This blog was contributed by Dr. Mark Sullivan, Technical and Application Specialist at BUCHI Corporation. The head of a well-known agricultural testing laboratory recently approached me with an unusual request. This laboratory performs 10’s of thousands of plant tissue analyses annually using the Dumas combustion technique for total nitrogen and carbon (AOAC Official Method 972.43).... Continue Reading →
Summer is coming to a close, and the once plentiful corn stands that dotted country roads and even well-traversed city highways are beginning to dwindle down in number (replaced by donut stands, thankfully). Despite countless summer BBQs tugging on the supply chain at peak season, the vast landscape of cornfields in the Midwest (and beyond)... Continue Reading →
Protein is a critical parameter across the food, beverage and feed industries. However, the best solution for obtaining protein varies across the production cycle. In this blog, we propose Kjeldahl and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy methods for protein determination, with arguments for which technology is the best fit based on factors such as: Application scopeVariation in... Continue Reading →
Goal-setting When we start to think about method development so many things come to mind. It’s a great idea to clearly define the goals of a project so that we can plan efforts and resources in such a way as to meet those goals. So, what should be our expectation, or goals, when we use... Continue Reading →
Why are we talking about Kjeldahl on the NIR blog? This blog has made many mentions to the fact that near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a secondary method. That means that NIR doesn't measure things like moisture, fat, protein, ash, %-polymerization or anything else directly. Instead, we use an acceptable primary method, like Kjeldahl, to produce... Continue Reading →
A rapidly rising consumer food company needed NIR technology to quickly test final product quality in their pilot plant R&D facility. The R&D team wanted an NIR to provide non-contact, process control measurements of food products passing rapidly by on a conveyor belt. However, being a pilot facility, they desired adjustable and temporary mounting approaches... Continue Reading →
In the northeast, fall ushers in crisp, cool air, vibrantly colored leaves... and doughnut season. Perfectly glazed Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Whether you're getting your round, deep-fried cake from roadside from the Pennsylvania Amish or from a commercial bakery, quality is key. Krispy Kreme has been serving up delicious doughnuts for generations in the USA and... Continue Reading →
The longest continuously running mountain biking series in the United States is hosted in southwest Pennsylvania. Every year, hundreds of locals show up to test themselves in the 5-race series and vie for the title of "local hero." Races each take place at different venues, and each venue has a signature "wrench" to throw at... Continue Reading →
When prodded, I suppose many at BUCHI would agree that some of the cheesiest members of the team belong to the NIR group. Maybe that's something to be proud of! More cheese, please! Cheese is delicious, after all. With a global market of around $100 Billion USD, I think there is a general agreement on... Continue Reading →
Don't worry, it's a good thing. This week, BUCHI Product and Application Specialists mingled with pet food suppliers and manufacturers at the Petfood Forum 2019 in Kansas City, MO. Some key topics on deck for event speakers include nutrition, labeling, product development, safety and manufacturing. Did you know BUCHI has its paws in the formulation,... Continue Reading →
