Beverages

Beverages: Q·FOOD QUANTOS – the number 1 choice for economic and responsible filling

The right recipe, compliance with limits, correct filling – QUANTOS ensure a responsible product range and economic filling.

At a glance…

All drinks in the trade are subject to strict legal requirements regarding compliance with the listed ingredients and their concentration. Beverage manufacturers and filling companies have full responsibility towards both consumers and the law for exact adherence to these requirements and a consistently high quality product. This means that reliable quality control during the production process, and of the end product, is essential. Not only does QUANTOS supply an accurate analyse of various ingredients in a single measurement, but it does so in just a few minutes, unlike existing test procedures. This enables users to act quickly and efficiently, to avoid incorrect filling at short notice and thus minimise financial losses.

Continuous quality control: QUANTOS in the filling process

QUANTOS serves the filling process from A to Z: Supplied components can be tested for the correct mixing ratio and the quality of the ingredients before mashing. During production, QUANTOS checks that the recipe is followed exactly, including the mixing ratio and ingredient concentration, as well as exact compliance with legal limits. A preset reference spectrum is used as a quality standard for each product line. The final check before filling provides definitive assurance of the product quality and ensures the correct filling of the various product lines. Using a single device, the filling company can therefore verify the whole production process and intervene directly, thus ensuring that they are supplying the market with a flawless quality product that complies with all requirements.

QUANTOS measures the quality of the components supplied before mashing; during the production process, it checks that the recipe is followed. The subsequent quick test ensures definitive quality control and correct filling.

Contents analysis and application

In just a few minutes, QUANTOS determines the concentrations of various beverage components such as inositol, ethanol, caffeine, taurine and preservatives as low as just a few ml/l. The product-specific software calculates the concentrations of the ingredients tested and then stores a spectrum on the basis of the sample, taking into account all the measured parameters. A single analysis captures all the ingredients that can be tested simultaneously, which means that this spectrum produces an unmistakeable digital fingerprint of the sample. This individual characterisation of the measured sample is compared with the quality standard, a precise and robust reference spectrum already stored in the Beverage Base. This comparison allows QUANTOS to correctly match each product with a beverage and to determine, in just a few minutes, any deviations from the reference spectrum that the sample may display. This means that lower quality batches or incorrectly packaged products do not even leave the plant. However, the analyses do not permit a reconstruction of beverage recipes. The QUANTOS service means assurance of perfect product quality towards both the legislator and the consumer.

A digital fingerprint is produced from all the ingredients measured in a sample. The match (or deviation) between this fingerprint and the quality standard is immediately recognised and allows direct action before the end product leaves the plant.

QUANTOS advantages: ‘Highlights’ on micro dimension

The use of an IR spectroscopic microdimensional solution, linked with the patented company-owned system of mathematical solutions, is unique around the world and provides a new, remarkably efficient control tool for beverage analysis. While existing methods commonly available on the market can only analyse a few main ingredients at the same time, thanks to a great technological leap forward, QUANTOS reliably determines all the parameters that can be measured by an IR spectrum, even with detection limits of just a few mg/l. The benefit for the beverage market is obvious: compliance with legal limits often depends on those low concentrations of substances. Even leaving aside the variety of analysable parameters and the accuracy of the results, it is the extremely short analysis time that makes QUANTOS a clear winner. This is an important feature because a quick test of just a few minutes can prevent significant economic losses, especially when dealing with very efficient filling methods.

Instead of measuring a few main ingredients, QUANTOS captures all the parameters that can be measured using IR in a single measurement, even with concentrations of just a few ml/l. This allows the quality of the product and compliance with all legal limits to be verified within a few minutes, before the beverage leaves the production facility.

Operating QUANTOS: complex analysis made easy

Using QUANTOS is extremely easy. A brief introduction is sufficient to be able to operate the user-friendly system, even without any knowledge of laboratory analysis. User errors are virtually excluded. Beverage samples can usually be poured directly into the QUANTOS measuring vial and placed on the sample tray without any prior preparation. The program uses a screen to guide the user step by step through the process. A clear sample designation and the position on the sample tray are all that QUANTOS requires for the analysis. QUANTOS automatically performs the injection, measurement and evaluation of the sample. Within a few minutes, the internal software and the product-specific solution provide the result. Results are presented clearly and intelligibly and are stored in the customer’s internal, local database. QUANTOS has access to an online network to resolve queries through an online catalogue or the customer centre, but also for automatic reminders for maintenance work (e.g. change of filter) that can be performed without the need for professional maintenance. Additional on-site customer service or further training can also be booked at any time.

No experience of laboratory analysis is needed to operate QUANTOS. A brief induction is sufficient to be able to easily follow the simple, step-by-step instructions presented on the screen. QUANTOS itself will withdraw the syringe and perform the measurement and the evaluation.