Transmission vs. Reflectance Measurement: How to Choose the Right Color Measurement Method for Juices and Beverages?

In the juice and beverage industry, color not only reflects the quality of the product, but also directly affects consumers' purchasing decisions. However, different types of juice and beverages (such as clear juice, cloudy drinks, and high-fiber drinks) require different technical solutions when measuring color. This article will introduce the differences between transmission measurement and reflection measurement in detail to help companies accurately select the appropriate color measurement method based on product characteristics.

1. Application Scenarios of Transmission Measurement

The transmission measurement method uses the transmittance of light through a liquid sample to measure color. It is mainly applicable to:

• Clear or translucent beverages:
  • Apple Juice
  • Grape Juice
  • lemon juice
  • Clear soft drinks

Advantages:

• Can sensitively capture subtle color differences in clarified liquids;
• It is very suitable for beverages with high light transmittance and accurately reflects the true color.

Recommended Measuring Equipment:

• 3nh TS8560 Benchtop Spectrophotometer (Transmission Mode)
  

3nh TS8560 desktop spectrophotometer has dual functions of transmission measurement and reflection measurement. It adopts the internationally widely applicable D/8 lighting observation conditions and SCI/SCE (including mirror reflection/excluding mirror reflection) synthesis technology, supports SCI+SCE simultaneous rapid measurement , perfectly meets the measurement needs of milkshakes and turbid juices, and can also measure more liquid samples . TS8560 supports two lighting methods: pulsed xenon lamp and LED. The repeatability of the reflectance color value of TS8560 desktop spectrophotometer ΔE*ab ≤0.01, the inter-unit difference ΔE*ab is controlled within 0.1, and the data is stable and reliable. It complies with CIE No.15, ISO7724/1, ASTM E1164, DIN5033 Teil7, JIS Z8722 Condition C and other standards .

• 3nh Liquid Colorimeter TS4020
  

Liquid colorimeter TS4020 is a high-precision color analysis tool designed by 3nh with innovative core technology for liquid color measurement. It adopts D/0 optical structure, equipped with full-band LED light source and high-performance test system, provides a variety of color indexes, including transmittance, chromaticity, color difference, platinum cobalt index, Gardner, Seibert index, petroleum color scale, pharmacopoeia color, etc., supports micro-transmission measurement, and has fast measurement speed. It complies with ASTM D1003/1044, CIE No.15 , ASTM E308, DIN5033 Teil7 and other standards. It is widely used in color measurement needs in the fields of chemical industry, food and beverage, petrochemical industry, pharmaceutical industry, etc.

Application Scenarios of Reflection Measurement

Reflection measurement, especially diffuse reflection (integrating sphere) method, is suitable for measuring beverages containing particles or opaque, mainly including:

• Cloudy juices and beverages containing particles:
  • Orange juice
  • Carrot Juice
  • Tomato juice
  • milkshake
  • Fruit and vegetable mixed drinks, etc.

This method measures diffusely reflected light from the sample surface and is particularly suitable for drinks high in fiber or containing pulp.

Recommended Measuring Equipment:

• 3nh TS8560 Benchtop Spectrophotometer ( Reflection Mode)
  

3nh TS8560 benchtop spectrophotometer has dual functions of transmission measurement and reflection measurement. It adopts the internationally widely applicable D/8 lighting observation conditions and SCI/SCE (including mirror reflection/excluding mirror reflection) synthesis technology, supports SCI+SCE simultaneous rapid measurement , perfectly meets the measurement needs of milkshakes and turbid juices, and can also measure more liquid samples . TS8560 supports two lighting methods: pulsed xenon lamp and LED. The repeatability of the reflectance color value of TS8560 desktop spectrophotometer ΔE*ab ≤0.01, the inter-unit difference ΔE*ab is controlled within 0.1, and the data is stable and reliable. It complies with CIE No.15, ISO7724/1, ASTM E1164, DIN5033 Teil7, JIS Z8722 Condition C and other standards .

• 3nh TS7X Series Portable Spectrophotometer (Can be equipped with liquid measurement components )
  

3nh TS series spectrophotometers have stable performance, accurate color measurement, and powerful functions . They are widely used in industries such as plastic electronics, paints and inks, textile and clothing printing and dyeing, printed paper products, automobiles, medical treatment, cosmetics and food, as well as in scientific research institutions and laboratories. Under the D / 8 geometric optical lighting conditions recommended by CIE and a variety of color spaces, it can accurately measure and express various color difference formulas and color indices , and measure the color of turbid juice and milkshake in one step . With the help of TS series instruments , when used with components, it is easy to accurately transfer the color of turbid juice and milkshake , and it can also be used as a detection equipment for accurate color matching systems. The instrument is also widely used in color difference quality control of various products. The instrument is equipped with high-end color management software, which can be connected to a computer for more functional expansion.

Technical comparison of transmission and reflection measurement methods

Why Choose 3nh as Your Juice and Beverage Color Measurement Partner?

• High-precision instruments and mature technical support
• Provide a variety of measuring instruments and solutions suitable for different scenarios, covering both transmission and reflection modes
• Professional color management software and service support to help companies improve their quality control system

PeColor Liquid Color Matching Software

PeColor color matching software is a color modulation software designed with job orientation. It is suitable for color matching solutions for coatings, plastics, paints, inks and textiles, and can provide fast and accurate color analysis and formulations for various applications. PeColor has the characteristics of easy operation, accurate color matching and strong correction ability. It can be used not only for color matching in laboratories, but also for quality control and color difference correction in workshop production.

Summarize

Transmission and reflection measurement methods each have their own advantages in the field of juice and beverage color detection. Choosing the right method depends on the characteristics of the product. Through the professional color measurement solutions provided by 3nh, juice and beverage companies can accurately control the color of their products, maintain stable quality, and enhance their market competitiveness.