Page 60 - FoodFocusThailand No.239 March 2026

STRONG
STRONG QC & QA QC & QA

TRACEABLE RECIPE FORMULATION:

THE SEARCH FOR DELICIOUSNESS

When walking through supermarket aisles or retail stores today, consumers are constantly exposed to new
products displayed on the shelves. While attractive packaging is often the first element to capture initial
attention, aroma and sensory experience of taste and texture are the factors that ultimately encourage
consumers to repurchase a product. Successful food products are the result of extensive testing and repeated
refinement throughout a prolonged product development process. Even minor adjustments, such as the
addition or removal of seemingly insignificant ingredients, can have a profound impact on the overall sensory
perception of the final product.

Product development typically begins with the study and Inconsistent formulation control can result in products that
analysis of consumer trends, followed by the identification of fail to meet expected quality standards, negatively affecting
target flavor profiles and textural attributes for specific consumer consumer satisfaction and potentially posing risks to health and
groups. Food developers and scientists then create a series of safety. Ensuring that the weight of each ingredient remains within
product prototypes, which undergo multiple rounds of testing the acceptable tolerances defined in the formulation Standard
and review. Once an optimal formulation has been identified, Operating Procedures (SOPs) is therefore essential. The
it is subsequently scaled up for industrial production. weighing instrument must meet the required process accuracy
Challenges in Formulation Control and Product and be supported by appropriate quality assurance measures
Consistency to ensure reliable, reproducible results.
One of the most critical and challenging steps in formulation Advancing Digital Weighing Traceability System
control is the weighing process. Errors at this stage may arise To ensure full traceability of weighing, formulation documentation
from various sources, including insufficiently defined weighing typically includes the formulation ID, substance ID, target mass,
tolerances, inappropriate selection of weighing instruments, acceptable tolerances, and the actual amount dosed, along
sample loss during handling, environmental fluctuations, with essential background information such as date, time, and
documentation errors, and inadequate operator expertise. As user ID. Manual recording of this information carries a high risk
formulation workflows typically involve multiple weighing steps, of human error, and in the event of a formulation deviation,
the accumulation of such errors can become significant and identifying the root cause can be extremely difficult if data are
may ultimately lead to serious consequences. recorded inaccurately.
To address these challenges, high-performance digital
balances¹ equipped with RS232 and USB connectivity, can
be seamlessly integrated with report printers² and barcode
readers. In addition, these balances feature a built-in formulation
application that provides step-by-step guidance throughout the
formulation process. Barcode functionality enables rapid and
error-free input of recipe codes and ingredient IDs. The system
automatically records each weight value and tares the balance
between the addition of individual ingredients, allowing users
to monitor formulation progress in real time. Upon completion
of the formulation, a detailed report can be printed immediately
to support full traceability.
Transitioning from manual workflows to digital formulation
solutions eliminates uncertainties associated with manually
checking off ingredients and significantly reduces the risk of
transcription errors. The resulting documentation is clearly
structured, provides a comprehensive overview of formulation
outcomes, saves valuable time, and can be easily archived for
future reference. Investing in digital traceability solutions not
only enhances weighing accuracy but also establishes a robust
foundation for product safety, regulatory compliance, and long-
term consumer confidence.

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