Glass-free pH sensors manufactured by METTLER TOLEDO are being used by a German cheese producer for monitoring starter culture cultivation inside fermentation reactors. This sensor completely satisfies the stringent requirements of process safety.
The German Dairy produces specialist cheeses such as Brie and Camembert, and inside their high-tech installations extremely strict procedures and quality checks are followed for hygiene during the entire production process. Their factory has achieved certification from the International Food Standards, British Retail Consortium, American Institute of Baking, ISO 9001 and DIN EN. The factory depends on the maintenance of an intact environment, and hence tries to preserve both its resources and environment.
pH is very important, especially in the breeding of the starter culture. Formerly, the factory had used electrodes made from glass to take pH measurements, which came with the risk of breakage, and hence had to be monitored constantly. Hence for improving process safety, the company has planned to use the METTLER TOLEDO’s glass-free InPro 3300 sensor. A microchip replaces the glass membrane and the sensor body is built from PEEK material which has been approved by the FDA for contact with food materials.
An ISFET sensor is thus ideal for performing pH measurements in food processing operations and is also in line with the HACCP concepts, with the elimination of glass in its make-up. These sensors could be made use of to execute in-line pH measurement tasks in fermentation reactors, vessels and pipes. In the Cheese factory, there were four fermenters being operated in parallel for the preparation of the starter culture. All the fermenters have been outfitted with a pH measurement point from METTLER. The whole system includes a multi-functional pH 2100e transmitter, double flushing chamber inside an InTrac 797 retractable housing and an InPro 3300 pH sensor.
Source: http://www.mt.com