Moisture and oil measurement is an essential step in the manufacturing process of potato chips and other common snack foods. Process operators need to ensure the quality and consistency of the product in order to eliminate waste and increase plant efficiencies.

MoistTech’s IR3000-F sensor is ideal for the processing areas of potato chips to properly measure and manage moisture and oil contents on a continuous basis. The technology delivers hundreds of data points per second to allow the operator fuill control over the manufacturing process. 

The sensor is coated in a food grade material with a polymer optical window allowing manufacturers to improve product quality and monitor moisture continuously.

Installation

Ideally, the moisture sensor should be installed after the fryer outlet. and should be mounted several inches above the vibrating conveyor so that it can continuously monitor the process and can control the potato chip oil and moisture content levels either manually or automatically in the finished product.

If the sensor must be installed close to the outlet of the fryer and will be susceptible to extreme heat conditions, it is necessary to cool the sensor with either air or water. Furthermore, if the sensor is located near an oil spray, it is necessary to clean the sensor’s optical window during regular routine cleaning.

Immediate Improvements

• Increased Quality & Consistency
• Stability & Shelf Life
• Lower Energy Costs from Proper Dryer Control
• Reduced Start-up Times
• Less Waste & Downtime
• 100% Product Inspection
• Process Optimization
• Low to Zero Maintenance
• Fuel Consumption & Water Savings

The MoistTech team of professionals are very experienced with the requirements in the production of potato chips and other snack foods. Our sensor calibrations, measurement wavelengths, algorithms and sensor optical requirements are pre-set at the factory based upon your specific product. Typical accuracy is about ±0.1% moisture and ±0.2% for oil and Typical analog range is 0-5% for moisture and 20-40% for oil.

Take a look at our other food moisture measurement applications.