RVA 4500
Rapid Visco Analyser
Starch
Ext
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Fo ds
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Fin
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Measure Performance of Ingredients and Finished Products
Ver 4.0 2013.03.11
Rapid Visco Analyser RVA 4500
The RVA measures the viscosity and performance of starches, raw materials, ingredients and
foods using controlled temperature and shear. It can be used to characterize ingredients, in-
termediates and finished products to optimize quality and performance. Temperature and
stirring speed (shear) can be programmed to follow international standard methods or your
own custom methods, or use the RVA as a miniature pilot plant to mimic realworld manu-
facturing and preparation processes such as heating, cooling and mixing. RVA 4500 interfaces
with a PC and TCW3 software for operation and data management and includes a library of
methods for dozens of applications including starch and hydrocolloid performance and degree
of cook. RVA 4500 combines speed, precision, flexibility, and automation and is a unique tool
for research, product development, process monitoring, QC and QA to optimize ingredient
use, product formulation and processing conditions. RVA 4500 offers exceptional sensitivity
and accuracy when analyzing low viscosity samples and wide dynamic range when analyzing
high viscosity samples.
Features & Benefits
High Sensitivity: Direct drive motor and control system for low viscosity samples.
Wide Viscosity Range: Optimized measurement system for high viscosity samples.
Rapid Viscosity Profile: Standard starch pasting test in 13 minutes.
Robust: Suitable for factory floor to analytical laboratory.
Traceable: Calibration check with traceable standards to satisfy ISO9000 and
Quality System requirements.
Glass-free: Safe for food manufacturing areas.
Precise: Accurate, crystal-locked stirring speeds, heating and cooling rates, ensures
repeatable results between RVAs.
Standard: Standard methods approved by ICC, AACC International and others.
Relevant: Tailor test routines to emulate processing conditions in industry.
ER/ES Compliant: Electronic Registration/Electronic Signature compliant TCW3
can create traceable, secure results and reports.
Applications
Suitable for R&D, product design, production, quality assurance, quality control, raw
material testing, process design and process control.
Starch: Full starch pasting test for native and modified starches using 13 minute
standard methods.
Proteins: Wheat gluten, skim milk powder, whey protein concentrate, soy protein.
Gums: Gelling and thickening profiles of hydrocolloids and formulations.
Flour Milling & Baking: Starch quality, gluten quality, amylase activity,
weather damage.
Brewing: Malting barley, barley storage, kilned malt and brewing adjuncts.
Dairy: Processed cheese manufacture and melt, soft dairy desserts, ice cream, yogurts.
Extruded and Cooked Foods: Snacks, breakfast cereals, pasta, noodles and
petfoods for pasting and degree of cook.
Miniature Pilot Plant: Test new ingredients, formulations and process conditions
prior to scale-up.
Specifications
Power Requirements: 240/115VAC, 3.5A, 50/60 Hz.
Input/Output: USB port, RS232 serial port.
Dimensions (H x W x D), Net Weight: 382 x 306 x 345 mm, 18 kg.
Temperature Range: 0-99.9ºC.
Heating/Cooling Rate: Up to 14ºC/minute (infinitely variable).
Coolant Consumption: Water, 1 l/min at cooling, 100-250 kPa. Chilled coolant
required for cooling below room temperature.
Speed Range: Computer controlled infinitely variable 0, 20-2000 rpm.
Viscosity Range: 20-50,000 cP at 80 rpm, 10–25,000 cP at 160 rpm.
Viscosity Accuracy: +/- 2% for S2000 Oil nom. 5000 cP.
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Application & Method
Rapid Visco Analyser
Starch
Ext s
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Fo ds
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Fin
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Measure Performance of Ingredients and Finished Products
Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA)
The Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) is a cooking, stirring viscometer with ramped temperature
and variable shear capability optimized for testing the viscous properties of starch, grain, flour
and foods.
Importance of starch
The Rapid Visco Analyser is a rotational viscometer
that continuously records the viscosity of a sample
under conditions of controlled temperature and shear.
The ability of the RVA to suspend samples in a sol-
vent, maintain them in suspension throughout the test,
and apply an appropriate amount of shear to match
processing conditions makes it particularly valuable in
many process and research applications. The combi-
nation of shearing, heating and cooling, applied over
time, creates a viscosity curve for the material.
During a standard starch analysis, the starch is
heated in an aqueous environment.The starch gran-
ule imbibes water and swells, the internal crystal- Starch pasting curve showing typical measurements.
line structure melts (gelatinization), the granule
itself breaks down and a continuous gel forms. The
viscosity changes produced by heating and cooling material itself. The ability of a sample to withstand
starch in water generally provide a characteristic this heating and shear stress is an important factor
pasting curve. for many processes.
• The re-association between starch molecules
Key features of the during cooling is commonly referred to as the set-
viscosity curve back. It involves retrogradation, or re-ordering, of
• Pasting temperature, which provides an indica- the starch molecules, and has been correlated with
tion of the minimum temperature required to cook texture of various products.
a given sample, can have implications for the stability
of other components in a formula, and also indicate • Final viscosity is the most commonly used pa-
energy costs. rameter to define a particular sample’s quality, as it
indicates the ability of the material to form a viscous
• Peak viscosity indicates the water-holding capacity paste or gel after cooking and cooling.
of the starch or mixture. It is often correlated with
final product quality, and also provides an indication Custom curves may be used to study the effect of
of the viscous load likely to be encountered by a mix- enzymes, such as alpha-amylase, the characteristics of
ing cooker. modified and processed starches and starchy foods,
the hydration and viscosity development of hy-
• The rate of breakdown in viscosity to a hold- drocolloids, melt characteristics of ingredients and
ing strength, hot paste viscosity or trough, depends foods and the properties of protein rich ingredients
on the temperature and degree of mixing, or shear and foods. The RVA may also be used to simulate
stress, applied to the mixture, and the nature of the manufacture of foods.
The Rapid Visco Analyser Met
Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA)
The RVA is a rotational viscometer that incorporates variable heating, cooling and shear capabilities. It is suit-
able for a variety of applications requiring accurate viscosity information, such as the testing of starch-based
products for quality control. Standardized test profiles are available, including those approved by the American
Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC International) and the International Association for Cereal Science
and Technology (ICC).
1. Select Method
Open the appropriate RVA method
in TCW software or select the
appropriate RVA method using the
instrument keypad if using a stand
alone RVA.
2. Weighing
Accurately weigh your sample and
water using an electronic balance.
Add first the water and then the
sample into the canister.
3. Mixing
Place a paddle into the canister, mix
and push down any sample lumps.
thod from Perten Instruments
Standard methods
Stirring Number/Sprout Damage: AACC International Method 22-08.01, ICC Standard No. 161, RACI
Method 05-05, American Society of Brewing Chemists Barley-12.
General Pasting: AACC International Method 76-21.01, ICC Standard No. 162, PRC Food Profes-
sional Standards, LS/T 6101-2002, PRC National Standards, GB/T 24853-2010, CCFRA 2004 Draft FTWG
Method No. 23 Version 1.1.
Rice: AACC International Method 61-02.01, RACI Method 06-05, PRC National Standards, GB/T 24852-2010.
Other: MEBAK II, 2006, Chapter 2 Rohfrucht, 2.7 Verkleisterungstemperatur, Germany, pp 106-109, AACC
International Method 76-22.01 Pasting Properties of Oat.
4. Inserting
Slide the paddle into the RVA
motor coupling.
5. Starting
Depress the tower to lower
the canister into the RVA and
start the test.
6. Measuring
The viscosity of the sample will
be graphed on the monitor or
on the display if using a stand
alone RVA.
7. Result
The test will end automatically
and analysis results will be re-
ported.
Benefits of the RVA
The RVA is a unique tool for product development, Formulated foods
quality and process control and quality assurance.
Viscosity profile of products (premixes & ready to
Rapid Viscosity Profile: Standard starch pasting use) such as sauce, ketchup, gravy, dressing, mayon-
test in 13 minutes. naise, soup and other low viscosity foods formulated
Easy to Use: Automated operation minimizes with starches, hydrocolloids & proteins. Melt tests
training and ensures reliability. such as chocolate and confectionery and “Miniature
Relevant: Tailor test routines to emulate Pilot Plant” small scale emulation of manu-
processing conditions in industry. facturing conditions.
Calibration: Check with traceable
standards to comply with ISO9000
and Quality System requirements. Extruded and
Glass-free: Safe for food manu- Cooked Foods
facturing areas. Starch transformation (“Degree
of Cook”) of ready to eat break-
fast cereals, snack foods, pet foods,
Starches and
aqua feeds and animal feeds at pre-
starchy samples conditioner, extruder and finished
Standard and custom starch pasting product stages.
tests for native starches of grains, roots,
tubers and others. Custom high shear and
extended temperature tests to monitor the produc- Dairy
tion and end quality of modified starches for food,
Process cheese manufacture and melting profile, ef-
pharmaceutical, feed and industrial applications.
fect of drying temperature on milk protein powders,
rennet caseinate rehydration, dairy beverages, cus-
tard, age thickening of sweetened condensed milk
Milling and Baking and “Miniature Pilot Plant” small scale manufacture
Grain soundness and bug damage, starch pasting of yogurt, ice cream mix and dairy desserts.
quality for cakes, breads, batters, pasta and noodles,
flour amylase, malt amylase, fungal amylase, anti-
staling, heat treatment of flour, wheat gluten quality Ingredients
and solvent retention capacity test.
Viscosity development of proteins such as soy prod-
ucts, milk proteins, gluten, gelatin and egg
whites. Hydration performance and
Barley – Malting gelling/thickening profile of a sys-
– Brewing tem during cooling to fingerprint
Predicting safe storage life for hydrocolloid behaviour. Precise
malting barley, rapid recording sample preparation for other
mashing system (and the effect types of rheological assessment.
of adding enzymes, adjuncts and
chemicals to malts), monitoring
the progression of malting, pre-
dicting barley malting quality and
simulated industrial mashing process.
Ver 3.3 2015.11.10
Required Equipment
RVA Models
RVA models with software
Using the RVA together with the supplied Thermocline for Windows
(TCW) software, you can configure and perform a wide variety of
tests, graph data and analyze test results.
RVA Stand alone models
Using stand alone models, tests are easily run via a keypad and menu
with prompts. Methods of your choice are preset in the instrument
and a real time display, including the viscosity graph.
Accessories
Robot Dispenser
Automated sample weigher and dispenser saves around one third of
sample preparation time, reduces operator error and improves the
reliability of RVA results.
Sample cans & stirring paddles
Coated cans which provide broad spectrum resistance, including at high
and low pH, are also available.
Calibration check starch sachets
and NIST certified calibration check oil
Ensure that the RVA is operating within specifications in compliance
with the principles of Good Laboratory Practice.
RVA Handbook
The RVA Handbook, published by AACC International, helps you to
review the scope of applications available, guides you when developing
new applications, or improving existing ones, and helps you to interpret
RVA test results.
Getting started
To test samples you will require a standard single-phase power supply, a suitable cold water
supply, a supply of distilled water (or water of equivalent purity) and a supply of RVA
sample canisters and stirring paddles. An analytical balance accurate to at least ±0.01 g is
also needed. Depending on your application, you may also require a grinding mill and an
adjustable dispenser or pipette. To run ThermoCline for Windows (TCW), you will require
a Windows personal computer.
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