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Separating String Cheese with a TA-226 Tug Fixture
Food, Dairy
String cheese is a popular snack that is soft to bite but is often enjoyed by peeling strips off the sticks to eat separately. Mozzarella is commonly used for making string cheese since it has proteins that can be aligned...
Play-Doh Over Time
Gels
Play-Doh, the beloved modeling compound cherished by generations of children, offers boundless creative possibilities with its soft, pliable nature. It is not uncommon for pieces to be left behind and discovered hours later. Using a TA-18A 3/4” diameter stainless steel...
Determining CDI and DTS of Chewable Tablets
Pharmaceutical
Chewable tablets are designed for consumers who have difficulty swallowing pills or who prefer them over traditional hard dosage tablets. Reports of adverse health experiences associated with chewable tablets, such as intestinal obstruction due to incomplete chewing or tooth damage...
Syringeability-with-a-TA-3
Pharmaceutical
The ease with which injectable pharmaceuticals flow out a syringe and through a needle determines how easily the preparation can be administered, impacts patient comfort during injection and affects how the material is received when deposited under the skin. This...
Leafy Greens with TA-52 Puncture Probe
Food, Produce
This application study presents a simple puncture method for testing leafy greens. Adult spinach, romaine lettuce, and red leaf lettuce and were tested fresh, after 24 hours, and again after 72 hours. The leaves were mounted in the TA-108S-5i Indexible...
Boiled Potatoes Tested Three Ways
Food
In this application study a single bag of Russet potatoes was diced, boiled, and tested with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, and three fixtures: TA-93WST Wire Screen Forward Extrusion Fixture, TA-65 Multiple Puncture Rig, and TA-25C Crunchiness Rig. The...
Quantifying Impact Absorption and Resilience of Recovery Footwear
Materials
Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain involving inflammation of the plantar fascia tissue. A key part of effective treatment is wearing supportive footwear which absorbs the impact of each step. This study evaluates which OOFOS shoe model...
Dough Series Ten - Pizza Dough with Stainless Steel Plates
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Nine - Pizza Dough with Pure Cohesion Rig
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Eight - Pizza Dough with Wire Screen Forward Extrusion
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Seven - Pizza Dough with a Cheese Extensibility Rig
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Six - Pizza Dough with TA-100ATX Rig
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Five - Pizza Dough with Warburton Dough Stickiness System
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Four - Pizza Dough with Crunchiness Set
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Three - Pizza Dough with a Chisel Knife
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series Two - Pizza Dough with a Ball Probe
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Dough Series One - Pizza Dough with an Acrylic Cylinder
Food
This series was created to examine different ways dough can be tested and presented. Pizza dough was selected as a model dough system since it could be purchased in large enough batches and stored in a freezer until ready for...
Beer Foam Stability
Food
The stability of beer foam is a high-profile attribute which is of significant interest to both brewers and consumers alike. The quality of the head atop a freshly poured glass of beer can influence perceptions of a beer’s overall quality...
Gap Test of Four Types of Rice Using a TA-40 4” Diameter Cylinder
Food, Cereal
This is the second part of the “Gap Testing of a Single Layer of Rice Using TA-40 4” Diameter Cylinder” application study. This study evaluates the reproducibility and differentiation of a gap test on a single layer of rice...
Conversation Hearts
Food, Confectionery
Don’t break my heart - but we did!
Conversation hearts are a confection ubiquitous with Valentine’s Day. These brightly colored heart shaped confections delight consumers with fun colors and silly phrases. We compared two popular conversation heart brands, ‘Brach’s Conversation...
Gap Testing of a Single Layer of Rice Using TA-40 4” Diameter Cylinder
Food, Cereal
Rice is a food staple for over 3 billion people in the world. There are plenty of published articles describing methods for evaluating the firmness of cooked rice but no consensus exists between different breeders and researchers. This study presents...
Brie and Camembert Tested Four Ways
Food, Dairy
Brie and Camembert both have edible rinds and relatively creamy textures. The tests were conducted to determine which method best picked up the moldy rinds and which best quantifies the softness and adhesion of the interior cheese.
Two...
Strawberry Freshness
Food, Produce
The physical characteristics of strawberries are often important to growers, strawberry product producers, and end consumers. This TA.XTPlus application study presents a simple puncture test method to analyze strawberries using a TA-53 three mm diameter stainless steel puncture probe. The...
Regular & Alternative Cheeses Tested with the TA-426N Cheese Extensibility Rig
Food, Dairy, New Foods
The extensibility, or stretchability, of cheese has remained an important characteristic of study since Texture Technologies’ original application study, Cheese Stretchability with the TA-426 Fixture. In this new study, the TA-426N’s hooked lifting plate was centered in the sample...
Cohesion of Four Types of Cheese Slices
Food
Measuring the cohesion of sliced products is difficult because they are typically soft, pliable and are tough to grip for tensile testing. This study presents a method to isolate the cohesion of sliced products. The method is illustrated by testing...
Peanut Butter and Nutella
Food
Measuring the cohesion of semi-solids is tricky, since soft or pliable materials are also difficult to grip for tensile testing. This study presents a method to isolate the cohesion of semi-solid materials from their adhesion. The method is illustrated by...
Ramen Noodles with SMS’ Triple Ring Cutting System
Food, Pasta
This application study illustrates a method for measuring the firmness of ramen noodles. Measuring the bite strength or firmness of ramen noodles is extremely difficult because strands are irregularly shaped, are of different thicknesses, are extremely sensitive to cooking time,...
Kinesiology Tapes #8 – Relaxation & Cyclic Fatigue
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
This is the eighth application study on kinesiology tapes (for the first study, see here). Kinesiology tapes provide support in a manner which does not limit movement because they are woven with elastic and inelastic fibers. The elastic fibers...
Kinesiology Tapes #7 – Lap Shear vs Tape Backing with TA-96B2 Grips
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
Kinesiology tapes are removed by being peeled away from users’ skin or from other strips of tape. This is the seventh application study on kinesiology tapes which measures their peel strength (for the first study, see here; for the...
Kinesiology Tapes #3 – Lap Shear vs Stainless Steel with TA-96B2 Grips
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
This is the third in a series of application studies on kinesiology tapes (for the first study, see here). This study examines the lap shear behavior of the same twelve brands of kinesiology tapes when adhered against stainless steel....
Bagel Puncture
Food, Baked
In this application study the staling characteristics of two different lots of plain bagels were analyzed with the TA.XTPlus Connect Texture Analyzer. The first lot of bagels was from a local specialty bagel shop, The Maine Bagel, and the second...
Rehydrated Seaweed Mean Shear Force with TA-93WSTM
Food, Produce
In this application study the shear strength of rehydrated seaweed was analyzed with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, and the TA-93WSTM. The TA-93WSTM is a smaller version of the TA-93WST wire screen forward extrusion fixture to accommodate limited samples....
Kinesiology Tapes #6 – Lap Shear vs Tape Backing with TA-96B2 Grips
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
Kinesiology tapes are often overlapped against sections of other applied strips of the same tape and these sections can experience substantial stress during use. This is the sixth application study on kinesiology tapes (for the first study, see here)...
Kinesiology Tapes #5 – Lap Shear vs Wet Foam with TA-96B2 Grips
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
This is the fifth in a series of application studies on kinesiology tapes (for the first study, see here). This study examines the lap shear behavior of twelve brands of kinesiology tapes when they were mounted on strips of...
Kinesiology Tapes #4 – Lap Shear vs Dry Foam with TA-96B2 Grips
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
This is the fourth in a series of application studies on kinesiology tapes (for the first study, see here). This study examines the lap shear behavior of twelve brands of kinesiology tapes when they were mounted on strips of...
Dog Kibble Fracture with TA-53
Food, Petfood
The TA.XTPlus Connect Texture Analyzer was used to measure the hardness, brittleness, toughness, and crispiness/crunchiness of three varieties of dog kibble. Samples tested include Rachel Ray Nutrish (Real Beef, Pea, & Brown Rice Kibble), Nutro Wholesome Essentials (Beef & Brown...
Dog Canned Food Multiple Puncture
Food, Petfood
The TA.XTPlus Connect Texture Analyzer was used to measure the stiffness, firmness, and toughness of five varieties of canned dog food. The products that were tested were Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Beef Dinner with Garden Vegetables (loaf), Purina Beyond Grain-Free...
Kinesiology Tapes #2 – Wet Adhesion with the TA-303 Tack Fixture
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
This is the second in a series of application studies on kinesiology tapes. For the first study in this series, see here. This study builds on using the same test techniques as the initial study on adhesive tack by...
Kinesiology Tapes #1 – Adhesion with the TA-303 Tack Fixture
Adhesives, Materials, Medical Devices
Kinesiology tapes are a special type of athletic tape with unique properties and many applications. The tapes must meet a complex set of performance metrics. Kinesiology tapes must be sticky enough to adhere to skin when applied and used in...
Cannabis Gummies Tested Four Ways
Food, Confectionery, Pharmaceutical
Edible cannabis gummies are a popular delivery method for both THC and CBD recreational and medical products. Quality and consistency will be important as firms begin to apply pharmaceutical grade quality standards to edible cannabis products. This application study presents...
Bouillon Cubes: Two Penetration Methods
Food
This application study presents two different methods used to penetrate and fracture bouillon cubes. The first method utilized a TA-17 30 degree cone probe and the second method utilized a TA-52 2mm diameter puncture probe. Three replicate tests for each...
Alternative Cheese
Food, Dairy, New Foods
The TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer is used extensively by major brands in the alternative foods industry to objectively quantify the physical properties of their products. The TA.XTPlus can aid companies in developing new food products that emulate the physical characteristics of...
Construction Flashing Tapes
Materials, Films, Adhesive
Various kinds of flashing tapes are used in construction and need to have strong adhesion but cannot be so tacky that they are difficult to handle and to properly position for the targeted purpose. This study compares the tack and...
Boba Pearl Firmness and Resilience
Food, Confectionery
In this application study the physical characteristics of two black tapioca boba pearl varieties were tested with the TA.XTPlus and a TA-4 1.5" diameter compression probe. WuFuYuan and E-Fa boba pearls were prepared following the included instructions. The two brands’...
Tortilla Chips
Food, Baked, Snack
In this application study the firmness characteristics of ten different kinds of tortilla chips from six different brands were tested with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and TA-101 Crisp Chip Fixture. Samples included Tostitos (Original, Cantina, and Organic Blue Corn), Utz...
SMS Tablet Granules
Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics
The strength of fine tablet particles and granules were measured by compressing the granules to a uniform thickness. Individual granules or a monolayer of particles can be nicely characterized using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer.
Ground Proteins Tested Two Ways
Food, Meat, New Foods
The purpose of this application study is to establish a highly repeatable and discriminatory methods to measure the firmness, resilience and instant springback of ground meats and alternative proteins. The methods include cooking, sample preparation and testing parameters in order...
Scrambled Eggs
Food
In this application study the TA-040SQFL-G Parallel Plate fixture was used to measure the firmness, resilience, and instant springback of five different types of eggs. The purpose of this application study is to explore methods which can measure the firmness,...
Pringles & Pretzel Sticks – Sample Size and Acoustic CEF Test Settings
Food
This study examines the variability inherent in two types of snacks and it explores the impact of changes in the Corner Envelope Frequency setting when using the Acoustic Envelope Detector.
Petroleum Jelly
Cosmetics, Gels, Materials, Pharmaceutical
In this application study four different samples of petroleum jelly were tested with an acrylic TA-23 1⁄2” diameter rounded end probe to measure physical characteristics. Samples included: Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly with Cocoa Butter, Equate (Walmart store brand)...
Mayonnaise Spreadability
Food, Dairy
In this application study the firmness and spreadability of five mayonnaise products were tested with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and TA-425 Spreadability Fixture. The tested products were: Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise, Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise, Hellmann’s Olive Oil Mayonnaise, Hellmann’s Canola Mayonnaise,...
Alternative Yogurt Relaxation
Food, Dairy, New Foods
The TA.XTPlus can aid companies develop new products, emulate traditional offerings, and help ensure consistent production quality. In this study, the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and TA-11 1” diameter acrylic probe were used to perform a relaxation test on several alternative...
Face Mask Adhesion
Cosmetics, Gels
Face masks are a popular skincare product designed to deliver a solution directly to the face so that it can be absorbed by the skin. Masks are applied by gently smoothing them to match face contours and then pressed into...
Cottage Cheese
Food, Dairy
In this application study the TA-93WST wire screen forward extrusion fixture was used to analyze two different types of cottage cheese. The TA-93WST uniformly shears samples as they are extruded across the screen. This test method typically excels at differentiating...
Alternative Pasta Tested with a Forward Extrusion Method
Food, Pasta
The demand for pasta made from a variety of alternative grains and legumes has risen in recent years. In this study three different types of alternative penne pasta were compared with a traditional wheat-based penne pasta. Barilla Penne was chosen...
Quinoa Firmness
Food
The stiffness, firmness, and toughness of two brands of organic quinoa were analyzed in this application study. Both samples of quinoa were prepared identically. This test method generates very repeatable and differentiating results and allows producers to objectively measure the...
Refried Beans
Food, Produce
In this application study the TA.XTPlus, Exponent software, and TA-65 Multiple Puncture Rig were used to analyze key physical characteristics of seven varieties of refried beans. The brands which were tested included: Casa Fiesta, Casa Fiesta No Fat, Old El...
Stacy’s Pita Chips Acoustic TA-25C Compression
Food
In this application study, the crispiness and crunchiness of Stacy’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips and Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Thins are compared using the 1.1” TA-25C compression probe and the Reference Acoustic Envelope Detector (RAED).
Snack Cracker Acoustic Three Point Bend
Food
Three point bend tests are commonly used to measure the bending and breaking force of a wide variety of stiff and brittle products. This application study covers two different types of snacks: Melba Whole Grain Snacks and Wheat Thins Whole...
Entertainment Cracker Acoustic Three Point Bend
Food
In this application study, three point bend testing was performed on an entire package of Carr’s crackers with the TA.XTPlus and Reference Acoustic Envelope Detector (RAED). Stable Micro System’s Reference Acoustic Envelope Detector (RAED) works in conjunction with the TA.XTPlus...
Cooked Burger Patty Three Point Bend Test
Food, Meat, New Foods
In this application study three point bend testing was performed on three different batches of premade, store-bought burger patties. The patties varied by fat content at 80% lean, 85% lean, and 90% lean. Three patties from each batch were cooked...
Cooked Burger Patty TA-46 MORS Shear
Food, Meat, New Foods
In this application study the shear characteristics of pre-made, store bought cooked 80% lean, 85% lean, and 90% lean burger patties were analyzed with the TA-46MORS blade. The TA-46MORS uses interchangeable narrow razor blades to perform targeted shear tests.
Cooked Burger Patty TA-45 Incisor vs. TA-46 MORS Shear
Food, Meat, New Foods
In this application study the shear characteristics of a cooked 85% lean burger patty were analyzed with two different small blades, the TA-45 Incisor Blade and the TA-46 MORS blade. Since each of these two blades are relatively small, multiple...
Burger Patty Cohesive Strength and Toughness
Food, Meat, New Foods
In this application study the internal cohesive strength and toughness of three different batches of premade, store-bought burger patties was tested with the TA-226 Tug Fixture. The burger patties varied by fat content at 80% lean, 85% lean, and 90%...
Beyond Meat Beyond Burger TA-46 MORS Shear
Food, Meat, New Foods
The Beyond Meat "Beyond Burger" is a meat alternative burger patty designed to emulate traditional beef patties. In this study the shear characteristics of the Beyond Burger were analyzed with a TA-46 MORS blade and compared to 80% lean, 85%...
Melatonin Gummies
Food, Gels, Pharmaceutical
In this application study two brands of melatonin chewable gummies are analyzed using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, TA-52 2mm puncture probe, and TA-108s-Gi Indexable Gummy fixture.
Immune Support Gummies
Food, Gels, Pharmaceutical
In this application study two brands of immune support wedge gummies are analyzed using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, TA-52 2mm puncture probe, and TA-108s-Gi Indexable Gummy fixture.
Chewable Fiber Gummies
Food, Gels, Pharmaceutical
In this study three brands of fiber gummies were tested with a TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, TA-52 2 mm puncture probe, and TA-108s-Gi Indexable Gummy fixture.
Multivitamin Gummies
Food, Gels, Pharmaceuticals
This method looks at the firmness, toughness, and adhesion of gummies.
Gummy Bears
Food, Gels, Pharmaceutical
In this study four brands of gummy bear candy and one chewable fiber gummy bear were tested using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, a TA-52 2 mm diameter puncture probe, and the TA-108s-Gi Indexable Gummy fixture.
Boiled Rice
Food, Cereal
Rice is a popular staple all around the world and it is available in different textures, sizes, colors, and flavors. The textural attributes of rice determine how certain rice varieties are used. For example, rice which is soft, sweet, and...
Turkey Deli Meat Tested Three Ways
Food, Meat
This application study demonstrates three different methods for testing deli meat using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent software. Six different brands of oven roasted turkey deli meat were subjected to these three test methods. The brands were: Buddig, Butterball,...
Alternative Deli Meat Tested Three Ways
Food, New Foods
This application study demonstrates three different methods for testing alternative deli meat using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent software. The three test methods in this study are identical to the three methods used in the Turkey Deli Meat Tested...
Chickenless Nuggets and Tenders
Food, New Foods
This application study presents two different shear testing methods which analyze the firmness and consistency of four different brands of alternative chicken nuggets and one traditional chicken nugget brand.
Alternative Cream Cheese Spreads
Food, Dairy, New Foods
This application study presents two test methods for evaluating the textural similarities between vegan cream cheese alternatives and a traditional cream cheese spread. Alternative cream cheeses are often made with soy or nuts and were introduced to meet demand from...
Potato Salad
Food, Produce
The consistency of potato salad is often a source for customer complaints. The overall firmness of the salad is heavily dependent on the chunks of potato in the mix. These irregularly sized pieces of potato would likely generate highly variable...
Potato Chips
Food, Confectionery
Many consumers associate the quality of potato chips with the firmness and initial crunch of the chip. This application study presents a simple method to test the overall firmness of potato chips. The TA.XTPlus, Exponent software, and the TA-101 Crisp...
Painter’s Tape
Adhesives
The adhesion of four different kinds of painter’s tape was examined in this application study. The adhesive used on painter’s tape needs to be highly cohesive so that it doesn’t leave residue behind. The tape cannot be so strong that...
Mounting Tapes - Adhesion with Automated Wet-Dry Cleaning Station
Adhesives
This application examines the tack and work of adhesion of two different brands of clear mounting tape. The tapes were tested with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, Automated Linear Indexing Stage (ALIS), and TTC’s Automated Wet/Dry Cleaning Station. Strips...
Hamburger Buns
Food, Baked
This application study uses the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent Software to compare six different hamburger buns. The white buns tested were from Pepperidge Farms, Country Kitchen, and Arnold. The brand of potato bun was from Martin’s. The whole wheat...
Hershey Miniature Chocolate Bars
Food, Confectionery
This study evaluates the firmness of four different Hershey’s brand chocolate bars. The varieties that were tested are: Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Mr. Goodbar, and Krackel. The chocolate bars were evaluated with a TA-52 2 mm diameter stainless steel puncture...
York Peppermint Patties
Food, Confectionery
This application study presents a puncture test method for analyzing the firmness and layers of York Peppermint Patties and similar layered candies. A TA-53 3 mm diameter puncture probe was aligned over a 6 mm diameter hole in the test...
M&M Candy - Puncture
Food, Confectionery
In this application study M&M’s and Peanut M&M’s candies were tested with a TA-52 2 mm Puncture Probe in order to test the firmness and brittleness of the outer coating.
Girl Scout Cookies
Food, Baked
This study compares three similar types of cookies from the two bakeries. The brands that were compared are Shortbread vs. Trefoils, Thin Mints, and Peanut Butter Sandwiches vs. Do Si Dos.
Fruitcake Evaluated Three Ways
Food, Baked, Confectionery
Fruitcake is a rich, fruit laden cake that is enjoyed at special occasions and holidays. Many European countries have their own versions of fruitcake, sometimes also known as ‘Stollen’. All of the variants use high concentrations of dried or candied...
Verifying a TAXTPlus load cell with a scale
Materials
Customers occasionally request a dynamic test method to verify their instrument performance to determine whether it generates repeatable results. Among the purposes of these requests are to meet IQ/OQ or calibration requirements, to determine whether one instrument is varying more...
Method for Firmness of Irregularly Shaped Pasta
Food, Pasta
The pasta industry has established firmness methods for spaghetti and Asian noodles, but it has struggled to develop and adopt a common method for the firmness for different shapes of short goods pasta. A common method is an important milestone...
SMS Loop Tack Test
Adhesives
FINAT method 9 is adapted to the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. The “quick tack” of pressure sensitive tapes is compared with high speed data acquisition and automatic data analysis. The effects of different adhesives on similar backing materials and the same...
Load Cell Repeatability & Sensitivity to Weight Used for Calibration Weight
Food, Materials
Stable Micro Systems’ TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer can be used with the following capacity load cells: 500 grams, 5 kilos, 10 kilos, 30 kilos or 50 kilos. The TA.XTExpress Texture Analyzer can be used with 500 gram, 5 kilo, or 10...
Gluesticks-Vertical Friction Rig
Adhesives
Texture Technologies has developed a versatile, new fixture, the TA-317 Vertical Friction Rig, to measure friction characteristics of various materials with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. The Vertical Friction Rig design has been registered with the OHIM. The fixture has a...
Fast Acting Glues - 3 Point Bend
Adhesives
It is difficult to test debonding behaviors for some adhesives such as “SuperGlue®”, “FutureGlue®” or “Krazy Glue®” cyanoacrylate adhesives for tack, shear or peel because they cure so rapidly. Their bonds are so strong it might take a great force...
Foam Stress Strain Resilience
Materials
Foams are used for thousands of different applications and can be very complex, with highly varied degrees of firmness, resilience, relaxation, creep, and fatigue behaviors. Single firmness metrics, such as the PSI firmness values listed in catalogs, do not provide...
Foam Relaxation and Creep Recovery
foam, Materials
As described in the “Foam Stress Strain Resilience” study foams are sold based PSI metrics which are rarely relevant to the complex applications in which foams are used. This study introduces several new metrics that can be extracted from a...
Foam Fatigue and Cyclic Testing
foam, Materials
Foams can be very complex, with highly varied degrees of firmness, resilience, relaxation, creep, and fatigue behaviors. This study builds on the “Foam Stress Strain Resilience” and the “Foam Relaxation and Creep Recovery” applications and introduces additional fatigue metrics. Foams...
Dry Skin Cream and Skin Cleansers
Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics
CVS claims on its skin cleanser and dry skin cream packaging that its products are comparable to the market leader, Pond’s. Using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, we performed four different texture analysis tests on two different types of products, dry...
Bread - Squeeze Rig & AACC Method
Food, Baked, Cereal
When consumers consider purchasing of a loaf of bread in a supermarket they gently squeeze it from the top and sides to evaluate its freshness relative to their firmness expectations. We developed the TA-255 Bread Freshness Squeeze Fixture to imitate...
Bread Extensibility with TA-226 Tug Fixture
Food, Baked, Cereal, Confectionery
Consumers have different extensibility, stiffness, and softness expectations for different bread types. These expectations change as a function of how breads are experienced. For example, breads that are used for children’s sandwich lunches have a different set of firmness expectations...
Bodywash Shampoo Hair Gel - Back Extrusion
Cosmetics, Gels
Viscometers, USDA consistometers, and Bostwick consistometers are often used to evaluate thickness and flow of gel based personal care products. These methods do not always provide results that are both differentiating and repeatable. Particulates in the sample and other inclusions...
Firmness of Baked Beans TA-93WST Wire Mesh Forward Extrusion Fixture
Food, Produce
The firmness of baked beans is a high profile attribute for consumers. Manufacturers can control the firmness of their products using many different methods, however, there are few suitable techniques for quantifying the firmness of baked beans. Testing beans individually...
Antiperspirant Deodorants - Wire Cutting Method
Cosmetics
This application study presents a wire shear testing method for antiperspirant deodorant firmness using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, and TA-26 Wire Cutting fixture. The products that were tested are: Speed Stick Irish Spring Original Antiperspirant deodorant, Old Spice...
Agar Gel Strength
Gels, Food
The TA.XT2, TA.XT2i and TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzers are the most popular instrument worldwide among major manufacturers and users of gelatin. Virtually the entire membership of the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America (GMIA) has standardized its gel testing on the 5...
Rubber Erasers - Consistency
Materials
Our clients occasionally seek cheap, easily available products that might serve as firmness benchmarks for their test methods and which can be replicated across multiple locations. The gel industry occasionally uses metal Bloom strips which are typically deflected 4 mm...
Lipsticks - Wire Cutting Method
Cosmetics, Gels
The firmness, smoothness, brittleness, and payout of lipsticks are important characteristics for consumer expectations. The lipstick firmness will have a direct correlation with payout. Lipsticks that are too firm may also be brittle and may break in their cartridges. Controlling...
Compostable Food Scrap Collection Bags
Food, Materials, Films
Composting organic food waste is an increasingly common practice in individual households and in communities with composting programs. Food and other organic waste typically needs to be stored for short periods of time before being transported to larger remote bins...
Butter and Margarine - Wire Cutting Method
Food, Dairy
This application presents a wire shear testing method for the firmness of butter and margarine using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, Exponent software, and the TA-26 Wire Cutting Fixture. The products that were tested are: Land O’ Lakes Sweet Cream Salted...
Lipsticks – Wire Knife and Puncture
Cosmetics, Gels
The firmness, smoothness, brittleness, and payout of lipsticks were important characteristics of consumer expectations. Different methods of cutting and a penetration test determine these characteristics in place of extensive consumer panels.
Nasal Strip Adhesion
Adhesives, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical
Nasal Strips are a breathing aid made out of a stiff yet flexible rectangular material with an adhesive backside. The strip is adhered across the nose above the nostrils and the material’s spring tension helps open the nostrils. Original and...
Reusable Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Putty
Adhesives
Many types of tapes, glues, and pushpins are commonly used to attach posters and decorations to walls. However these methods can damage the mounted objects, the walls and painted finishes. Pressure sensitive putty-like products are also known as adhesive tack...
Fig Bars Puncture
Food, Baked, Confectionery, Produce
Puncture probes can be used to create a textural cross-sectional perspective of many food items, illustrating how they are layered or structured. This application study uses Stable Micro Systems’ TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent software to puncture and analyze two...
Candy Corn Tested Three Ways
Food, Confectionery
Candy Corn is closely associated with Fall and Halloween. Wide varieties of brands and flavor formulations are released at the beginning of each season. This application study reviews three techniques to measure differences in the textural characteristics of six varieties...
Porcelain and Ceramic Tile - Four Point Bend
Materials
Tile is a common flooring and siding material used in kitchens, bathrooms and other living spaces. The importance of hardness and brittleness of tile depends on its application. Tile used for kitchen floors needs to be strong enough to withstand...
Flexural Strength of Glass - Four Point Bend
Materials
The flexural strength of glass is the ability to resist deformation or failure under load. This study uses the Stable Micro Systems’ TA.HDPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent software to determine the flexural strength of glass panes using a four point...
Vaginal Contraceptive Film Disintegration
Pharmaceutical
Vaginal contraceptive films are quick disintegrating strips that contain and deliver spermicide gel. Vaginal contraceptive films need to survive storage in their packaging and then be flexible enough to be removed and placed in the vagina where they disintegrate and...
Breath Strip Film Disintegration
Cosmetics, Films, Pharmaceutical, Packaging
Two brands of breath strips films were evaluated for their disintegration rate. The TA108s-5i Indexable film fixture was used during the test and 3 metrics were quantified for disintegration. This method is sensitive enough to evaluate the impact of formulations,...
Various Methods for Testing Chicken Breast & Shredded Chicken
Food, Poultry, Meat
The firmness and toughness of poultry meat are highly important textural attributes for consumers. The textural characteristics of whole muscle meat can be highly variable because of differences in testing presentation, sample provenance, testing location on muscle group, subtle cooking...
Unconfined Yield Strength of Moderately Compressed Powders
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Food
Unconfined Yield Strength is a measurement of the force required to cause unsupported material to shear. It is a very useful metric to evaluate powders’ flow behaviors and thus assist companies in understanding the propensities of powders to experience caking,...
French Fries - Acoustic Testing of Shoestring French Fries
Food, Produce, Confectionery
We tested shoestring french fried potatoes with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and the Comparative Acoustic Envelope Detector (A/CAED) attachment. The A/CAED captures the acoustic signal generated by a product simultaneously with the product’s force resistance data. The premise of the...
Extruded Cheese Snack Testing Methods
Food, Confectionery
This study presents five testing methods for analyzing extruded cheese curls using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent Software. These methods are applicable to many extruded snacks and other foods. The five test methods use puncture, shear and compression techniques...
Constant 90 Degree Peel Tests with ALIS
Adhesives
Constant 90⁰ peel tests are typically performed with sled fixtures, which are driven by wires and pulleys that must be aligned in an exactly perpendicular manner in order for the sled stage to move horizontally at the same speed that...
Chicken - Multiple Methods of Testing Whole & Shredded Chicken
Food, Meat
The firmness and toughness of poultry meat are highly important textural attributes for consumers. The textural characteristics of whole muscle meat can be highly variable because of differences in testing presentation, sample provenance, testing location on muscle group, subtle cooking...
Chewed Gums vs. Unchewed Gums
Food, Gels
Many gum manufacturers release products that claim they are long lasting. Two factors usually make up the duration gum is normally chewed, flavor and hardness. Chewing gum usually softens as it is first chewed and after a long period of...
Bread - Crumb & Crust Relaxation
Food, Baked, Cereal
Bread manufacturers release brand variations of existing breads to meet market demands. Some of the new breads are ‘soft’ versions of already established products. The challenge of softer bread variations is that they might relax and lose their shape during...
Film Testing ASTM D882 vs TA108s-5i
Films, Adhesives, Pharmaceutical, Packaging, Cosmetic
A current standard testing method for films like plastic wraps and adhesive tape backings is the ASTM D882 test. This testing method involves mounting strips of film between two clamps and then pulling in tension until the product fails. Unfortunately...
Using Texture Analysis to Substantiate Claims in Haircare
Cosmetics
This guide presents several methods to analyze the textural effects of haircare products.
Gluten-free cookies and crackers
Food, Baked
Three brands of cookies and two brands of crackers are tested with the TA-92 three-point bend rig and the TA-25C Crunchiness to differentiate these products on firmness, brittleness, toughness, stiffness, and crunchiness. Since these tests mimic how the customer interacts...
Tomato Paste - Back Extrusion
Food, Produce
In this study three different brands of tomato paste were tested with a back extrusion fixture that was mounted on the TA.XTPlus. The back extrusion method proved to be less affected by inclusions, oil separation, and other particulates that often...
Tomato Pasta Sauce - Back Extrusion
Food, Produce
Viscometers, USDA consistometers, and Bostwick consistometers are often used to evaluate firmness of tomato based products. These methods do not always provide results that are both differentiating and repeatable. Particulates in the sample, oil separation and other inclusions can all...
Tomato Ketchup - Back Extrusion
Food, Produce
Three styles of tomato ketchup were tested on the TA.XTPlus using back extrusion technique and a TA-25 2” diameter cylinder probe. The adhesiveness and consistency of each ketchup were tested. It was found that the overall behaviors of the ketchups...
Butter and Margarine - Puncture and Shear
Food, Dairy
The TA-55 5mm Punch probe and the TA-45 Incisor Blade are used, with the same test settings, to evaluate the firmness and stickiness of several types of butters and margarines. The results were very repeatable and differentiating.
Chocolate Easter Bunnies
Food, Confectionery
Many consumers may have experienced a chocolate Easter bunny that is hard to break and to bite into. The newest trend in the world of chocolate bunnies is the “breakable” bunny, a perforated chocolate that is designed to break more...
Candy Canes
Food, Confectionery
The candy cane is a holiday treat that is manufactured by a number of confectionery companies. Their brittleness can determine their ability to withstand normal shipping conditions Differences in hardness and brittleness were easily detected using the three point bend...
Instant Mashed Potatoes - Firmness using Back Extrusion Technique
Food, Produce
Consumers want to prepare instant mashed potatoes with a simple an easy to follow recipe. While box instructions are easy, the final result is highly variable because instant mashed potato mixes are too easily affected by subtle changes in preparation...
Pound Cake Shelf life using Texture Profile Analysis
Food, Baked
Pound cake consists of four basic ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar in equal proportions. Commercial products include other ingredients to increase shelf life, lower calories and provide a lighter texture. Commercial pound cakes are also labeled as loaf cakes....
Yogurts Tested Three Ways
Food, Dairy
The varieties of commercial yogurts that are available in retail stores have very different consistency and physical characteristics. This application study discusses three methods which precisely quantify yogurt texture using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. These methods were applied to testing...
Toast - Crispness and Crunchiness
Food
Current testing methods and analysis for the crispness and crunchiness of toasted products do not accurately replicate the end user experience. Compression tests do not substantially break the toasted surface and the pillow effect of the untoasted middle masks the...
Lip Balm Smack Down
Cosmetics, Personal Care, Pharmaceutical
Lip balm was first marketed in the 1880s by the creator of ChapStick, Charles Browne Fleet. Over a hundred and thirty years later, there are hundreds of brands on the market. From petroleum-based products such as the original ChapStick product...
Salt Adhesion to Pretzels
Food, Confectionery, Adhesives
Salt crystals are added to a number of baked products to add a burst of flavor during consumption. Typically, a large number of salt crystals fall off of the product during shipping and handling and locate at the bottom of...
Cheddar Cheese - TPA
Food, Dairy
A Texture Profile Analysis test was performed on three cheese samples at the same temperature. Although all of the products had similar hardness values, they differentiated on the fracturability and stickiness.
Cheese Stretchability
Food, Dairy
Stretchability is an essential textural characteristic for cheeses in a wide variety of foods – most notably pizza. A common method for measuring stretchability is for a technician or sensory panelist to lift melted cheese from the surface of the...
TAXTPlus Correlation With Durometer
Materials
The hardness of many polymer, plastic and rubber products is measured with indentation durometers. Durometers have an exposed indentor steel pin that penetrates into the sample when the durometer’s flat section is pressed firmly against the sample. Durometers have several...
Diced Cranberries
Food, Produce
Quantifying the firmness and adhesiveness of diced cranberries on a piece by piece basis is difficult because of their irregular shapes and sizes. It is easier to test a specific gram weight or volume of the fruit in bulk. This...
Corn Flakes
Food
It is often difficult to obtain discriminating results when testing flake-type products individually. This application study compares test results on individual Kellogg’s Corn Flakes with results of testing 15 grams of Corn Flakes in a Kramer Shear Press.
Transdermal Adhesives
Adhesives, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical
The debonding properties of transdermal patch adhesives are critical to successful drug delivery as well as patient comfort. Patches must remain securely in place for the duration of the targeted controlled release period despite the need to accommodate patient movement,...
Powder with Friction Rig
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
The smoothness and flowability of powders is critical to many types of processing as well as consumer quality. These properties can be measured as the force required to drag a plate over a thin layer of the powder. The TA-265...
Chocolate Bars
Food, Confectionery
Chocolate is enjoyed for its distinctive flavor and how it melts in the mouth. High quality chocolate should have a clean bite, tender chew and a strong ‘snap’ when broken. This application study provides several commonly used techniques for measuring...
Yeast Doughnuts – TPA and Puncture
Food, Baked
Doughnuts are at their peak flavor and softness when first made. They become harder, more crumbly, and less desirable over time. Formulators work within constraints for texture, size, weight, flavor, packaging volume, short-term and long-term shelf life. Doughnuts are complex...
Shoestring French Fries
Food, Produce, Confectionery
On behalf of a major food processor we tested two batches of shoe-string french fried potatoes with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. The batches of french fries were identical (in variety and handling) except for a slight difference in how the...
Cereal - Bowl Life Chex Cereal
Food
Bowl life can be highly subjective and difficult to quantify. This application presents an objective method for measuring the bowl life of three different kinds of Chex.
Candy Coated Chewing Gum with Audio Feedback
Food, Gels
This method looks at how three methods of testing coated chewing gums can be combined with audio analysis using the Stable Micro Systems Acoustic Envelope Detector.
Impact of Material on Tack
Adhesives, Pharmaceuticals, Materials, Medical Devices
This paper covers research presented at the PSTC Spring 2004 Meeting on the impact of probe material on the tack of selected custom and retail PSA products. The PSTC poster included data on the peak adhesive force, area of work,...
Candy - Impact of Temperature
Food, Confectionery
Texture tests for most candies are deceivingly easy to develop, in part due to expectations of consistent geometry for each formed or extruded piece. In practice, differences in shape frequently emerge as candies ‘set’. Some methods are very sensitive to...
Blister Packs
Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices, Packaging
Tablet and gel cap blister packages must be perfectly sealed for achieving targeted product shelf life and for consumer safety. Simultaneously, the products must be easily removed from the blister packs for consumer convenience and product satisfaction. Balancing those contradictory...
Water Repeatability Method
Materials
Texture Technologies developed the water repeatability method in order to compare the performance of one instrument to another, even when the instruments may be at different locations. This method is in response to requests for specific products or materials that...
Fruit Leather
Food, Produce, Gels
Fruit roll-ups (aka fruit leathers) are favored for their distinctive textures which combine firmness, toughness, flexibility and extensibility. Variability in raw ingredients and processing conditions affect product texture, consumer satisfaction and product yield. This study demonstrates four different test and...
Toothpaste - Firmness & Adhesiveness
Cosmetics, Gels
Two tests were performed on three different tooth paste samples by a compression to a specific distance and an adhesive test. Differences were seen in the firmness, tackiness, work-of-adhesion, and stringiness. Three types of toothpastes were evaluated for firmness, adhesiveness...
Cohesion of Lotions Pastes & Gels
Adhesives, Cosmetics, Food, Pharmaceutical
The cohesiveness and adhesiveness of lotions, pastes, gels and adhesives are extremely important performance characteristics of the products. If the products are poorly cohesive they will spread too thin and not have the desired ‘body’. If they are too cohesive...
Pizza Crust
Food, Baked
Frozen and fresh pizza crusts were tested with the TA-226 Tug Fixture and the TA-42 Chisel End Blade to look at the firmness, toughness, stiffness, and extensibility of the two crusts. The TA-226 Tug Fixture was excellent at looking at...
Brittleness Crispiness Handout
Food, Baked, Cereal, Confectionery, Produce
This quiz provides definitions for both brittleness and crispiness and then presents 6 sample graphs with various curves. The quiz involves choosing which curve is the most brittle and which curve is the crispiest.
Almonds
Food, Produce
We tested ‘smoked’ and ‘natural’ nonpareil shelled almonds provided by the Dole Nut Company of Orland, CA for exterior and interior hardness using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer with a TA-44 Craft Knife. The Dole Nut Company evaluated this technology as...
Syringeability
Pharmaceutical
This study describes a method for measuring the force required to expel material from a syringe. The TA.XTPlus was used to easily generate results that were extremely repeatable and differentiating. The ease with which injectable pharmaceuticals flow out a syringe...
Oral Breath Strips
Films, Food, Pharmaceutical, Gels, Cosmetics, Packaging
Oral strips are small thin films, made from a variety of different ingredients that contain high levels of flavor. Most are highly sensitive to atmospheric conditions and are therefore very well packaged to prevent both dehydration and moisture pick up....
Brittleness of Hard Gel Capsules
Pharmaceutical, Gels
The brittleness, hardness and flexibility of hard gel capsules impacts their ability to be filled and to withstand variable storage conditions. Compressive tests on hard gel capsules do not always adequately distinguish between formulations which are known to experience brittle-related...
Diced Peaches
Food, Produce
The firmness of peach slices is typically quantified by cutting a series of individual slices with a knife blade. When the fruit pieces are smaller, or have irregular shapes and sizes, a different approach is required. In these situations a...
Computer Hard Drive Gasket Material
Materials
The gasket between a computer’s hard drive case and its cover plate must provide a perfect seal because hard drives require dust-free and moisture-free environments. An effective seal requires an unbroken gasket bead with an optimized contact area, which is...
Breaking Strength of Chicken Bones
Food, Materials
The breaking strength of chicken bones is often used as a measure of a flock’s nutritional health, especially with regard to dietary Vitamin D and calcium as well as the ratio of calcium to phosphorous intake. Bone strength can also...
Beef cut with Warner Bratzler
Food, Meat, New Foods
The firmness and toughness of muscle and processed meats are critical textural parameters to optimizing breeding, feeding and processing conditions. Consumers evaluate meat as they initially bite and then chew the product. The standard USDA procedure for evaluating beef texture...
Beef Jerky
Food, Meat, New Foods
Many companies that sell jerky prefer to manufacture a ‘formed’ jerky rather than a ‘traditional’ jerky to achieve production volumes, efficiencies and better control of product quality. It is often difficult to meet consumer’s expectations for the jerky’s characteristic texture....
Aspirin Tablet Cracking
Pharmaceutical
Four tablets were tested to quantify the hardness, stiffness, elasticity, and total work to break each tablet with very good repeatability. The work to break is a good indicator of the cohesiveness of the tablets.
Strawberries
Food, Produce
The firmness of many types of whole or diced fruit has traditionally been measured with Kramer Shear Cells where sets of blades are passed through a box with a slotted bottom. The TA-91 Kramer Shear Cell generates slightly lower coefficients...
Needle Penetration
Films, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical
Needles are differentiated by their size, which is quantified with the gage value. A higher gage corresponds to a smaller diameter needle. It is well known that smaller needles penetrate the skin more easily. A method was developed to quantify...
Eye Shadow
Cosmetics, Powder
Eye shadows were packed powders that were delivered in thin containers. They must withstand the rigors of manufacturing and shipping to arrive intact to the consumer. Several brands of eye shadow were examined for hardness, brittleness, stiffness and pliability.
Marshmallows using TPA
Food, Confectionery, Gels
Three brands of Marshmallows were study using the Texture Profile Analysis (2 bite test). The TA.XTPlus and TPA test is an excellent tool for quantify the subtle differences between brands, ingredients, processing conditions, packaging, and other storage conditions.
Jelly Beans
Food, Confectionery, Gels
The rigidity of the jelly bean crust and the softness of the interior when bitten are the first perceptions the consumer has of this candy. Different brands will require different amounts of force to compress the candy in the mouth....
Revisiting Dynamic Lap Shear Method for Evaluating Tapes
Adhesives
For many decades the Static Holding Power test has been the accepted method of evaluating the shear resistance of a pressure sensitive adhesive. This classic method tends not only to give variable results, but they are then reported in mixed...
Meat and Veggie Patties
Food, Meat, New Foods
Whether based on meat or vegetables, patties need to be firm, cohesive and tender and not hard, brittle, tough or mushy. The same methods to characterize patty texture are useful for patties of every composition, even though consumers have different...
Artichokes
Food, Produce
Artichoke breeders work to improve ease of cooking of artichoke meats and need an objective way to quantify tenderness. Traditionally breeders have subjectively measured the force to scrape the meat off the cooked leaf – similar to pulling the leaf...
Adhesiveness of Bioadhesives
Pharmaceutical, Adhesives, Medical Devices
How To Measure The Adhesiveness Of Bioadhesives. Presentation to the Adhesive & Sealants Council in 1999. Texture Technologies has helped clients to design testing protocols for a wide variety of bioadhesive applications. While many of these bioadhesive products are common,...
Instant Pudding
Food, Dairy, Gels
Instant pudding is made by mixing milk with a package of dry ingredients. A variety of factors affect whether the pudding achieves its target firmness. When consumers make pudding, they can mess it up several ways, and the manufacturer still...
Cream Cheese
Food, Dairy
This study compares the softness and adhesiveness of full fat and low fat cream cheese. Both metrics were successfully analyzed.
Soap Bars - Cleansing & Moisturizing
Cosmetics
There are a variety of personal cleaning bar products on the market. Some are called “soap” whereas others are labeled as “cleansing” or “moisturizing” bars. The firmness of cleansing bars affects consumer judgments as to the ‘feel’ of the product,...
Cherry Pie Filling
Food, Baked, Ingredients
The consistency of a pie filling is critical to ease of use by the consumer as well as to a pie’s final product quality. The presence of large particulates prevent consistent measurements of the firmness of fillings via rotational viscometers....
Powder Compaction & Relaxation
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
The flowability of powders is critical to preparation and use of many food, pharmaceutical and personal care products. SMS’ Powder Flow Analyzer is an excellent tool for quantifying flow with volumes over 120 ml, and the PFA even works on...
Muffin Firmness & Elasticity
Food, Baked, Confectionery
The AIB muffin test is used to measure differences in the crumb of muffins made with two different types of egg ingredient. Elasticity is measured as a factor of relaxation after a set compression distance. The stiffness and firmness of...
Fassihi Tablet Film & Coating Adhesion
Pharmaceutical, Powders, Gels, Films
A novel test method is demonstrated that uses a small metal plate that is placed on a tablet and then coated with a polymer film to measure the adhesion of the coating to the tablet. Clear difference are seen between...
SMS Controlled Release Applications
Pharmaceutical
Using the TA.XT2i Texture Analyzer in Controlled Release Applications: Tablet Coating Adhesion, Transdermal Delivery Patches, Bioadhesion, Inhalation Drug Delivery, Implant Rupture Force and Elasticity Properties, and Swelling and Disintegration.
Individual Plastic Granules
Pharmaceuticals, Ingredients, Materials
We tested the hardness, resilience & springiness of plastic granules that had good and poor flow characteristics with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and a TA-52 2 mm diameter stainless-steel punch probe. The small flat probe allowed the probe face and...
Solder Paste Tack
Materials, Adhesives
The TA.XT2i/HR Texture Analyzer can be used to conduct any of the ANSI, J-STD, MIL or IPC tests on solder paste adhesiveness and firmness. Most solder paste problems will relate either to poor shelf life, print life, and stencil life...
PSA Tape Testing
Adhesives
TA.XTPlus studies of various pressure sensitive tapes have shown that the TA.XTPlus adhesive test produces repeatable results that better discriminate various tapes than conventional test methods. The discrimination holds true for a large number of test variables. TTC developed new...
Pressure Sensitive Tapes
Adhesives, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical
This application study illustrates the capabilities of the TA.XTPlus in quantifying a wide variety of the adhesive properties of pressure sensitive tapes. We believe that many of the parameters which can be quantified with the Exponent software are not otherwise...
Alginate Gel beads
Food, Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices, Gels
The ability of the TA.XTPlus to repeatedly measure the physical properties of very small beads is illustrated by performing resilience, relaxation, and burst tests on very small beads. Test results include strength, firmness, resilience, springiness, stiffness, and energy loss. The...
Wheat Thins - Acoustic Envelope Detector
Food, Baked, Confectionery
The food industry has been interested for many decades in correlating acoustic measurements with consumer judgements of crispiness and crunchiness. Capturing and analyzing acoustical and mechanical tests has historically been cumbersome and technologically demanding. SMS has introduced its Acoustic Envelope...
Swelling
Pharmaceutical
The TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer from Stable Micro Systems can very precisely quantify swelling and disintegration behaviors of almost any type of product. Swelling applications include tablets, gels, films, pellets, mucosal tissues, super-absorbent polymers, sponges, aquaculture feed, chemical and yeast leavened...
Peanut Butter
Food
Three creamy peanut butters were compared with regard to consistency and cohesiveness using a TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and Texture Exponent software. The products were provided by a leading peanut butter manufacturer who ranked them as ‘target’, ‘soft but acceptable’ and...
Individual Granules
Pharmaceuticals, Ingredients, Materials
The hardness or fracturability of many particles or granules may predict the characteristics of the end products. The TA.XTPlus family of texture analyzers are excellent tools for quantifying particles or granules because of its precision and its flexibility with regard...
Powder Molding Starches
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
The Powder Flow Analyzer from Stable Micro Systems, Ltd was used to test several starch powders that are for molding confectionery products. These were identical powder with very different oil and moisture levels. The client wished to standardize the testing...
Small Pellets - Cracking Point
Pharmaceutical
This study describes a method for cracking small pellets. Small pellets are often crushed but the sensitivity of the TA can analyze the initial crack. A pharmaceutical manufacturer was making a series of small pellets with a diameter of 0.2...
Powder Flow Rate Sensitivity
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
Powders react to changed processing conditions in dramatically different ways. Understanding how a powder will flow under new conditions is critical. Quantifying changes in powder flow with traditional powder testing methods is at best difficult, and even then the standard...
Powder Flow Quality Bridging
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
Bridging, ratholing, arching and comparable behaviors are the bane of powder handling and formulating. The behavior is irregular and often catastrophic for achieving regular powder flow. Traditional powder testing methods cannot force the bridging to occur in a repeatable manner...
Powder Compaction & Relaxation - MCC
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
The flowability of powders is critical to preparation and use of many food, pharmaceutical and personal care products. SMS’ Powder Flow Analyzer (PFA) is an excellent tool for quantifying flow with volumes over 120 ml, and the PFA even works...
Powder Caking & Compaction
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
Accurately predicting powder flowability from a limited amount of representative sample has historically been extremely difficult. Stable Micro Systems’ Powder Flow Analyzer, in conjunction with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, quantifies powder flowability precisely and repeatably in a variety of ways....
Powder Attrition
Powders, Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
Many powders experience some degree of attrition as particles fracture, shear, chip, dust or wear down during production, transportation, storage and use. Granular, flake or delicate pellet-shaped particles are particularly prone to attrition. Powders may also compress or change shape...
Cookies Tested Three Ways
Food, Baked
Four different cookies with similar size and shape were tested using a TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer mounted with a TA-44 Craft Knife, a TA-52 2mm Puncture Probe, and a TA-92 Three-Point Bend Rig. The three-point bend rig was best for differentiating...
Tofu with Many Probes
Food
To illustrate the types of issues highlighted by different probes we tested tofu with a variety of common probes attached to the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. The tofu was tested in the plastic containers in which it was sold in supermarkets...
Dental Gums
Pharmaceutical, Food, Cosmetics
We evaluated two test methods for characterizing the texture of dental chewing gums with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. Dental chewing gums are a candy coated gum (e.g. like Chiclets) but are sugar free and have been shown to reduce plaque....
Sealants & Caulking for Bath and Kitchen
Materials, Adhesives
This study presents a method for determining the firmness and adhesive characteristics of sealants and caulking. Four common brands of sealant and caulking were tested over six hours as they set. Clear differences were seen in both firmness and adhesion...
Gel Seam Integrity
Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical, Gels
Two vitamin E capsules were compressed with a TA-4 1 ½” Diameter Cylinder to a height of 2.5mm and were differences were seen in the firmness and distance to break. Suggestions are made for alternative test settings and probes to...
Redesigned Warner‐Bratzler Fixture for TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer
Food, Meat
Meat product texture can be quantified using SMS’ TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. The Warner-Bratzler shear tests use (i) a standard blade shape, (ii) a calibratable instrument, (iii) standard sample preparation and handling protocols, and (iv) operator diligence in following those protocols.
...
Yogurts - Cycle and Penetration
Food, Dairy
Two different brands of plain yogurt were subjected to a cycling agitation test with a ball probe. The cycling motion breaks down the structure of the yogurt. The two brands reacted differently despite both being plain one and one half...
Flour Whole Wheat Corn Tortillas
Food, Baked, Confectionery
Several different types and brands of flour tortillas were tested on the TA.XTPlus using our TA-108 Tortilla/Film Fixture. The Tortilla/Film Fixture is an acrylic cylinder with a 63 mm diameter opening mounted on an aluminum platform. The tortillas are held...
Tortilla Dough
Food, Baked
This study looks at the stickiness of three different formulations of tortilla dough using the TA-100 Chen Hoseney Dough Stickiness Fixture. This fixture is designed to isolate dough stickiness from the extensibility component of dough adhesiveness.
Tofu with Knife Blade
Food
Consumers have clear expectations about the texture of the tofu which they use in their salads, oriental foods and other menus items. Among tofu’s key textural parameters are surface firmness and pliability and interior firmness. While manufacturers sell many different...
Texas A&M Techniques for Alkaline Cooked Corn Products
Food, Baked, Confectionery
Texture Technologies collaborated with the Cereal Quality Laboratory part of the Soils & Crop Sciences Department of Texas A & M University in order to develop a guide to testing alkaline cooked (nixtamalized) corn products. The results was a 40...
Tacos - Puncture & Hinge
Food, Baked, Confectionery
Five brands of taco shells were tested by puncture with the chip fixture and the taco hinges with the TA-42 Knife probe. The ball probe was able to determine the strength and fracturability of the shell while the TA-42 Knife...
Taco Shells - Three Point Bend
Food, Baked, Confectionery
A co-packer’s taco shells were tested using product produced at two different plants using two different formulations. Tests using the three-point bend fixture showed differences in firmness and fracturability.
Tablet Hardness with Ball Probe
Pharmaceutical
Most pharmaceutical companies use conventional tablet hardness instruments to measure the compaction of different tablet formulations. These instruments typically compress a tablet until it fractures to disintegration and capture the maximum hardness. Compressive hardness can also be highly variable, making...
Surimi
Food, Gels
Seven different treatment of surimi samples were tested with a 5mm diameter probe simultaneously with a RheoTex and the peak force, distance to peak, and gel strength were measured for each sample. The TA.XT2 results were very comparable but more...
Suppositories
Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical
Traditionally it has been very difficult to quantify and compare suppository texture between products because of differences in product sizes, geometries, packaging and layering behaviors. Suppository texture is important for (i) optimized comfort or breakage prevention during insertion and (ii)...
Spreadability
Food, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical
We often get requests for measuring the spreadability of food products such as butters, spreads, peanut butter, margarines, cheese, and cream cheese, as well as non-food items such as lotions, creams, gel shaving creams, joint compound, greases, etc. We recently...
Sour Creams
Food, Dairy
In this study a regular and light sour cream were subjected to a cycling agitation test with a ball probe and a penetration test with a cone probe in order to measure firmness, breakdown, and relaxation of the sour creams.
...
Soap Bars - Puncture
Cosmetics
We tested six different brands of soap bars with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer using the TA‐52 2 mm diameter punch probe. The objective of this test was to measure the hardness, brittleness and internal consistency of soap bars. The tests...
Cracking Point of a Small Pellet
Pharmaceutical
Short case study about how to test encapsulated very small pellets for the point at which they cracked instead of crushed, as they would be with a traditional tablet hardness tester.
Shampoo and Body Wash - Syringeability
Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical
Viscometers are designed to evaluate the thickness and flow of liquid based products. Viscometers, however, do not always provide results that are both differentiating and repeatable. Particulates in the sample, adhesion, variable solids content, separation and other inclusions can all...
Salad Dressings
Food
Several different formulations of the same salad dressing were tested on the TA.XT2. The test consisted of penetrating into a jar of the salad dressing with the TA-4 11/2” diameter acrylic cylinder probe, the jar had an opening of approximately...
Rice Crisps - Firmness Crispiness and Crunchiness
Food, Baked, Cereal, Confectionery
It is difficult to quantify the firmness, crispiness and/or crunchiness of products with highly variable geometries (crisps, flakes, chips, extruded snacks, etc). R&D departments often try to measure individual components, but doing so is highly impractical due to the amount...
Potato & Tortilla Chips
Food, Confectionery
This multipart study uses a TA-8 ¼” Ball probe to puncture regular potato chips, “ripple” potato chips, and tortilla chips. Peak force is calculated for all samples and despite the relatively high coefficient of variance the tests were able to...
Peaches
Food, Produce
Texture Technologies has developed a method for testing peach firmness of for the peach industry. Newly harvested peaches can be extremely firm, so a bulk testing method, such as using a kramer shear cell, is not effective. Measured forces with...
Packed Powders
Powders, Cosmetics
A company wanted to test cosmetic packed powders made by two of their sources. Their penetrometer studies were “all over the place” and their sensory panel results showed that the materials were not the same. Samples were tested on the...
Notes on Testing Oatmeal
Food, Cereal
Oatmeal is one of those awkward products whose texture is difficult to quantify and is sensitive to differences in sample handling. This application study addresses several issues which should be considered when testing oatmeal and similar products with the TA.XTPlus...
Miller Short Dough Test
Food, Baked
Master bakers have always used the firmness of a dough to judge its suitability for sheeting and rolling, as well as to predict the final texture of the baked products. The TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer can be used in conjunction with...
Mashed Potatoes
Food, Produce
This applications study evaluates three formulations of instant mashed potatoes. It shows how a simple Ottowa Cell style forward extrusion cell approach can very precisely quantify the firmness of instant mashed potatoes.
Liquid Soft Gels
Pharmaceutical, Gels
We tested the puncture strength of four brands of liquid filled soft gel capsules with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer using a TA-51 Wire Holder, which held a 1 mm diameter punch probe. The capsules tested included Vicks (P&G’s) DayQuil LiquiCaps,...
Icings with Particulates - Back Extrusion Test
Food, Baked, Dairy, Gels
The TA.XTPlus family of texture analyzers can very precisely quantify the firmness of icings in quality control and R&D applications. Icings are very sensitive to under- or over-mixing and specific textural standards are notoriously difficult to reproduce since results from...
Ice Cream
Food, Dairy
The firmness and stickiness of two brands of French vanilla ice cream were compared with a standard TA-42 flat ended knife blade.
Hot Dogs
Food, Meat, New Foods
A 2mm diameter puncture probe was used to analyze the skin and interior firmness of nine different store-bought brands of hot dogs. The results were highly repeatable and were able to successfully differentiate similar brands of hot dogs.
Hot Dog TPA test
Food, Meat, New Foods
Hot dog texture can be very complicated. Manufacturers sell regular and low fat hot dogs which are beef, pork, pork with beef, all poultry or any combination of poultry, beef and pork. Hardness, springiness, resilience and cohesiveness are the textural...
Cereal Bars & Granola-Style Bars
Food, Baked
Food companies manufacture cereal and granola bars in almost every flavor and shape possible. These products are difficult to produce consistently given their complex mix of cereals, syrup matrices, types of fruit fillings, doughs and other ingredients. Manufacturers typically wish...
Fruit Preserves
Food, Produce, Gels
A major jam and jelly manufacturer asked Texture Technologies Corp to develop a test method for the firmness and consistency of their fruit preserves. Their previous methods involved manual manipulation and visual observations by an expert panel of individuals, however,...
Fruit Fillings
Food, Produce, Baked, Gels
We tested the firmness and adhesiveness of a dozen types of thick fruit fillings with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer to illustrate a simple, operator-independent procedure for differentiating even subtle differences between fillings. Thick fruit fillings are notorious to quality control...
Film Resilience and Burst strength
Cosmetics, Food, Films, Materials
Resilience is an often-overlooked attribute of films, tape stock, and backings. Typically films are tested with a tensile test and perhaps a puncture test. While those tests can easily be conducted with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer, the instrument also provides...
Dog Biscuits
Food, Petfood
We tested the overall hardness and stiffness of seven varieties of bonestyle dog biscuits with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer using a three point bend test. The tests were conducted for a manufacturer of dog biscuits, and included several brand name...
Disintegration of Tablets
Pharmaceutical
Certain tablets must be strong enough to survive manufacturing and shipping, and yet friable enough to instantly release their pharmaceutical ingredients once they are placed in the mouth or ingested. Traditional disintegration tests do not always distinguish among tablets which...
Dishwashing Suds
Food, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical
The strength and duration of the suds (foam) of three liquid dish washing detergents (Palmolive, Dawn and Joy) were tested with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. The test conditions were identical for each product and each test was performed twice with...
Diced Tomatoes
Food, Produce
Four varieties of diced tomatoes were tested using the TA.XT2 Texture Analyzer with a TA-91 Kramer Shear Cell to determine how well the TA.XT2 Texture Analyzer could differentiate the tomatoes’ firmness compared to the expected differences. The results indicated that...
Cracking Tablets
Pharmaceutical
A manufacturer of tablets was finding that certain batches of what were purported to be identical tablets were acting in a very undesirable way compared to the standard performance. Moreover, the different batches were causing radical problems further into the...
Chemical Leavening
Food, Baked, Ingredients
Rhodia Corporation’s Phosphates, Hydrocolloids and Food Ingredients Division (formerly Rhone-Poulenc’s Food Ingredients Division) has conducted extensive testing on the effect of chemical leavening agents on the texture of baked products. Selections of Rhodia’s research on yellow layer cakes is presented...
Cheddar Cheese – Puncture Test
Food, Dairy
The TA-53 (3mm dia.) puncture probes was used to evaluate the Hardness and stickiness of three different brands of cheddar cheese.
Cheddar Cheese - Cut Test
Food, Dairy
Three brands of cheese were evaluated for stiffness and cut force using a flat blade.
Cheddar Cheese - Adhesiveness
Food, Dairy
Regular and 1/3rd Reduced Fat varieties of the same manufacturer’s sharp cheddar cheese were tested for adhesiveness on the TA.XT2.
Cereal Bowl Life of Three Types of Cheerios
Food
Cereal bowl life is the subjective length of time that a cereal’s texture stays desirable while sitting in a bowl of milk and it is heavily impacted by consumer preferences. This application presents an objective method for measuring the bowl...
Candy bars
Food, Confectionery
We tested three types of store-bought chocolate covered wafer bars and one chocolate bar (Hershey’s KitKat, Mars’ Twix, Hershey’s Reese Sticks, and Hershey’s chocolate bar) using a variety of tests with the TA.XT2i Texture Analyzer. We (i) punctured the bars...
Butter and Margarine - Cone Probe
Food, Dairy
Three brands of margarine and two butters were tested with the TA-15 45 Degree Cone Probe and the TA-26 Cutting wire. Both probes were able to differentiate each product but the TA-15 Cone Probe did a better job at measuring...
Broccoli
Food, Produce
We measured the firmness broccoli at various cooking times using the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer and a 2 mm diameter stainless steel puncture probe (TA-52). We intentionally chose not to computerize the testing with our Exponent software in order to replicate...
Breakfast Toaster Pastries
Food, Baked, Confectionery
This study evaluates three methods of quantifying the hardness and stiffness of toaster pastries. The methods that are explored are a puncture method, a cutting/shear method and a three point bend method. Four brands of breakfast toaster pastries were tested...
Bologna TPA Test
Food, Meat, New Foods
Processed meat texture is affected by different ingredients and manufacturing techniques. The parameters of hardness, springiness, resilience and cohesiveness can be well quantified with a Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) style test. This study presents several ideas as to how to...
Bologna Cut Test
Food, Meat, New Foods
Five brands of store bought bologna with the TA-42 Chisel blade. The firmness was measured with peak force, the toughness was measured with total area, and the stiffness was measured with the initial gradient.
Asian Noodles
Food
Virtually every country in Asia has a rich variety of noodles with unique textural preferences. The Asian Products Laboratory of the Wheat Marketing Center in Portland, Oregon has conducted extensive research into the quality attributes of US wheats for Asian...
AIB Standard Procedure for White Pan Bread
Food, Baked
This study presents an AIB International procedure for measuring the firmness and toughness of white pan bread. The method uses a TA-3 1” diameter probe to compress 6.2 mm into the center of 2 stacked slices to measure the firmness...
AIB Standard Procedures
Food, Baked, Snack
This booklet is a collection of procedures for testing the texture of common bakery products with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer. These procedures are used at the American Institute of Baking’s Experimental Bakery Lab in Manhattan, Kansas.
AIB Standard Procedure for Muffin Firmness and Elasticity
Food, Baked
This study describes an AIB International procedure to measure the firmness and relaxation of the internal structure of muffins. The top and bottom of the muffin were removed to isolate the internal muffin structure. The method allows the effects of...
AIB Standard Procedure for Hamburger Buns
Food, Baked
This study articulates the sample presentation and test method used by the American Institute of Baking (AIB International) for evaluating the firmness of hamburger buns.
AIB Standard Procedure for Flour Tortillas
Food, Baked
This study articulates the sample presentation and test method used by the American Institute of Baking (AIB International) for evaluating the stretchability and flexibility of flour tortillas.
AIB Standard Procedure for Corn Tortilla Chips and Tostada Shells
Food, Baked, Snack
This study describes the sample presentation and test method used by the American Institute of Baking (AIB International) for evaluating the breaking force of corn tortilla chips and tostada shells.
AIB Standard Procedure for Cookie Hardness
Food, Baked
This study articulates the sample presentation and test method used by the American Institute of Baking (AIB International) for evaluating cookie hardness and brittleness.
AIB Standard Procedure for Cinnamon Rolls
Food, Baked
This study describes the sample presentation and test method used by the American Institute of Baking (AIB International) for evaluating the firmness of cinnamon rolls.
AIB Standard Procedure for Cake Firmness
Food, Baked
This study presents an AIB International procedure for using TA-3 1” diameter probe to compressed 6.0 mm into a controlled cake slice for evaluation of firmness of internal cake crumb.
AIB Standard Procedure for Bagels
Food, Baked
This study presents a quick method for measuring the internal firmness of bagels, including a simple solution to a common sample preparation technique. The method is designed to quantify the firmness and shelf life of the bagels over time.
Mouse Glue Traps
Adhesives, Gels
We tested the stickiness and firmness of four brands of mouse glue traps with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer using two test methods. The first method was an “adhesive” test which applied a constant force onto the trap, and measured a...
Gel Strength (bloom)
Gels, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical, Food
The TA.XTPlus family of texture analyzers is the most popular instrument worldwide among major manufacturers and users of gelatin. Virtually the entire membership of the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America (GMIA) has standardized its gel testing on the 5 kilo...
Wet Tack of Adhesive Glues
Adhesives
The TA.XT2 quantifies the wet tack of adhesives glue in a manner which is not quantifiable in alternative instruments. This test quantifies differences in adhesiveness, speed of cure, and glue adhesiveness during of cure time.
Stringiness and Spreadability
Food, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical
A variety of products (creams, lotions, pastes, adhesives, gels, compounds, shortenings, etc.) behave very oddly with regard to their firmness, spreadability, adhesiveness, cohesiveness & stringiness. The irregular characteristics are often related to complex shear behaviors or gel matrices and these...
Peel Tests on Masking Tapes
Adhesives
This application illustrates the capabilities of the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer in peel tests on analyzing masking tapes with the TA‐305 Adhesive Wheel Fixture.
Silicon Gels
Adhesives, Cosmetics, Gels, Materials, Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices
Silicone gels are used for hundreds of applications, so instrumental and test design flexibility is required to meaningfully quantify their physical characteristics. The TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer (with a 5-kg capacity load cell & 0.1-g sensitivity) is an excellent tool for...
Rubber Cement
Adhesives
Elasticity and stringiness are high-profile characteristics of the adhesive bond of rubber cement. These parameters are difficult to measure with most conventional adhesive testing means. We have modified a butt-test method with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer to quantify all adhesive...
Toothpaste - Tarter Control Gel
Cosmetics, Gels
We tested six brands of tarter control gel toothpastes with the TA.XTPlus Texture Analyzer to measure how toothpaste’s firmness, stringiness, and adhesiveness change when exposed to air. We all experience this change in texture when others fail to replace the...
Yogurts Cycle Test
Food, Dairy, New Foods
This application study presents a cyclic test method which breaks down the structure of yogurt. Three different types of yogurt were tested to demonstrate the method: Siggi’s No Fat Raspberry Yogurt, Stonyfield Organic Low Fat Raspberry Yogurt, and Stonyfield O’Soy...
Wheat Flour Tortillas
Food, Baked, Confectionery
Wheat flour tortillas are favored for their light and tender bite, especially among those who grew up eating white pan bread. Their strength and flexibility allow use in increasingly popular burritos and wraps. Optimizing product quality and reformulation to include...
Stickiness of Creams and Ointments
Cosmetics, Personal Care, Pharmaceutical, Food
Three creams formulations were tested with a TA-30 3” Diameter Plate with adhesive test settings. Clear differences were seen in the tackiness, work-of-adhesion, and the initial gradient on the compression. In a study to test the ability of the TA.XTPlus...
Deodorant Sticks
Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics
This study presents a puncture test method for comparing the firmness and grittiness of two types of deodorant sticks. These method was able to discern subtle differences in manufacturing conditions.
Chicken Breast
Food, Meat, Poultry
The firmness of raw chicken breast meat is measured with three different probes. The object was to measure the consistency of the firmness data across the three types of probes.
Buttercream Icings
Food, Dairy, Gels
The effect of different levels of moisture and sugar were compared in butter cream frosting.
