Labcell, the UK distributor for Decagon Devices, will be displaying the AquaLab Pre water activity analyser, a new mid-range instrument with an excellent price/performance ratio at Lab Innovations 2014 in Birmingham, UK, 5-6 November. This fast, accurate and affordable instrument creates new opportunities for food producers who need good quality measurements without the expense associated with high-end water activity analysers.
The AquaLab Pre will be useful throughout the food industry supply chain for quality assurance analysis of ingredients and during production.
Users can readily check that water activity is within permissible bounds, which is important for food safety, shelf life, taste, texture and production efficiency.
Typical foods that can be tested using the AquaLab Pre include cheeses, confectionery, cooked and cured meats, salamis, sausages, pasta and sauces. As it is so easy to operate, clean and calibrate, the AquaLab Pre can be used by operatives with only minimal training.
In common with the higher-specification AquaLab Series 4TE, the AquaLab Pre uses chilled mirror dewpoint technology to make fast, accurate measurements. Readings can be obtained in five minutes or less and the accuracy is +/-0.01 aw over the full measurement range of 0.05 to 1.00 aw. The sample temperature is maintained at 25oC, so users can be confident of achieving consistent results. Final values are indicated by an audible alert and measurements are shown on an integral two-line alphanumeric display.
