Baseline-Mocon, a subsidiary of Mocon, claims its BevAlert 8900 analyzer offers improved testing sensitivity across a wider range of gases,eliminating the need for multiple instruments.
The new unit allows plant operators to significantly reduce capital outlay for this type of instrumentation, while at the same time being able to detect even smaller amounts of a wider range ofgases, the company stated.
The testing is used by the food and beverage industry and specialty gas manufacturers to monitor and eliminate trace volatile organic compounds inthe CO2 used in bottling beverages.
The presence of trace elements can reduce the shelf life of a product, or cause contamination,
Food and beverage makers have usually used two separate units to test CO2 for the presence of acetaldehyde and BTEX(benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene) contaminants.
"Increasingly, bottlers are mandating to CO2 gas suppliers that such analysis is done to help insure a higher quality product,"stated Bob Forsberg, Baseline-Mocon's president. "Our unit provides data to help meet those quality objectives."
The company claims the BevAlert 8900 is the first analyzer that can detect the presence of both acetaldehyde and BTEXtraces in one unit.
The instrument uses a photoionization detector as the sensing element. Baseline-MOCON's application chemists have been able to create a detector-based unit which not only combines analysis, but also provides the ability to look at the various compounds with a greater sensitivity than previous methods.
The company says it has designed the BevAlert for easy access of the detector for service and maintenance.It is targeted at the beverage and quick frozens foods sector.