Seed Testing Equipment
Calibre’s range of equipment for seeds testing is designed to ensure that you have healthy seeds for healthy crops.
Modern market conditions are demanding, and it is important that growers and manufacturers can protect their produce from seed-borne diseases, and ensure the quality of the seeds they are using.
If you want more details about any of our specialist instruments for testing seeds, please contact our team by emailing info@calibrecontrol.com
Oil Content
The oil content of seeds is vital for establishing their properties as source of speciality oils for various products.
The Spectrolytic Oil Analyser will test different ranges of rapeseed oil for its purity. This instrument derives highly accurate analytic data from seed samples using ATR mid infrared spectroscopy. With a rapid, five minute analysis time, and an accuracy five times greater than NIR calibrations, this is an advanced solution for testing oil content in seeds.
View our full range of Seed Oil Content Analysers:
Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient in seeds and grains, as part of both a human and animal diet. Therefore, testing for protein is a crucial aspect of production and quality control.
There are various ways of testing protein content in seeds, including the revolutionary GrainSense hand held moisture protein and moisture metre. This instrument provides real time results in the field for the analysis of grain protein, nitrogen and moisture.
Moisture
Moisture is a critical factor in seed storage, weight and overall quality. It is important for farmers and producers to be able to accurately measure moisture, and there are various technologically advanced, user-friendly devices for this.
These include the Perten AM5200 Grain Moisture Analyser, which uses deep sample penetration to obtain comprehensive results. There is also the portable GrainSense handheld device (see above).
Mycotoxin
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins in seeds and grains, but they can have a harmful effect on humans and livestock, and be damaging to crop production. There are various types of mycotoxin fungi, and it is important to be able to test for them accurately in seeds.
An easy, convenient and fast way of doing this is by lateral flow test, using Charm Mycotoxin Strips. For use with the Charm E-Z Reader.
Specific Weight
As a measure of seed and grain quality, specific weight is a standard trading measure. Specific weight is an indicator of both quality and consistency, and is therefore important for growers and producers to measure accurately.
There is a range of instruments which measure specific weight, along with other essential parameters such as moisture, protein and oil content. This includes the Perten’s Grain Moisture Analyser and Wholegrain NIR Analyser.
Amino acids
As basic structural units for protein, amino acids are essential in seeds. Various elements and conditions can affect the level of amino acids, including soil types and the level of salinity in irrigation water. Near Infrared (NIR) analysis is a means of obtaining amino acid test results for grain rapidly and accurately.
The Perten DA 7300 In-line NIR Analyser provides outstanding analytical accuracy for both lab and in-line testing.
Baking Properties
Testing for baking properties gives a clear indication of the quality and suitability of different seeds for production of bread and baked goods. Baking properties of seeds include hardness, particle distribution and moisture content.
Instruments ideal for testing these properties include the Perten Labmill range and the Brabender Viscograph and Brabender Amylograph.
Hagberg falling number
Hagberg Falling Number measures a-analyse enzyme activity. This enzyme attacks starch molecules, breaking them down into sugars, producing gas in air pockets for good loaf structure in baking.
Measuring falling number in seeds and grains helps evaluate quality and prevent sprout damage. Reliable, non-complex instruments for measuring falling number include the Perten Falling Number 1310 and 1000 instruments.
