When working to meet tight production schedules in flavor and fragrance manufacturing, workflows that save time, reduce errors, and increase throughput are important. A multiparameter system for the automated analysis of up to four different parameters is helping an Italian scent manufacturer maintain an edge and expand its product line.
Since 1986, Dr. Paolo and Anna Maria Vranjes have produced scented furnishing accessories based on aromatherapy and aromachology. Now, they distribute products in more than 60 countries. Their company’s QC laboratory sits in the fragrance production site where operators test raw materials and products to ensure they meet local and international requirements.
Until 2021, operators used stand-alone systems to characterize materials. The company’s new multiparameter system combines density, refractive index, pH, and color measurements into one automated workflow that is helping operators increase throughput and reduce errors, as revealed in an edited interview with perfume analyst Dr. Claudio Pineider.
METTLER TOLEDO: Recently, you added an Excellence D6 density meter, RX5 refractometer, UV5 UV/Vis spectrophotometer, and SC30 autosampler to your laboratory. What were you hoping to achieve with the new instrumentation?
Claudio Pineider: Mainly, we desired automation and improved data reproducibility. The system autonomously preconditions all our instruments with precision according to pre-saved methods. Another important aspect is the ability to recover expensive raw materials after analysis. The instruments then self-clean and are ready for subsequent analysis.
MT: What are the most important benefits for you?
CP: We very much appreciate the system’s flexibility. It works perfectly for multiparameter analysis and allows us to conduct tests on single instruments. Integrated software has generated considerable help for us. We can quickly evaluate data and reduce errors thanks to the intuitive interface. The dedicated database has integrated perfectly with our LIMS.
MT: Is there anything else you appreciate about the system?
CP: The pressurized sampling technique makes measuring viscous samples up to 30,000 mPas easy. We load volatile samples into the measuring cells of the various instruments, which are analyzed simultaneously. Not only does this help enhance our throughput, but it also helps us avoid the alteration of a sample between analyses.
MT: Has the changeover from manual processing been worth it?
CP: Definitely. Analysis times have been shortened by 90 percent, allowing me to dedicate myself to many other projects and laboratory checks. Additionally, compared to manual measurements, the automated system demonstrates high repeatability that improves our accuracy, even when handling a wide variety of sample types.
In summary, the investment of such a multiparameter system allowed Dr. Vranjes to shorten the measuring time by 90% while increasing the repeatability and quality of the measurement data. Another advantage is the possibility to measure viscous samples up to 30'000 mPas (viscosity of honey) thanks to the pressurized sampling technique. When measuring volatile samples, they will be loaded into the measuring cells of all instruments and analyzed simultaneously, avoiding alteration between the analysis.
Compared to individual manual measurements, an automated multiparameter system demonstrates high repeatability, timesaving methods, and accuracy, which can be achieved even when a variety of different samples are measured.
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