Fruit juices viscosity measurement

This unit describes a method for measuring the viscosity (r ) of Newtonian fluids. For a Newtonian fluid, viscosity is a constant at a given temperature and pressure, as defined in unit hi. i common liquids under ordinary circumstances behave in this way. Examples include pure fluids and solutions. Liquids which have suspended matter of sufficient size and concentration may deviate from Newtonian behavior. Examples of liquids exhibiting non-Newtonian behavior (unit hi. i) include polymer suspensions, emulsions, and fruit juices. Glass capillary viscometers are useful for the measurement of fluids, with the appropriate choice of capillary dimensions, for Newtonian fluids of viscosity up to 10 Pascals (Newtons m/sec 2) or 100 Poise (dynes cm/sec 2). Traditionally, these viscometers have been used in the oil industry. However, they have been adapted for use in the food industry and are commonly used for molecular weight prediction of food polymers in very dilute solutions (Daubert and Foegeding, 1998). There are three common types of capillary viscometers including Ubelohde, Ostwald, and Cannon-Fenske. These viscometers are often referred to as U-tube viscometers because they resemble the letter U (see Fig. HI.3.1). 

Capillary viscometers are ideal for measuring the viscosity of Newtonian fluids. However, they are unsuitable for non-Newtonian fluids since variations in hydrostatic pressure during sample efflux results in variations in shear rate and thus viscosity. This unit contains protocols for measuring the viscosity of pure liquids and solutions (see Basic Protocol) and serums from fruit juices and pastes (see Alternate Protocol). 

Once the constant-temperature water bath has reached 30°C, measuring the viscosities of pure solutions like standard oils requires 15 min per sample. The most time-consuming part of the measurement is cleaning and drying the viscometer between samples. Preparing fruit pastes and juices for viscosity determination will take 1 hr for two to four different samples and then an additional -15 min/sample for the viscosity measurements. 

Chapter HI relates to measurement of flow properties of foods that are primarily fluid in nature, unithi.i surveys the nature of viscosity and its relationship to foods. An overview of the various flow behaviors found in different fluid foods is presented. The concept of non-Newtonian foods is developed, along with methods for measurement of the complete flow curve. The quantitative or fundamental measurement of apparent shear viscosity of fluid foods with rotational viscometers or rheometers is described, unithi.2 describes two protocols for the measurement of non-Newtonian fluids. The first is for time-independent fluids, and the second is for time-dependent fluids. Both protocols use rotational rheometers, unit hi.3 describes a protocol for simple Newtonian fluids, which include aqueous solutions or oils. As rotational rheometers are new and expensive, many evaluations of fluid foods have been made with empirical methods. Such methods yield data that are not fundamental but are useful in comparing variations in consistency or texture of a food product, unit hi.4 describes a popular empirical method, the Bostwick Consistometer, which has been used to measure the consistency of tomato paste. It is a well-known method in the food industry and has also been used to evaluate other fruit pastes and juices as well. 

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