Time-Domain Magnetic Resonance is a well established analytical technique that has been used for decades within the Food industry. Spinlock’s unique innovations have widen the application possibilities for this technology with unique technological advantages, such as the measurement of Oleic Acid and the elimination of sample drying requirements.
Today, Geneticists, Chemists, and Food Quality Engineers use Spinlock Products for Research and Quality Control & Assurance purposes. Learn more about Spinlock’s contributions to the Agriculture and Food industries, below.
Production, collection and genetics industry of oil seeds and oil fruits is one of the strongest global economies. As it evolves, it requires innovation and state-of-the-art technology which accompanies its growing process. Spinlock focuses on their specific needs; that is why it offers comprehensive solutions which are unique in the market.
Besides the need to determine oil and moisture percentage on grains and oils, the industry seeks solutions to handle crops in order to increase yield and quality. Crops of super-producing seeds of oleic acid are favored since oils containing this oleic acid improve their stability, and thus their value. The NMR analysis of individual seeds allows the selection and reproduction of seeds with high oleic acid content farming them after the determination, since this technique does not destroy the sample.
In this way, the NMR technique becomes a tool for seed and oil quality control which makes daily work easier for producers, service and research laboratories.
The Olive Oil industry is one of the most traditional arms of agriculture. Also, Olive Oil has been qualified as healthy food worldwide. Magnetic Resonance is a technology that has been used for decades to control:
When Spinlock first approached the Industry, there was a strong call for a device that would be as precise as NMR (Magnetic Resonance) but would be able to measure “online”, meaning “without having to wait 13 hours for the sample to be dried in the oven”.
The R+D team worked intensively to develop a solution. It was always a problem for the industry, as a press not adequately regulated could imply thousands of U.S Dollars in losses for the oil company or the fruit owner during a single night.
The research concluded with the development of the first and only (patented) method to measure humid olive paste, fast and online, with the advantages of the precision and robustness of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
This technique has allowed Spinlock to position SLK 100 and SLK 200 products in all the main Olive Oil producing countries like Spain, Italy, Australia and Argentina.
With Spinlock methodology for olive analysis, a unique and simultaneous measurement can be performed to determine the material fat and moisture on dry basis and wet basis. These parameters, together with the oleic acid and other fatty acid contents, allow determining the oil quality safely and quickly. With this methodology, there is no need to previously dry the samples which greatly reduces the process times and delivers wet basis analysis results in just 2 minutes.
| Sample: 27m3 Grinded Olive Paste or Pomace (humid) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy (95% Confidence Level) |
Measurement Time (seconds) |
|
| % Fat / Oil Content | ±1.5% | 2 |
| % Moisture | ±2.5% | 2 |
| Sample: 27cm3 Dry Olives Paste or Pomace | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeatability (95% Confidence Level) |
Uncertainty (95% Confidence Level) |
Measurement Time (seconds) |
|
| % Fat / Oil Content | ±0.06% | ±1% | 4 |
| % Moisture | ±0.07% | ±0.06% | 4 |
| % Fatty Acids* | ±0.54% | ±3% | 28 |
(*) Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid and Total Saturated Fatty Acid.
The Avocado Production is a fast-growing industry dominated by the discovered health benefits of the Avocado and its customer acceptance for culinary and consumption in general.
Spinlock has applied its unique know-how related to the Fat content determination in high moisture samples to the quality and production control of Avocado. Just like the case of Mayonaise and Olives, Spinlock’s unique technology offers the possibility to control online (and also inline) parameters like Moisture and Fat content of Avocado Fruit, Pomace and also Oil.
Magnetic Resonance Technology developed by Spinlock is important to determine:
For the Avocado Industry, in particular, Spinlock offers the unique advantage of being able to control the production online and very quickly. In adition, Inline NMRs are a growing market and hold a continued customer acceptance as allowing the control and measurement of all samples delivers clients a double benefit: a) controlling the entire production, and b) with the Inline NMR being able to act to separate or discard a product with e.g. a disease before it is processed or packed is a unique advantage to ensure a 100% quality control on any production line.
| Sample: 27 cm3 Grinded Avocado or Pomace (humid) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy (95% Confidence Level) |
Measurement Time (seconds) |
|
| % Fat / Oil Content | ±1.5% | 2 |
| % Moisture | ±2.5% | 2 |
| Sample: 27cm3 Dry Avocado Paste or Pomace | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeatability (95% Confidence Level) |
Uncertainty (95% Confidence Level) |
Measurement Time (seconds) |
|
| % Fat / Oil Content | ±0.06% | ±1% | 4 |
| % Moisture | ±0.07% | ±0.06% | 4 |
| % Fatty Acids* | ±0.54% | ±3% | 28 |
(*) Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid.
The accurate analysis of fat and water content is very important in the dairy industry due to quality control and regular control compliance.
The pulse NMR is an interesting method to determine the fat and water content in dairy products, since it is a non-destructive, sensitive and direct approach.
Dairy samples can be analyzed without extraction or dependence on chemical reactions or indicators. The NMR analysis method is possible due to a pulse NMR analyzer available. This technique is based on the NMR relaxometry analysis. It allows distinguishing within water content, free water and structured water (moisture), and within fat content, solid, crystalline, amorphous, and liquid fat. Compared to classic methods, such as solvent fat extraction or oven drying, the NMR offers many advantages. Besides its speed, the analysis accuracy and reproducibility make the NMR one of the most profitable technologies at the moment.
As Technology moves forward, all industries become more and more concerned with quality control and assurance. Particularly in the case of Mayonnaise Industrial production lines, it is critical to control the OIL and MOISTURE content of the product.
Spinlock has developed a novel methodology to replace the traditional Chemical method to control Oil/Fat and Moisture content, also avoiding drying or conditioning the sample for analysis.
The Spinlock NMR method has been developed by our R&D Team together with mayor Industry players and is today used industrially. It permits immediate control of the entire Production Line, obtaining precise results and avoiding delays and the use of chemicals for the process.
Spinlock NMR is cleaner, safer, and faster for all Industry Quality Control and Assurance processes.
The SLK -200 NMR analyzer of Spinlock allows to measure Fat and Moisture Content in Chocolate. The SLK 200 delivers fast (seconds) and accurate results with a non-destructive method that guarantees high levels of reproducibility.
The SLK 200 allows immediate feedback to the production plant to control the process. It does not destroy or alter the sample allowing repetitions and multiple measurements.
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