This fixture has been developed to perform extension and elasticity measurements on laminated pastry and tortilla dough. It can also provide secure and rapid location for many types of thin or sheeted samples. The rig consists of two plates that can be bolted together with the sample sandwiched between. The plates have holes through their centres which expose a circular section of the sample allowing a 1" spherical probe to be pushed through. It also accommodates a smooth support ring which prevents the breakage of samples at the inside edge of the holding plates. Other applications could include burst testing on packaging films allowing the operator to measure strength, recovery and elasticity.
The consistency of the contents of a tube or sachet is fundamental to its ease of removal from the packaging when required. Many ready made convenience sauces and condiments can be found in sachet portions for quick and easy use. Similarly, many personal care creams and toothpastes are packaged in tubes for quick and easy removal and application whilst providing an ideal solution for long-term storage until all of the contents have been used. The removal of the contents relies upon the consumer squeezing the packaging. Assuming the orifice size remains constant, the force to squeeze the packaging depends largely on the consistency of the e.g. paste/cream. A new device (the Sachet/Tube Extrusion Rig) has been developed which allows the positioning of the end of a sachet or tube between two rollers. The packaging end is clamped with a grip which pulls the tube upwards through the rollers when the test is commenced and hence the contents of the sachet or tube are forced to extruded out of the orifice. The higher the force obtained during this test the more difficult a consumer would find to squeeze out their required amount.
There are few things as wonderful as a slice of fresh bread. The freshness of bread is a major factor in consumer satisfaction and squeezing or smelling of bread loaves is one method you commonly see while shopping. It is universally acknowledged that consumers test bread by squeezing the loaf when choosing which loaf to purchase. The most common exercise being that of squeezing between the thumb and opposing fingers in a ' palmer grasp' . Rounded ' fingers' positioned at an angle representing the typical squeezing action are attached to the arm of the texture analyser and a compression test is performed on the packaged or unpackaged loaf. The force to compress the loaf is measured and a post-test calculation provides an assessment of loaf springiness. This is used as an indication of freshness - the lower the force and higher the value of springiness the fresher the loaf. The texture analyser is currently able to perform the AACC standard method for bread firmness which measures the force required to compress two bread slices to 25% of their height. The Bread V Squeeze Rig offers simplicity, speed and ruggedness by the fact that the loaf requires no sample preparation and this non-destructive freshness assessment can be determined within the packaging as is most commonly performed in store.