A NEW 3D PRINTED TOOL TO EVALUATE MULTIPLE TEXTURE PROPERTIES OF GELATINES

A new test has been developed to determine gel strength and, at the same time, fracture and compression parameters. By using an especially designed probe for universal testing machine and standard gelatine gels, we have set up a method to assess gel strength, cut resistance (simulating a teaspoon), food consistency and chewiness, in one experiment. Mechanical properties were evaluated by a new 3D printed device, a cylindrical-shaped tool (designed in order to expose to the gelatine surface the same contact area of the classical Bloom probe) and a concentric piston. Classical Bloom probe was 3D printed and used to find a correlation parameter. The advantage of the new probe is the ability to quantify multiple textural parameters in one experiment.