoQuick