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The Vista spectrophotometer includes a smart touchscreen display that requires very little operator training. Image Source: HunterLab

We rely on our smartphones for just about everything, from navigation to communication. Messaging apps and texting allow us to instantly talk to everyone from our closest friends to distant relatives, all without ever leaving the house. News and entertainment are just a few taps away, and we have the ability to research any subject imaginable within seconds. All of this is made possible in part by intuitive interfaces and operating systems that make it easy to use this advanced technology on a daily basis. In this sense, smart technology blends seamlessly into our lifestyles, both becoming part of our everyday routine and making that routine easier than ever.

Just as smartphones have changed the way we communicate and interact with the world around us, smart spectrophotometers are changing the possibilities of spectrophotometric color measurement and revolutionizing operators’ work styles. Smart screen displays, advanced data management software, and network communications have made smart spectrophotometers easier to use, enhancing usability of data and efficiency of color analysis.

However, while there have been significant advances in smart spectrophotometer technology, many operators still use outdated instruments. Using a spectrophotometer without state-of-the-art features is a bit like being forced to make calls from a rotary phone—outdated technology slows down workflows and leads to manufacturing inefficiencies and errors. This is why you should consider making the switch to smart spectrophotometers in your lab. Smart technology improves productivity, data management, and operator learning curves, allowing you to maximize your operators’ time and, ultimately, produce higher-quality products.

Smart spectrophotometers like the Aeros improve workflow by speeding up the sample preparation process and making it easier to record measurements. Image Source: HunterLab

Chemical analysis is an intricate part of our everyday lives. From the water we drink to the food we eat to the fuel we put into our car, nearly everything we consume has undergone some form of chemical analysis before use. Although it’s likely not something we consider as we go about our daily activities, it’s a vital aspect of the production process for many things and something we all rely upon for quality assurance.

Petrochemical manufacturers know that chemical analysis is one of the most important steps in the monitoring of chemical compounds in the petroleum refining process. It is also one of the most unique and difficult processes to quantify and analyze. The ability to detect color changes is an important step in the process for identifying contaminants and impurities. With the right technology, the challenges of chemical analysis can be met.

Clear liquids are classified based on visual comparison.

Applications of Color Measurement in Petrochemicals

Petrochemical production results in a number of goods and materials that are dependent on accurate chemical analysis. From crude oil to the most refined petrochemical products, the manufacturing process relies on color technology to help with interpreting data, differentiation, and classifying petrochemical compounds. Petrochemical materials cover a wide range of products such as solvents, adhesives, plastics, resins, fibers, elastomers, lubricants, and gels. Each compound can vary from transparent to translucent to opaque, and accurate measurement is contingent upon the highest quality of instrumentation to measure transmittance or reflective materials.

The products that result from petrochemicals are numerous and varied. Image Source: Flickr user snowlepard

The petrochemical industry has greatly benefited from the use of color technology and spectrophotometers, and the ability to detect color changes throughout the refining process is an important step in identifying possible contamination. The ability to recognize even the slightest changes throughout processing helps to alleviate any impurities that may affect the quality of the final product. Detecting changes is crucial in monitoring and identifying any needs for re-distillation throughout the refining process.

A food dye is a chemical substance that uses artificial color to enhance the appearance of food. Though dye may make drinks, candy and other food look better, many are concerned about adverse side effects. Learn more about why we color food and how it impacts health.

The History of Food Coloring

Food coloring has been around for centuries. It was first developed around 1500 B.C. using saffron or wine. The early Romans used these natural options as well as mulberries, flowers, carrots, beets and pomegranates. The first artificial food coloring was made from coal tar in 1856. Food dyes are petroleum-based today.

Why Do We Color Food?

Food dye changes the food’s color and appearance to look more appealing to the consumer. Some food processing can remove food’s natural color. Dye adds it back so the food looks as expected. Food manufacturers typically prefer artificial food dye to natural options because it has more vibrant colors, longer shelf life and a lower production cost.

The Health Effects of Food Coloring

The safety of food coloring is a long-debated topic due to the concern about negative health effects. Out of the hundreds of developed food dyes, a select few are deemed safe for consumption because they have been tested for toxicity in animals. Yellow 5, Red 40 and Yellow 6 are the most common.

Food dye safety can be confusing because different countries have different laws about the same food coloring. For example, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) agree that food coloring is not harmful. However, there are food dyes approved by the FDA but banned by the EFSA, and vice versa.

In the past 100 years, the amount of food coloring used in food has increased drastically. This shift is due in part to manufacturers’ growing emphasis on making food look more appealing, last longer and attract as many consumers as possible. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposes strict regulations and standards for the approval of artificial food dyes and how food producers and manufacturers are permitted to use those dyes in their products. Learn more about food color standards established by the FDA, including what technology your business can use to operate within regulation.

What Is Food Coloring?

Food coloring and food dyes are chemical substances used to alter or enhance the appearance of a food product. Three color additives make up 90% of all used food dye — Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.

Using color additives or dyes is not a new technology. Natural food colors were used to color wine as early as 300 B.C. Early dye experimentation included naturally occurring color found in some spices and metal oxides, like saffron and copper sulfate.

The first synthetic organic dye — called mauve — was discovered in 1856. Mauve was the first of many discovered synthetic dyes produced via coal processing, earning them the title “coal-tar colors.” Federal regulation of color additives began a few decades later, in the 1880s.

What Is Food Coloring Made Of?

Artificial food coloring is derived from petroleum. There are three possible classifications for a food dye:

• Straight colors: Straight colors are free from most impurities and have not been mixed or chemically altered with other substances.
• Lakes: Lakes are the product of a chemical reaction that takes place after combining a straight color with precipitants or substrata of things like alumina, titanium dioxide and zinc.
• Mixtures: Mixtures are made by combining a color additive with another color additive or a non-colored diluent, which produces no chemical reaction.

Appropriate color measurement tests can help you create fiber cement siding that is as beautiful as it is durable. Image Source: Shutterstock user Kiattisak Thongtawee

Fiber cement siding—a sturdy combination of wood pulp, fly ash, portland cement, and water—was first introduced in the construction industry just 25 years ago.1 Since then, it’s become one of the most popular materials that architects use for their projects. Almost 15 percent of all new homes have fiber cement siding, in part because this material is so durable and versatile. Although this material can be made to look just like brick, stone, or wood siding, it is actually far stronger than wood or vinyl materials, and less expensive to make than brick or stone. Quality fiber cement siding is fire resistant, termite-proof, rot-proof, and can withstand extreme weather conditions like heavy rain, strong winds or fluctuations in temperature.

But in order to achieve both the durability and beauty of fiber cement siding, manufacturers have to use appropriate color measurement methods at different points in the manufacturing process. Siding color is often the first thing that visitors notice when they look at a house, which is why it’s so important to test for color accuracy before you sell your products to customers. Even subtle inconsistencies in color could make fiber cement siding appear cheaply-made or weather-worn, and will negatively impact the overall appearance of the house. By using spectrophotometric color measurement during manufacturing, you can ensure that every piece of fiber cement siding meets your exacting standards and that your final product will appear beautifully-crafted.

Unpainted fiber cement siding is usually light grey in color. Image Source: Wikimedia user Michael Holley

Double beam spectrophotometers illuminate both a reference source and a sample simultaneously to produce more reliable, repeatable measurements. Image Source: Unsplash user Greg Becker

Spectrophotometers have revolutionized the way product color is measured across numerous industries, from maxillofacial plastics to maple syrup. By allowing for full-spectrum analysis of both reflected and transmitted light, spectrophotometers offer the most advanced method of objectively quantifying chromatic information possible today and give customers virtually endless options for obtaining accurate color measurements. However, not all spectrophotometers are created equal; recent technological advances have expanded the versatility of optical configurations and understanding your options is critical when choosing the right instrument for your purposes.

Single Beam Systems

The first spectrophotometers were based on a single beam configuration that is still in use today. The light source in this type of configuration is concentrated in a single beam, requiring discrete measurements of each object. In practice, this means calibrating the machine prior to each test by measuring a reference standard and making any necessary corrections to compensate for light source changes during the standardization process. Single beam instruments have historically suffered from deteriorating accuracy over time and unpredictable repeatability, primarily due to the instability of light sources. With advances in tungsten halogen lamp stability, single beam configurations have enjoyed increased reliability in recent years. However, standardization every 4-8 hours is still recommended to ensure accuracy, impeding efficacy and making measurements vulnerable to human error.

Historically, the instability of light sources led to increased demand for double-beam instrumentation. However, today’s advanced illuminants have dramatically improved stability to offer enhance reliability in single-beam instruments. Image Source: Flickr user Paul Hudson

Everything You Need to Know About Dye Allergies

If you’re like most people in the world, you consume or come into contact with dye on a daily basis. Food, drugs, personal care products and textiles all make use of dye to change product appearance and help with identification. In the manufacturing world, dye is a critical component of a product — but it can have significant ramifications for specific customers.

People with dye allergies must be extra careful with the products they use and the food they consume. Let’s take a closer look at allergies to food dyes and what they mean for a product.

What Is Dye?

Dyes come from a wide variety of natural and synthetic sources. Each dye has its own properties and associated regulations. People have been dyeing products for centuries and have developed a range of styles and types of dyes. Food, drugs and textiles may all use different dyes to get their final colors.

One distinguishing characteristic of a dye is that it chemically bonds to the material, as opposed to pigments that do not bind to the substance. Its qualities become part of the item and can have effects on people who consume or come into contact with it.

What Are Dyes Used For?

Dyes are essential for a wide array of purposes, including:

• They make products look better. If your ketchup were a sickly brown color, it probably wouldn’t look very appealing. Dye can improve the visual appearance of various products, attracting customers and making their experience more enjoyable. In products like cosmetics, the dye is essential to give them the right color.
• They can help identify variations. Different flavors or options can benefit from various colors to help distinguish them from each other. In the world of pharmaceuticals, the right color can be critical in the proper identification of a drug.
• They improve consistency. Whether you buy a product in New York or Los Angeles, you expect similar levels of quality from the same manufacturer. During production, natural products can appear quite different. When you ensure the same colors and appearances are present consistently, customers retain confidence in your product each time they buy.

One of the most significant uses of dyes is in the food and beverage industry. You can also find dyes in cosmetic products, personal care items and drugs. Some products that frequently use dye include the following:

• Soft drinks
• Cereals
• Baked goods
• Candies
• Ice cream
• Canned fruits
• Chips
• Cheeses
• Fabric
• Pills
• Liquid medicine
• Cosmetics
• Mouthwash