Issue Date: Tue 16 December 2008

Note to CX1 and CX2 water activity meter users..
As the CX-1 and CX-2 water activity meters are aging, Decagon (USA manufacturer) is having trouble finding and acquiring the necessary parts to fix the machines.  Discontinued parts are causing a shortage and the time has come to discontinue the selected repairs of the CX-1 and CX-2.  The cost of repairs for these models has also increased due to inflated parts costs.  If you are interested in upgrading your CX-1 or CX-2 to a new water activity meter, you may be entitled to a trade-in.
If you would like to consider a new water activity meter in 2009, please email us - craig@graintec.com.au.

Tips and reminders on maintaining your water activity meter
Do you require a fresh box of salt standards and/or cleaning kits for your water activity meter?  Do you need more sample cups? We can supply you with such products so you can maintain the performance of your water activity meter.    
Email us for more information - craig@graintec.com.au

Moisture vs Water Activity
THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION “which is the best moisture measurement?” comes with an understanding of the processes.  A simple example where water content is clearly the measurement of choice is when one wishes to buy or sell a product on a dry weight or standard moisture basis. The water content of the sample must be measured to compute the amount of water and dry matter present.  
Now consider a situation where the measurement of moisture is used to determine whether a product is shelf stable, will store safely without spoilage, or will support microbial production of toxins.
Email us for the full article - craig@graintec.com.au

Temperature influence on water activity
Does temperature influence water activity? Water activity is temperature dependent. The effect of temperature on the water activity of a food is product specific. Some products increase water activity with temperature, others decrease aw with increasing temperature, while many high moisture foods have negligible change with temperature.
Email us for the full article - craig@graintec.com.au