Hamburg September 19-23, 2005
Rapid stability assessment for liquid and paste-like foods with multisample analytical centrifugation
T. Sobisch, D. Lerche, S. Küchler, A. Uhl
A new multisample approach is presented using analytical centrifugation, which allows for an accelerated characterization of destabilization processes (creaming, sedimentation, coalescence, phase separation). The kinetics of these destabilizing processes can be traced simultaneously for up-to 12 different samples with temperature control down to 4 °C. Analytical centrifugation measures the inherent stability of the samples, but cannot foresee destabilizing processes which will happen in the future. In this respect a combination with common accelerated stability testing is the method of choice. The wide application potential of this approach is demonstrated by examples of measurements on typical food dispersions like beverages, emulsions, milk and milk based products.
A considerable fraction of food products are dispersions (emulsions, suspensions, suspoemulsions). Therefore, not only the microbiological and chemical stability matters, but the separation stability has also to be characterized. The development of new food formulations as well as process development/monitoring and quality assurance require efficient and objective analytical tools for shelf life prediction and stability determination. To this end the potential of multisample analytical centrifugation was evaluated as an accelerated test procedure.