Easier and quicker to use than traditional titration methods, this salt meter frees up more time to learn about the issues that matter in today's food industry
An Atago ES-421 handheld digital salt meter supplied by Labcell is being used by students at Nottingham Trent University to readily determine the salt levels in traditional foods, and in new products that they develop as part of their degree course in food and nutrition.
In comparison with salt meters employing glass electrodes, the ES-421 is easier and quicker to use, easier to maintain, and more robust.
Salt in food is an increasingly controversial issue.
While it often contributes to a longer shelf life - and therefore a reduced risk of ill-health brought about by spoilt food - palates today have become so used to salt that reduced levels are seen as making food taste bland.
Nevertheless, concern about the impact on health of excessive salt is leading to a demand that salt levels be cut.
All of this means that accurate measurement of the actual salt content of foodstuffs is crucial.
The introduction of the Labcell digital salt meter at Nottingham Trent University has enabled undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience with one of the fastest, most accurate laboratory instruments available for measuring salt content.
Moreover, virtually no training in its use, calibration or maintenance is required.
Thanks to the instrument's use of the conductivity principle, samples as small as 1.0ml can be analysed and the salt content is displayed as a percentage in just a few seconds.
Measurement precision is +/-0.05% for salt concentrations of 0-1.00% and +/-0.5% for concentrations of 1.00-10.0%.
Samples with a salinity of greater than 10% can be diluted 10:1 with distilled water and the reading multiplied by ten to give the true result.
Sample temperatures can range from 10-40C and the instrument benefits from automatic temperature compensation.
Mike Dixon, senior lecturer in food science and technology, comments: "We purchased the ES-421 soon after we had seen a demonstration by Labcell.
"It is certainly much faster and easier to use than the titration method we used to rely on.
"For the students, it is also the type of instrument that they might encounter when working in industry.
"In the months that we have had it, the salt meter has been used for a wide variety of tasks - including investigating brine used for curing bacon.
"In the future we are likely to be using it when helping local food manufacturers as part of the support activity of the recently formed Food and Drink Centre for Knowledge Exchange under the New Technology Initiative (NTI)".
Labcell offers rapid deliveries and full technical support for the Atago S-421 salt meter.
