Automatic ice-cream characterization by impedance measurements for optimal machine setting

• Published in: Measurement : journal of the International Measurement Confederation 2012-08, Vol.45 (7), p.1747-1754
• Main Authors: Grossi, Marco, Lanzoni, Massimo, Lazzarini, Roberto, Riccò, Bruno
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Classification; Electrical impedance spectroscopy; Electrode–electrolyte interface; Electromagnetism; Electronics; Engineering Sciences; Food engineering; Food quality control; Foods; Fruits; Ice-cream mix; Industrial sensors; Life Sciences; Milk; Mixes; Monitoring; Optimization; Stores
• ISSN: 0263-2241; 1873-412X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.measurement.2012.04.009

► Electrical impedance spectroscopy have been used to characterize ice cream mixes. ► The samples have been tested with two types of sensors with different geometries. ► The samples have been tested in both linear and non-linear region. ► Non-linear electrical response can discriminate milk based and fruit based mixes. ► Further three parts classification needs pH measurements. Electrical characterization of products is gaining increasing interest in the food industry for quality monitoring and control. In particular, this is the case in the ice-cream industry, where machines dedicated to store ice-cream mixes are programmed “ad hoc” for different groups of products. To this purpose, the present work shows that essential product classification (discrimination between milk based and fruit based ice-cream mixes) can be done by means of a technique based on the measurements of non-linear response in the electrical behavior of the electrode–electrolyte interface. The addition of pH measurements allows to further reach the three parts classification occasionally required for advanced applications. The proposed idea is validated by means of measurements on 21 ice-cream mixes, different for producers and composition.