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Revised PEC method for measuring water activity
Author(s) -
PALACHA Z.,
FLINK J. M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
international journal of food science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.831
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1365-2621
pISSN - 0950-5423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1987.tb00513.x
Subject(s) - calibration , chemistry , raw material , osmosis , range (aeronautics) , analytical chemistry (journal) , sucrose , environmental science , chromatography , materials science , mathematics , membrane , food science , statistics , biochemistry , composite material , organic chemistry
Summary The Proximity Equilibration Cell (PEC) method of Lenart & Flink (1983) for measuring water activity (a w ) in foods was revised by improving equilibration cell design and cell handling procedures. Calibration methods were changed to eliminate time and temperature variation effects on measured (a w ). The PEC cells are inexpensive, easy to use and can measure a w over the range 0.4–1.0, although accuracy is greatly improved above 0.6. In a study of osmotic concentration of apple (Palacha & Flink, 1987) over 1000 a w measurements were made over a 3‐month period. Values of a w for raw apple (0.985) and sucrose osmosis solutions were in good agreement with literature values.