Saccharimeter
Encyclopedia
A saccharimeter is an instrument for measuring the concentration of sugar
solutions.
This is commonly achieved using a measurement of refractive index
(refractometer
) or the angle of rotation of polarization of optically active sugars (polarimeter
).
Saccharimeters are used in food processing
industries, brewing
, and the distilled alcoholic drinks industry.
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
solutions.
This is commonly achieved using a measurement of refractive index
Refractive index
In optics the refractive index or index of refraction of a substance or medium is a measure of the speed of light in that medium. It is expressed as a ratio of the speed of light in vacuum relative to that in the considered medium....
(refractometer
Refractometer
A refractometer is a laboratory or field device for the measurement of an index of refraction . The index of refraction is calculated from Snell's law and can be calculated from the composition of the material using the Gladstone-Dale relation....
) or the angle of rotation of polarization of optically active sugars (polarimeter
Polarimeter
A polarimeter is a scientific instrument used to measure the angle of rotation caused by passing polarized light through an optically active substance....
).
Saccharimeters are used in food processing
Food processing
Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing industry...
industries, brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
, and the distilled alcoholic drinks industry.
Historical
- Bates saccharimeter at NIST web site.
- Catalonian Medical Museum
Commercial
- http://www.anton-paar.com
- http://www.opticalactivity.com/SacchAAr%20880.htm
- http://www.rudolphresearch.com/