Consistometers

Consistometers are instruments that measure the uniformity and consistency of manufactured materials such as foods. The Bostwick consistometer is the industry standard for suspensions: a sample is released down a levelled trough, and the length of flow in a specified time is the measurement. Ketchup, sauces, purees, and syrups all answer to it. The test’s beauty is its directness — it mimics pouring, the consumer’s own test — while its discipline lies in temperature control and timing. Plants run it routinely to catch the batch that is just a little too thin or thick.