“Every single product on the market inherently has a color,  and this color needs to be measured and controlled in some way. ” explains Will Sheridan, Nix’s resident Scientific Applications Consultant. “Color is one of the first things that a customer will notice about a product. It creates a lasting impression and conveys a tangible sense of quality and value. Ultimately, color affects the success of a product and a company’s bottom line.”

Cheese, avocados, fish, meat…the list goes on. Food comes in all shapes, forms, and colors. And where there’s color, there’s color management. 

Although color is so important in the production process of an item, many industries rely on a technician using a standardized paper fan deck or swatch to ensure color consistency. This method has many downfalls, including the highly subjective nature of color perception using the naked eye. This subjectivity is amplified by:

  • ambient light conditions which can drastically alter color perception;
  • the skill and experience of the technicians;
  • the repeatability of measurements between technicians who are often in different manufacturing facilities;
  • and the quality and condition of the paper standard (these standards have the tendency to fade or dirty over time).

Because of these issues, the modern approach to color quality control involves the use of a digital colorimeter. These devices – although highly accurate – tend to be expensive, difficult to use, and are typically constrained to a lab counter-top due to their bulky size and damage-prone components.

“Our team is constantly striving to find the best ways and tools to accurately and efficiently identify color in any environment,” says Sheridan. “Not every product can be brought into a lab for measurement. For example, in 2015, we worked with an agricultural client to calculate the correlation between skin color and ripeness of Hass avocados. The data is integrated with our technology to create a simple and efficient way to collect color data and optimize quality.”

Through years of research and client experience, there has been one realization that sticks out: our customers are on the move, and need a tool that moves with them. Sometimes, color identification and measurement needs to done in the field, or even on the farm. Enter the Nix QC colorimeter. The Nix QC Color Sensor has the accuracy, repeatability, and inter-instrument agreement to handle even the toughest color quality control tasks. Sleek and portable in design with a user-friendly experience, it ensures color consistency at all stages of a product’s life.

Our customers see the Nix QC as more than a tool – they see it as a solution – one that is accurate, accessible and affordable. It has the capability to measure the color of any object, including:

  • Solid, opaque surfaces
  • Liquids
  • Powders
  • Soft/wet surfaces
  • Patterned surfaces
  • Other/custom solutions

“When I work with clients who are exploring the Nix QC, it’s important to understand their brand, their workflow and any color-related problems they may have,” says Sheridan. “It’s my job to ensure the amazing products that they are producing are up to their strict color standards. At the same time, we’re striving to make their jobs much, much easier.”

Thank you for reading

#color #food #nix