SOP: Determination of Fill of the Container

GIFSQ — Global Institute for Food Safety & Quality

Principle

The fill of the container with food is found by measuring how far the food falls short of the top of the container: the water capacity of the container and the water remaining after drawing off to the food level are weighed, and the fill is expressed as a percentage.

Apparatus required

• Weighing balance

Reagents

a. Distilled water.

Procedure

Open the lid of the container without disturbing the double seam

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Measure the vertical distance from the top level of the container to the top level of the food

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Remove the food from the container, wash, dry and weigh the container (A)

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Fill the container with water to 4.8 mm vertical distance below the top level of the container; record the temperature of the water, and weigh the container thus filled (B)

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Determine the weight of water filled into the container (B − A)

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Keeping the water at the temperature recorded, draw off water from the container down to the level of the food noted earlier

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Weigh the container with the remaining water (C), and determine the weight of the remaining water (C − A)

For a container whose lid is attached otherwise than by double seaming, follow the same procedure except that the container is filled with water to the top level.

Calculation

% Fill of container with food = (as printed in the available copy: “os4 x 100” — the formula line is illegible)

Where,
– A = weight of the empty container
– B = weight of the container filled with water to 4.8 mm below the top level
– C = weight of the container with water drawn off to the level of the food
– B − A = weight of water required to fill the container
– C − A = weight of water remaining after drawing off to the food level

Note: the printed formula line is illegible in the available copy and is flagged for checking against a clean printed copy. The quantities A, B and C defined above are the book’s own.

Precautions

• Do not alter the double seam when cutting the lid.
• Maintain the water at the recorded temperature when drawing off to the food level.

References

Ranganna, S., Handbook of Analysis and Quality Control for Fruit and Vegetable Products, 2nd edition.