Page 66 - FoodFocusThailand No.219 June 2024

SMART
SMART PRODUCTION PRODUCTION

Accurate and Fast

pH Measurement in Sauce

with Smart Sensor Technology

In the food industry, natural food acids are often used in the preparation of sauces such as lactic, acetic,
malic, or citric acid, to avoid the growth of microorganisms, increase food safety value, increase the shelf
life of the product, as well as provide taste, texture, and flavor to the food. Therefore, control of acidity in
processed food products or sauces plays an important role, as it directly affects the growth of pathogens,
which is often one of the causes of spoilage in food products. For this reason, the U.S. federal government
has regulated food production by setting the pH in the final acidity adjustment at 4.6 or below.

Limitations of Standard Sensors for Sauce pH 2. Composition and homogeneity of the sample:
Measurement Because the sauce is viscous, non-aqueous, and contains
The texture, consistency, and viscosity of the sauce are protein and fat components, it can restrict the outflow of
determined by its ingredients and processing. The difficulties the reference electrolyte, resulting in erroneous pH results.
and unfavorable effects on the pH measurement results of 3. Cleaning of sensor after measurement:
sauce samples when using a typical pH sensor are as follows: The texture and components of the sauce make the sensor
1. Semisolid sample matrix: In standard pH measurements, foul due to deposition on the delicate glass membrane,
it takes a long response time to get a pH value in equilibrium. which is difficult to clean. Sauce samples can easily clog
If the sauce sample is semisolid, it is difficult to insert a sensor a standard reference (ceramic) junction.
into it without affecting the delicate sensing membrane.

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