Scientists reveal why particle density tests keep failing in food research
A new study shows that measuring the density of starch particles — used in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics — requires accounting for a physics effect that standard methods overlook. The finding could improve quality control in industries relying on these measurements, potentially reducing waste and ensuring product consistency across manufacturing.
Originaltitel: Sedimentation of a starch microsphere: What is usually missed and why?
<p>Gravimetric sedimentation is known as a relatively simple method of determining density of spherical particles. When the method is applied to water-swollen starch microparticles of about submillimeter sizes, it becomes evident that a careful selection of the experimental setup parameters is needed for producing accurate testing results. The main reason for this is that the mean particle density is very close to the density of water, and therefore, a dynamic model accounting for the so-called Bassett history force should be employed for describing the unsteady accelerating particle settling. A main novelty of this study consists in deriving a priori estimates for the settling time and distance.</p>