Sep 1 2015
Applied Rigaku Technologies, Inc. today announced a new method for the measurement of iron in milk powder by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF).
Rigaku NEX QC+ Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analyzer
Rigaku EDXRF application note #1491 describes the performance of the Rigaku NEX QC+ analyzer for the measurement of iron in powdered milk. The analysis can also be used for measuring iron in similar food products, such as cocoa powder and flour. The report includes details regarding sample preparation, calibration and repeatability.
Powdered milk is formed by evaporation as a means of preserving the milk, imbuing it with a much longer shelf life without requiring refrigeration. Nutrients, the most important being iron, can be controlled or added at specific levels. In the production of powdered milk, the iron content is of particular significance and is monitored throughout the process to ensure proper iron content of the final product. Monitoring iron levels is also useful in detecting contamination from the milling process.
To demonstrate the method, measurements were performed using the NEX QC+ EDXRF analyzer, which features a rugged, compact design with a touchscreen interface, enabling a fast and simple means of monitoring the iron composition. It is a tool that can be used for quality checks throughout the entire production process.
The results indicate that, given good sample preparation and proper reference standards for calibration, the NEX QC+ spectrometer can be a vital tool for measuring iron in powdered milk and similar products.