Corn Chip Moisture & Oil
Proactive Avoidance of Quality Issues
Measuring moisture and oil in food applications is essential to the product outcome. Excess moisture and/or oil can have heavy impacts on the taste, appearance, shelf life and more of the corn chips. The benefits of corn chip moisture and oil control impact the entire efficiency of the production process.
- improved product quality
- lower energy costs
- reduced start-up times
- less waste and downtime
- 100% product inspection
Our IR-3000F sensor is coated in a food grade Teflon with a polymeric viewing window enabling manufacturers to improve product quality without any contamination. MoistTech’s IR-3000 takes instant, accurate, non-contact measurements of not only oil, but also moisture, temperature, fat, sugar, seasonings, protein, and more. Uniformity of spray or oil deposition can be monitored and adjusted either manually or automatically.
Control Moisture Levels Properly
PERFORMANCE
Unsurpassed in performance, our sensors can accurately measure moisture within tenths of a percent of most applications
STABILITY
MoistTech sensors withstand the test of time and are low to zero maintenance
RELIABILITY
Rely on MoistTech’s NIR moisture sensors to never drift or need re-calibration
COST OF OWNERSHIP
A moisture measurement system is essential for the production process and in some cases will pay for itself in less than 30 days
Installation Environments
We recommend installing sensor(s) at the exit of the fryer and after any flavoring has been added. The sensor should be installed several inches above the belt or screw conveyor to allow the user to continuously monitor the process and control the oil content either manually or automatically in the finished product. After an oil spray, it is important to install the sensor at an angle to cut down any reflection from the oil coating.
If the corn chip moisture and oil sensor has to be installed close to the oven or fryer outlet where it 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.
Experience Matters
MoistTech is very experienced with the requirements in the production of corn chips and snack foods. Our sensor calibrations, measurement wavelengths, algorithms and sensor optical requirements are pre-set at the factory. Typical accuracy is about ±0.1% moisture. Typical analog range is 0-10% moisture. The outputs can be adjusted to optimize PLC or recording requirements.
Assess
Locate the point in the production process in which measuring moisture will be the most crucial and beneficial. Identify how you will use the moisture measurement data for improvements and if it will tie into your PLC.
Remember this could involve more than one installation point!
Develop
A closed loop process is achieved by incorporating a moisture measurement system into the manufacturing process. Developing a proactive solution to moisture control will avoid costly downfalls.
Support
MoistTech’s experts will assess your specific application with lab tests, calibrations and accuracy results to ensure our equipment will peform for you. All of our sensors are pre-calibrated prior to being shipped to create a plug-and-play operation for the end-user.
Contact
We offer service and support throughout the world for our corn chip moisture measurement sensors and would be happy to connect you with a rep in your area. Contact us today for more information!
Understand the Process
Chip manufacturers strive to have the best finish products. During chip manufacturing it is important to know the corn chip moisture content after the fryer/oven outlet as they can affect quality and consistency, as well as the taste, appearance, stability and shelf life. Additionally, variation and excess moisture and oil in chips can result in discoloration and out of specification of product.