Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
  • G01N1/286—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q involving mechanical work, e.g. chopping, disintegrating, compacting, homogenising
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
  • G01N1/04—Devices for withdrawing samples in the solid state, e.g. by cutting
  • G01N1/08—Devices for withdrawing samples in the solid state, e.g. by cutting involving an extracting tool, e.g. core bit
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/02—Food
  • G01N33/025—Fruits or vegetables
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/02—Food
  • G01N33/12—Meat; Fish

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device and a method for sampling of and separating of liquid from a compressible, liquid-containing sample, and more speci- fically a device and a method which, in a repeatable manner in terms of volume, enable the extraction of a sample from a compressible, liquid-containing foodstuff or agricultural food product, and subsequently the separation of liquid from this sample by filling a defined space, in which the sample has been arranged during the extraction of the same.
• the analysis may, for instance, determine a cooking temperature obtained in meat, the sugar content of a sugar beet or the vitamin content of a vegetable after boiling.
• thermometer In the case of meat, a certain temperature must be reached in the meat while it is being cooked, in order for the required killing of bacteria to take place. A previous method for checking that this temperature had been reached was to measure the temperature, with a thermometer or a thermistor, during or immediately after cooking.
• This method is based on the fact that the meat juice in e.g. a hamburger changes colour while being cooked, which is due to the fact that a substance, yo- globin, which forms part of the meat juice denatures above a certain temperature. By measuring the colour of the meat juice, it can be determined whether the required temperature level has been reached during cooking.
• the object of the present invention is thus to provide a device and a method, with which device and which method the aforementioned can be achieved, i.e. extraction of a sample in a repeatable manner from a liquid- containing material, and subsequently separation of liquid from this sample.
• the invention provides a device for sampling of and separating of liquid from a compressible, liquid-containing sample, for example from a foodstuff such as a hamburger, which device is characterised by a sleeve member, defining an inner, through-going space for supporting the liquid-containing sample, which space has a first mouth in a first end of the sleeve member and a second mouth in a second end of the sleeve member; a conduit member comprising an internal conduit for conveying the separated liquid, which conduit has an inlet and an outlet, which inlet leads into a first side of the conduit member and which outlet leads into a second side of the conduit member, the conduit having a cross-sectional area which is substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of the space defined by the sleeve member, and the inlet of the conduit being in communication with the second mouth of the space in the sleeve member; and a compression means comprising means for closing the space defined by the sleeve member at the first mouth of the space and
• the extraction means comprises a cutting edge, surrounding the first mouth of the space in the sleeve member, for facilitating sampling from a liquid- containing material.
• a filter means is arranged in the conduit of the conduit member, for removing undesired con- stituents of the separated liquid.
• a net means is preferably arranged over the inlet of the conduit in the conduit member, for forming a runoff slot, in which the separated liquid can flow out from the space to the conduit, by the intermediary of the inlet.
• the net means also prevents solid pieces from the liquid-containing sample from accompanying the liquid into the conduit.
• the second end of the sleeve member is rigidly connected to the side of the conduit member, into which side the inlet leads.
• the compression means comprises a body with the same cross-sectional shape as the space in the sleeve member, which body can be applied to the first mouth of the space, for closing the same, and is insertable into the space, for filling it.
• an end portion in the side of the conduit member, into which side the inlet leads, is slidably and with a tight fit pressable through the second mouth of the space in the sleeve member.
• the first mouth is applied to a pad, and for filling the space of the sleeve member, the conduit member is pressed into the space.
• the invention also provides a method for sampling of and separating of liquid from a compressible, liquid-containing sample, for example from a foodstuff such as a hamburger, which method is characterised by the steps of inserting a sleeve member defining an inner, through-going space for supporting the liquid-containing sample, which space has a first mouth in a first end of the sleeve member and a second mouth in a second end of the sleeve member, into a compressible, liquid-containing material with an extraction means, which is arranged on the first end of the sleeve member facing the material, whereby a sample of the material is arranged in the sleeve member while the extraction means enables said sampling; closing the space defined by the sleeve member at the first mouth of the space with the aid of a closing means of a compression means; and filling this space with the aid of a filling means of the compression means, so that liquid is separated from the sample contained therein and is conveyed into an internal conduit of a
• FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, which embodiment comprises a conduit member 1, a sleeve member 2, a compression means 3, a net means 4, and a filter means 5.
• the conduit member 1 comprises a cylindrical body 6.
• a circular conduit 7 extends internally in the body 6 along a longitudinal axis 8 of the same.
• the conduit 7 has an inlet 9 in a first side 10 of the conduit member 1, and an outlet 11 in a collecting vessel 12, which is made in the circumferential surface 13 of the body 6, at a short distance from a second side 14 of the conduit member 1.
• a filter seat 15 is made in a part of the conduit 7 closest to the inlet 9.
• the first side 10 is provided with a circular flange 16, for forming a contact surface 17.
• the sleeve member 2 consists of a cylindrical tube 18, which has a first end 19 and a second end 20, and which defines an internal, cylindrical space 21, which is circular with a constant diameter, which is substantially larger than the diameter of the conduit 7 in the conduit member 1. Furthermore, the sleeve member 2 has a first mouth 22 in the first end 19 and a second mouth 23 in the second end 20. The first end 19 of the sleeve member 2 is provided with an extraction means in the form of a cutting edge 24, which surrounds the first mouth 22 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2.
• the sleeve member 2 and the conduit member 1 are made integrally, the circumferential part of the flanged, first side 10 of the conduit member 1 being rigidly connected to the second end 20 of the sleeve member 2, whereby the inlet 9 of the conduit 7 in the conduit member 1 is in communication with the cylindrical space 21 in the sleeve member 2, while the contact surface 17 formed by the flange 16 closes the space 21 in the sleeve member 2 at the second mouth 23 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2.
• the filter means 5 is inserted into the filter seat 15 in the conduit 7.
• the net means 4 has a circular shape, and has essentially the same diameter as the circular space 21 in the sleeve member 2.
• the net means 4 is applied to the contact surface 17 at the second mouth 23 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2, and, consequently, covers the inlet 9 of the conduit 7.
• the compression means 2 comprises a circular body 25, which has essentially the same or a somewhat smaller diameter than the circular space 21 in the sleeve member 2.
• the unit formed by the sleeve member 2 and the conduit member 1 is arranged with the first end 19 of the sleeve member 2 facing a liquid- containing material, after which the unit is introduced into the same.
• the circular space 21 in the sleeve member 2 will be filled with a sample from the liquid-containing material, while the cutting edge 24 round the first mouth 22 of the space 21 facilitates the sampling by cutting off or punching out the sample from the material.
• the front end 28 of the body 25 of the compression means 3 is applied to the first mouth 22 of the space 21 of the sleeve member 22 for closing the space 21 at this first mouth 22. Consequently, the conduit 7 constitutes the only link between the space 21 and the environment.
• the body 25 is pressed into the space 21 with an applied, predetermined force, for filling the space 21, whereby the liquid-containing sample contained therein is pressed against the contact surface 17 and is compressed, while liquid is pressed out from the sample and is discharged from the space 21, by the intermediary of the conduit 7, to the collecting vessel 12 in the circumferential surface 13 of the conduit member 1.
• the force, with which the body 25 is pressed into the space 21, can be constant, increasing or decreasing.
• the force it is advantageous for the force to be increasing or decreasing exponentially. How- ever, it is essential that the same force profile is applied to the body 25 in connection with repeated tests, to ensure that the separation of liquid from the liquid- containing sample is carried out in the same way in the repeated tests.
• the sealing means in the form of the circumferential collar 26 of the body 25 acts as a seal between the body 25 and an internal surface 29 of the space 21 in the sleeve mem- ber 2. The sealing action arises by the fact that the compressed sample presses the collar 26 towards the internal surface 29.
• the net means 4 forms a slot between the sample and the contact surface 17, which slot, during the pressing of the body 25 into the space 21 in the sleeve member 2, allows improved runoff from the space 21 to the conduit 7, by intermediary of the inlet 9.
• the net 4 also prevents solid pieces from the sample from accompanying the liquid into the conduit 7.
• the filter 5, which, for example, can be a cellulose filter, removes undesired constituents, such as lipids in the case of meat juice, in the liquid, when it passes through the filter 5, which constituents may otherwise affect the subsequent measuring.
• the embodiment described above may advantageously be of the disposable type, one device being used only once for one test on one test occasion. The need for cleaning the device between tests is thereby eliminated.
• the sample is arranged in the device, i.e. in the space 21 in the sleeve member 2, coincident with the extraction of the sample from the liquid-containing material, by the introduction of the device into the same, it is ensured that the same sample volume is arranged in the space 21 in connection with each test.
• the handling of the sample is minimal, which minimises the risk of undesired contaminants coming into contact with the sample, which contaminants might otherwise affect the subsequent analysis. Since an extracted sample normally gives off liquid by the intermediary of its section surfaces, the minimal handling of the sample also means that fluid losses from the sample are minimal.
• the predetermined force which is applied to the body 25 in connection with the pressing of the same into the space 21 in the sleeve member 2, ensures that the separation of liquid from the liquid-containing sample is carried out in the same manner in each test.
• a device has thus been provided which in a repeatable manner permits sampling from a liquid-containing material and separating of liquid from the sample.
• FIG. 2 A second embodiment of the invention can be seen in Fig. 2. Like the first, this embodiment comprises a conduit member 1, a sleeve member 2, a compression means 3, a filter means 5, and a net means 4.
• the conduit member 1 has essentially the same appearance as in the first embodiment, but with the dif- ferences that the circular flange 16 on the first side 10 of the conduit member 1 has a greater thickness than the flange 16 according to the first embodiment, that the conduit 7 has an outlet 11 in a collecting vessel 12, which is made in the second side 14 of the conduit member 1, and that a sealing means in the form of a collar 26, extending from the conduit member 1 in the longitudinal direction 8 of the same, is circumferentially arranged on the flanged side 10 of the conduit member 1.
• the sleeve member 2 has essentially the same appear- ance as in the first embodiment.
• the circular flange 16 of the conduit member 1 has essentially the same or a somewhat smaller diameter than the space 21 defined by the sleeve member 2. Consequently, the conduit member 1 is slidably pressable through the second mouth 23 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2 with a tight fit.
• the filter means 5 and the net means 4 are arranged in the conduit member 1 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
• the compression means 3 comprises a pad 30, which has a circular protrusion 31, having a diameter which is essentially the same as or somewhat smaller than that of the space 21 defined by the sleeve member 2, whereby the protrusion 31 can be inserted through the first mouth 22 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2 with a tight fit, for closing the space 21 at its first mouth 22.
• the conduit member 1 described above is slidably pressable into the space 21 of the sleeve member 2 with a tight fit, in order to fill it.
• the sampling is done in the same manner as according to the first embodiment, with the difference that only the sleeve member 2 is arranged with its end 22 having the cutting edge against a liquid-containing material and is introduced into the same.
• the compression of a sample is achieved by arranging the sleeve member 2 against the pad 30, ensuring that the protrusion 31 is inserted through the first mouth 22 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2, for closing the space 21. Subsequently, the conduit member 1 is applied to the second mouth 23 of the space 21 for closing the same. In this way, the conduit 7 constitutes the only link between the space 21 and the environment. Subsequently, the conduit member 1 is pressed into the space 21 with an applied, predetermined force, in order to fill the same, whereby the liquid-containing sample contained in the space 21 is pressed against the protrusion 31 by the contact surface 17 of the flange 16.
• the sample is compressed, while liquid is separated from the sample and is discharged, by the intermediary of the conduit 7, into the collecting vessel 12 of the conduit member 1.
• the sealing means in the form of the cir- cumferential collar 26 on the flanged side 10 of the conduit member 1 functions in the same way as the sealing means of the body 25 according to the first embodiment.
• the conduit member 1 is contained in the compression means 3, and, in this connection, acts as its filling means.
• the pad 30 constitutes the closing means of the compression means 3, and on one test occasion, using devices according to this embodiment of the disposable type, the same pad 30 can be used in all the tests. In this way, the body 25 is dispensed with, which body is essential for achieving filling of the space 21 according to the first embodiment.
• the second embodiment according to the invention thus permits extraction, repeatable in terms of volume, of a sample from a liquid-containing material, and subsequent separation of liquid from this sample in a repeatable manner, which device is particularly suitable for use as a disposable item on a test occasion, during which a large number of tests are to be carried out, since the need for a special filling means in the form of the body 25 is eliminated.
• a device was used according to the first embodiment described above for separating of meat juice from a hamburger.
• a number of frozen hamburgers were examined, which were put on an open grill and were fried for 2 min, 4 min 20 s, and 4 min 40 s. The temperature of the thickest part of each hamburger was checked by means of a thermistor.
• the compression means 3 may comprise a resilient membrane which is arranged over the first mouth 22 of the space 21 in the sleeve member 2, and which is subsequently inflated by the application of pressure to the side of the membrane facing away from the space, whereby the membrane fills the space 21 and compresses the sample arranged therein.
• outlet 11 of the conduit 7 it is not necessary for the outlet 11 of the conduit 7 to lead into a collecting vessel 12. It is possible to arrange an indicator, a microscope slide or some other means adjacent to the outlet 11 of the conduit 7 for facilitating the subsequent analysis.
• a suitable filter type is a cellulose filter
• many other types of filters can be used.
• the choice of filter depends entirely upon which constituents of the separated liquid one wishes to remove.
• filter types which like the cellulose filter can be used for separating of particles, are polysulfone and polyacrylo- nitrile filters.
• filters for removal of bacteria from water For example, for removing E-coli bacteria, a filter Akva Filter GlassTM can be used, which is a filter with silver-impregnated activated car- bon. Like kieselguhr, chromatographic materials, etc., activated carbon can, inter alia, be used for absorbing grease.
• the first end 22 of the sleeve member 2 it is not necessary for the first end 22 of the sleeve member 2 to be provided with a cutting edge 24.
• the tube 18 of the sleeve member 2 it may be sufficient for the tube 18 of the sleeve member 2 to have been given a wall thickness such that the sleeve member is insertable into the material.
• a cutting edge 24 considerably facili- tates the insertion of the sleeve member.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20404938

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Citations (4)

• 1996
  • 1996-12-11 SE SE9604556A patent/SE9604556L/sv not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1997
  • 1997-12-10 AU AU78496/98A patent/AU7849698A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-12-10 WO PCT/SE1997/002063 patent/WO1998026273A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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