Using Colorimeter for Accurate Inspection of Vegetable Colors

From a long time, scientists and researchers have utilized color-based testing tools to evaluate the quality of vegetables. Apparently, their approaches were inherently subjective, and were dependent on the human visual observation, limiting their accuracy in results. 

But with the introduction of food color measurement devices, the method changed. Suddenly, there was an objective way of measuring color quality, one that allowed researchers to precisely categorize the quality of vegetables using advanced technology rather than untrustworthy human sight with colorimeter device.

Color is derived from the natural pigments found in vegetables, many of which modify as the plant matures and ripe. The primary pigments responsible for color quality are the fat soluble chlorophylls (green) and carotenoids (yellow, orange, and red) and the water soluble anthocyanins (red, blue), flavonoids (yellow), and betalains (red). In addition to these, enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning reactions may lead to formation of water soluble brown, grey, and black colored pigments too.

Color plays an important role and impacts the psychology of a person. It is often said, what you see is what you eat. If your dishes aren’t treat to eyes, they are certainly not treat to your taste buds. In our pantry, there are many colourful things, especially the vegetables. And, the freshness of these vegetables can be evaluated by just inspecting their color. As a matter of fact, we just visualise the colours of food to check different properties.

To investigate and control quality, one must be able to evaluate quality-related attributes. Quality of veggie production have sensory attributes, nutritive values, chemical constituents, mechanical properties, functional properties and defects. Instrumental measurements are often preferred to sensory evaluations in research and commercial situations because they reduce variations in judgment among individuals and can provide a common language among researchers, industry and consumers.

How can colours be measured?

There are numerous form of testing instruments that are utilized for color measurement. Here by calculating color, we mean to quantify the shade into a comparable numeric form. There are certain standards set for converting appearance of color into a number and as per which few devices are designed to conduct accurate testing such as colorimeter.

The instrument is popularly utilized in various industries for precise measurement of different color indices present in different color spaces.

The instrument offers a user friendly experience for the operator with powerful functioning of the instruments.