As experienced master bakers leave the workforce, commercial bakeries are reportedly struggling to maintain consistent product quality. To address this challenge, KPM Analytics has introduced a dual universal analyzer, the Mixolab 300, that objectively measures the characteristics of both flour and dough.

The new analyzer aims to overcome the longstanding problem of trying to predict baking performance from flour analysis alone. Analyzing both flour and dough (including reactions between flour, salt, yeast, fat, sugar, and improvers) gives a more complete and more accurate picture. 

Improving on the company's flour-based Mixolab 2 dough characterizer, the Mixolab 300 adds a mixing bowl, dedicated software, and an introduction chimney that reportedly makes it easier for the operators to introduce doughs and batters for at-line quality analysis. Both the flour mixing bowl and the dough mixing bowl have the capability to heat samples. By selecting the bowl and software mode, users can switch between flour and dough analysis, depending on their needs. 

The company also is introducing the Mixolab 200, an evolution of the Mixolab 2, equipped with a flour mixing bowl. As user needs evolve, they can upgrade the Mixolab 200 to a Mixolab 300, which will include a dough kit, a specialized dough mixing bowl, and software for both flour and dough analysis.   

Unlike instruments limited to testing flours, the Mixolab 300 can reportedly anticipate baking performance by analyzing actual dough. Installed in quality control labs or near production lines, the Mixolab 300 dough characterizer can collect data on dough consistency and rheological properties, including starch behavior, providing quality measurements. 

Thanks to a liquid-tight mixing bowl, a wider funnel, and an improved dough introduction chimney, Mixolab 300 can analyze all types of doughs and liquid batters ranging from bread doughs to cake and wafer batters. It comes with two different dough testing modes. The first, "Instant Consistency" test mode, aims to provide quality-control data in minutes for production monitoring. The second mode offers a comprehensive "Full Test" that analyzes how ingredients interact during temperature changes.

Millers that supply bakeries with flours can use the Mixolab 300 to analyze wheat and flour behavior and use that understanding to aim to improve wheat selection, optimize wheat and flour blends, and use functional additives. Likewise, manufacturers of enzymes and additives can use the Mixolab 300 in their quality control and research and development. In addition, research centers and universities can use the analyzer for scientific exploration.  

The Mixolab 300 and Mixolab 200 flour and dough analyzers are available for order now. The Mixolab 300 will be on display in Düsseldorf at IBA, booth 11.F38.  

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