The Pet Food Industry has been subjected to increased regulations each year and is one of the most highly competitive markets in the food sector. Each manufacturer must ensure that the product produced is not just up to the expectation of the consumers, but economically viable so the product can be offered at a competitive price.
The three most important and expensive components of both wet and dry products are moisture, fat and protein. In case the analysis of these ingredients is not accurate, it will cause lower yields and cause a loss in revenue.
The HYBRID Trac can test both incoming raw meats and finished dry products for both moisture/solids as well as fat, and the Sprint Protein Analyzer can study any food product for true protein. With the HYBRID Trac from CEM, moisture and fat are tested using TD-NMR combined with microwave drying, which has been proven to be the most accurate rapid method available. By studying the complete sample on a not just the surface, precise, real time results are ensured.
Direct protein testing is also done using the Sprint rapid protein analyzer eliminating calibrations and drifting results using dye-binding technology. The proprietary iTag Solution of CEM binds directly to protein molecules at 4 distinct locations, ensuring only true protein is read. Most other technologies make use of nitrogen analysis, which produces inaccurate data due to miscalculations or adulterants
Method Development
The same protocol is followed by both the HYBRID Trac and the Sprint Protein Analyzer. With an accepted form of reference (long method analysis), three to eight samples covering the production range in fat or protein should be analyzed.
Each of these three to eight reference samples are tested three times on the corresponding CEM system and then a linear correlation curve is drawn.
Once the most representative points have been designated on the curve, the method is complete and ready for real-time analysis
.jpg)
Figure 1. Using the Sprint protein analyzer
Samples were collected from actual CEM customers and built in CEM’s own laboratory. For moisture and fat results, Soxhlet extraction and forced air oven drying were used as reference tests, respectively. The Kjeldahl method was used as a reference test for protein analysis.
Results Analysis
The results are shown in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4
Table 1. Raw Chicken and Beef Blend
| Sample # |
Moisture Reference |
Moisture Results |
Moisture Error |
Fat Reference |
Fat Results |
Fat Error |
Protein Reference |
Protein Results |
Protein Error |
| 1 |
63.22 |
62.99 |
0.23 |
17.54 |
17.54 |
0.00 |
13.38 |
13.32 |
0.06 |
| 2 |
62.92 |
0.30 |
17.57 |
0.03 |
13.65 |
0.27 |
| 3 |
63.07 |
0.15 |
17.33 |
0.21 |
13.47 |
0.09 |
| 4 |
63.11 |
0.11 |
17.43 |
0.11 |
13.88 |
0.50 |
| 5 |
62.90 |
0.32 |
17.52 |
0.02 |
N/A |
|
| Average |
62.99 |
0.23 |
17.48 |
0.06 |
13.58 |
0.20 |
Table 2. Raw meat slurry
| Sample # |
Moisture Reference |
Moisture Results |
Moisture Error |
Fat Reference |
Fat Results |
Fat Error |
Protein Reference |
Protein Results |
Protein Error |
| 1 |
56.63 |
56.23 |
0.30 |
26.52 |
26.59 |
0.14 |
8.42 |
8.46 |
0.04 |
| 2 |
56.44 |
0.09 |
26.24 |
0.28 |
8.35 |
0.07 |
| 3 |
56.36 |
0.17 |
26.63 |
0.11 |
8.42 |
0.00 |
| 4 |
56.73 |
0.20 |
26.68 |
0.16 |
8.44 |
0.02 |
| 5 |
56.65 |
0.12 |
26.39 |
0.13 |
8.50 |
0.08 |
| Average |
56.48 |
0.05 |
26.53 |
0.01 |
8.44 |
0.02 |
Table 3. Finished Kibble
| Sample # |
Moisture Reference |
Moisture Results |
Moisture Error |
Fat Reference |
Fat Results |
Fat Error |
Protein Reference |
Protein Results |
Protein Error |
| 1 |
6.42 |
6.51 |
0.09 |
15.27 |
15.32 |
0.05 |
21.29 |
21.35 |
0.06 |
| 2 |
6.61 |
0.19 |
15.17 |
0.10 |
21.38 |
0.09 |
| 3 |
6.19 |
0.23 |
15.23 |
0.04 |
21.14 |
0.15 |
| 4 |
6.37 |
0.05 |
15.09 |
0.18 |
21.33 |
0.04 |
| 5 |
6.46 |
0.04 |
15.15 |
0.12 |
21.30 |
0.01 |
| Average |
6.43 |
0.01 |
15.19 |
0.08 |
21.30 |
0.01 |
Table 4. Finished Can Pet Food
| Sample # |
Moisture Reference |
Moisture Results |
Moisture Error |
Fat Reference |
Fat Results |
Fat Error |
Protein Reference |
Protein Results |
Protein Error |
| 1 |
75.26 |
75.43 |
0.17 |
5.62 |
5.60 |
0.02 |
10.29 |
10.34 |
0.05 |
| 2 |
75.20 |
0.06 |
5.59 |
0.03 |
10.40 |
0.11 |
| 3 |
75.29 |
0.03 |
5.64 |
0.02 |
10.33 |
0.04 |
| 4 |
75.37 |
0.11 |
5.58 |
0.04 |
10.31 |
0.02 |
| 5 |
75.27 |
0.01 |
5.59 |
0.03 |
10.33 |
0.04 |
| Average |
75.31 |
0.05 |
5.60 |
0.02 |
10.34 |
0.05 |
HYBRID Trac
The HYBRID Trac is an advanced NMR system developed by CEM, which can study both wet and dry products. It couples an advanced NMR magnet for fat analysis with the SMART Turbo Microwave for moisture analysis of wet raw meat products. It also makes use of the NMR magnet for fat and moisture analysis of dry products, including flours and finished kibble, the first system available commercially for this purpose. It has complete AOAC approval for meat products, and is more precise when compared to FTIR, NIR, and FTNIR systems.
The system has an easy-to-use interface offering results in below 5 minutes for wet products and less than 2 minutes for dry products. There is no need for glassware or hazardous solvents when compared to traditional wet techniques. Figure 2 shows the HYBRID Trac.
.jpg)
Figure 2. HYBRID Trac
Key Features
The key features of the HYBRID Trac are:
- Makes use of AOAC 2008.06 for meat products
- Wet and dry sample capacity
- More accurate than NIR, FTIR, and FTNIR
- No costly calibration maintenance
- Large touch screen for quick reference
- Interactive videos to help train users
SPRINT Protein Analyzer
The SPRINT Protein Analyzer makes use of an AOAC Approved technology that automates and advances dye-binding techniques that have proven effective since 1970. There is no need for calculation or calibration seen with Kjeldahl and combustion as it measures protein directly and is not swayed by the presence of adulterants or other NPN molecules. Analysis is quite simple and new technicians can easily use the system. Results are recorded immediately and stored for future reference. Figure 3 shows the SPRINT protein analyzer.
.jpg)
Figure 3. SPRINT Protein Analyzer
Key Features
The key features of the SPRINT protein analyzer are:
- Uses AOAC 2011.04 for meat products
- Wet and dry sample capacity
- Simple to use
- Easy to maintain
- Directly determines amount of protein
- More accurate than Kjeldahl and combustion techniques
- Winner of 2009 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
- Easy and intuitive user interface
Conclusion
The Sprint and the HYBRID Trac systems could precisely and quickly determine the amount of moisture, fat, and protein for each sample - wet and dry. All results were within an acceptable amount of error.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by CEM Corporation.
For more information on this source, please visit CEM Corporation.