Selecting a pH Meter for Food & Beverage Processing
There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting equipment to measure the acidity(pH) of food. Low-acid food manufacturers/processors are required to acidify the foodand maintain records of the pH levels of finished foods of 4.6 or lower. As such, a good pH Meter is a vital instrument in the food and beverage manufacturing industry.In order to produce food that is both high in quality and safe to eat, it is necessary to beable to accurately measure pH. In addition to being safe, having the right sugar-to-acidratios greatly affects the taste and flavor of the finished food or beverage.People often ask the same questions concerning pH Meters:
Q: Where can one purchase a pH Meter?A:
There are many scientific supply companies that sell pH Meters. However, it is best,when possible to buy straight from the manufacturer as they provide the technicalsupport, handle all repairs/returns under warranty and usually provide the best prices.
Q: How much does a pH Meter cost?A:
A pH Meter can cost anywhere from $25 to over a $1,000. The least expensive are probably not the best bet for assuring the quality of food products.
Q: How accurate should a pH Meter be?A:
Accuracy is the single most important attribute for food and beverage applications.Food producers will need a pH Meter with an accuracy of at least +/- 0.05 pH. If you aremaking food products with a very low pH (less than 4.0) than a pH Meter with anaccuracy of +/- 0.2 should be adequate.
Other features to look for in a pH Meter:Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC) -
Temperature compensation is highlyrecommended for the food industry because the pH value will vary slightly with thetemperature of the food being measured. It is also important to have a pH Meter that canstand reasonably high temperatures (140 F or higher).
Calibration -
All good pH Meters can be calibrated to at least two standards (pH buffer solutions) at the same time (i.e. pH 4.0 and pH 7.0). Another cool feature to look for isthe ability to automatically recognize the standard it is placed in for calibration and theability to create and store multiple calibration points.
Calibration Buffer Solutions -
You should always order two pH buffer solutions. It isrecommended that your pH Meter be calibrated to a point that is no more than 3.0 pH
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