Thanks to a Spectrophotometer Color Plays More Important Role in Prepared Food

There is a predominant philosophy in business that if you make a good enough product people will eventually buy it. Whether it is food, clothing or electronics, the best products always seem to outshine the competitors. However, some people will be surprised to learn that some of the world's biggest companies are using a spectrophotometer to inspect their products before it ever hits the shelf. This trend is very prominent in the food industry. The right color is very important to a majority of people. If a food color is slightly off from the expected level, then most people will reject the product.

Pleasing the Eye First

Most people will try a new food because it just looks good. And this is evident by the massive amount spent on marketing all types of prepared foods. Packaging, displays and commercials always present a product in the best possible way. In order to sell grape juice, for instance, the juice needs to have just the right hue of purple. Otherwise, most people will bypass the product for something else. A spectrophotometer can measure the color and keep the measurements on file. Testing different colors on the general public will prove which shade is the most appealing to the customers and also which colors result in the least amount of sales.

More than Just Appealing

However, the use of the spectrophotometer is not just for marketing. It is actually a fine tuned machine that can aid in quality control for a broad range of products. Measuring the color of the item can help manufacturers get a better handle on shelf life, screen foods for potential problems and even the potential for contamination.

Monitoring Fat Content

Another significant use of the spectrophotometer is in the meat processing industry. Meat is so delicate and needs to be handled at specific temperatures in order to prevent spoilage and sickness. And producers also like to know that they are making lean cuts of meat that are so popular among consumers in this health conscious day. Fisheries in the Northwest have started using spectrophotometer to judge the grade of salmon. And beef processors all across the country are adapting the same technology to determine the amount of fat not just in the carcass but also in each cut of meat.

The number of examples of the use of a spectrophotometer in the food industry varies as much as the different types of food and companies. All kinds of foods are inspected on a daily basis for freshness, quality, and chance for spoilage. The color technology is a great method for internal quality control agents to stay on top of their operations and ensure that they are in compliance with food regulations. Beyond that, the actual inspection industry has a simple way of scanning over a wide range of foods from produce to flour, to baked goods and meat and determine with accuracy which items are within their normal shelf life and which products may pose a danger to consumers.About the Author

Larry Chandler is a freelance writer for Konica Minolta, educating the public on new developments in imaging and color measurement devices. Learn more about Spectrophotometer and Spectroradiometers visit our website.