Metrohm has announced that some of its Karl Fischer titration tools can determine the water content of pasta, helping to increase its shelf life.
Pasta with a low water content of about 10 per cent can be stored for many years.
Pasta containing much more than 12 per cent of moisture has a considerably shortened shelf life as it can become musty and mouldy.
Prior to analysis, the pasta is ground up as finely as possible in a cooled laboratory mill.
As the sample could heat up during grinding (resulting in water loss), cooling is crucial for obtaining correct results.
Extraction of the water from the powdery sample is accelerated by adding formamide and working at 50C.
This shortens the time required for the Karl Fischer titration.
The analytical systems from Metrohm that are suitable for water determination include: the 841 Titrando 2.841.0010; 803 KF Titration Stand 2.803.0010; 800 Dosino 2.800.0010; dosing unit 10 ml 6.3032.210; titration vessel and 50 - 150ml with thermostat jacket 6.1418.250.
The 841 Titrando has the sophisticated control algorithm of the Titrando, which has been adapted to the characteristics of the Karl Fischer reaction and guarantees precise results.
The user can choose whether to add a polarised alternating current (Ipol) or a defined voltage (Upol) to the electrode.
Both working modes yield fast and precise results.
Different reagents require different parameters.
The 841 Titrando lets the user select the appropriate method for each type of reagent.
Combined with the easy and intuitive user guidance, this is the optimal instrument for routine operation - the KF icons show whether the instrument is busy conditioning or if the water determination can be started.
The electrode test and the newly created parameter safety stop prevent cell run-over during conditioning.
If, for example, the electrode is not connected correctly or the titration cell is very humid, conditioning is stopped after a given time or a given volume of KF reagent is added.
This new feature increases laboratory safety.
