AwDesigner : A software for water activity calculation in food

Aw determination for the prediction of food stability

Key words: Aw measure, mathematical models, sorption, desorption
17/09/09 1 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner : A software for water activity calculation in food.

Our software

ADRIA Dveloppement proposes a new software for water activity calculation that will be very useful for every food producers The main concept is to calculate the water activity thanks to a database and mathematical models.
17/09/09 2 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner : A software for water activity calculation in food.

Our software

It will help you to accelerate the product innovation by saving time, money, manpower, and raw materials.
The software will calculate the aw of any product: dairy products, seafood products, cerals food based products, sauces, precooked dishes.
17/09/09 3 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner : A software for water activity calculation in food.

Our software will help you to optimise your formulations in order to meet your safety and quality objectives. to determine and compare the depressor activities of ingredients. to formulate products with less salts, sugars and without labelling. to limit moisture transfer occuring between different components of multi-domain foods.
17/09/09 4 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner : A software for water activity calculation in food.

What is in the software?

Database: 230 ingredients and additives

70 additives (listed in the list of food additives E ...) including the main preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilizers and gelling agents.

17/09/09

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

What is in the software?

160 ingredients including: different types of starch, protein concentrates, fiber, gum, flour, fat, egg products, spices, natural food products (cereals, fruits, vegetables,)

The software will be constantly enriched, an English version will be available at the end of august 2009.
17/09/09 6 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

What is in the software?

Principles of calculations are based on the study of the hygroscopic properties of individual phases that constitute the food (liquid and solid). The calculations are based on published models (models of GAB and Ferro-Fontan for the solid phase and models Teng, Roa for the liquid phase).
17/09/09 7 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Impact of solutes on aw

aw

17/09/09

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Isotherm for gelatin

1,2

teneur en eau (g/g de matire Moisture of dry matter sche)

1 0,8

. experimental data valeurs exprimentales

0,6

- model modle
0,4 0,2 0 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1

aw
17/09/09 9 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Calculation of the aw

17/09/09

10

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Aw depressor properties of ingredients

17/09/09

11

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Optimization of formula, estimating the amount of salt and sorbitol to be added for a given aw

17/09/09

12

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

What is aw ?

The water activity represents the ratio, from 0 (bone dry) to 1.0 (pure water) of the water vapor pressure of the food to the water vapor pressure of pure water under the same conditions. Water activity (aw) is an important consideration for food product design and food safety.
17/09/09 13 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Why aw must be controlled ?

Water activity can be considered as one of the most important factors in determining quality and safety for food

17/09/09

14

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Why aw must be controlled ?

Low water activity affects, the microbiological quality, the safety, the shelf life, texture changes in characteristics (such as crispness and crunchiness), flavor, and smell of foods you produce every day

17/09/09

15

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Why aw must be controlled ?

For instance, by measuring water activity, it is possible to predict which spoilage and pathogen microorganisms will grow by using predictive microbiology. www.symprevius.org Managing water activity can increase the stability of food and beverage in time
17/09/09 16 dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Why aw must be controlled ?

To better meet the nutritionnal requirements of food safety agencies : reduction of salt or sugars content. To control moisture migration in multidomain foods.

17/09/09

17

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Why aw must be controlled ?

Finally, to better answer to consumer demands, it will be useful to control labelling and to remove unessential substances from your production or to substitute some of them with natural ingredients.

17/09/09

18

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Why aw must be controlled ?

17/09/09

19

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

How to modify aw?

By adding solutes : sugars, salts, polyols By removing water : drying, cooking, baking, smoking are many other ways to modify water activity.

17/09/09

20

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

How to measure aw?

Today , Equipment for aw measuring are available, they must be calibrated. The precision and the reproductibility of the measure is difficult to obtain.

17/09/09

21

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

AwDesigner: A software for water activity calculation in food.

Contact

To order it or if you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact Dominique Thuault at ADRIA Developpement.
+33. (0)6.60.02.32.80 Dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr

17/09/09

22

dominique.thuault@adria.tm.fr