Hygroscopy analysis

Hygroscopic analysis measures a material's ability to absorb or release moisture when exposed to varying relative humidity conditions. This property is crucial for predicting how a product will behave during storage, transport, or end use. It is relevant to numerous industrial sectors, including food processing, cosmetics, polymer materials, nutraceuticals, animal nutrition, and plant extracts.

Understanding hygroscopy and its industrial implications

Hygroscopic properties directly influence a product's stability, texture, ease of use, and shelf life. A powder that is too hygroscopic can clump, harden, or lose its fluidity. A polymer's mechanical properties may change. A plant-based active ingredient may oxidize more rapidly. In the food industry, poorly controlled humidity levels can lead to organoleptic alterations or a loss of quality. Hygroscopic analysis helps prevent these risks and allows for adjustments to formulations, packaging, and storage conditions.

Analytical methods: DVS and gravimetry

Hygroscopy is generally measured using two complementary approaches. Gravimetry involves monitoring the mass change of a sample exposed to different humidity levels. It provides an overall absorption and desorption profile. The Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) method is more advanced: it exposes the sample to controlled cycles of relative humidity and continuously records the weight changes. This technique offers very high resolution, allowing the construction of absorption isotherms, the identification of physical transitions, the detection of hysteresis phenomena, and the evaluation of a material's hygroscopic stability.

Matrices analyzed and applications

Hygroscopic analysis is applicable to a wide variety of matrices. It is particularly relevant for food powders (proteins, powdered milk, flours, sugars), cosmetic or technical powders, dried plant extracts, polymers, packaging, and certain composite materials. In nutraceuticals, it helps predict the stability of encapsulated or powdered active ingredients. In materials and polymers, it provides information on moisture sensitivity, water absorption capacity, and the risk of deformation. In animal feed, it helps control the stability of fortified or dehydrated feeds.

The analysis is useful during formulation, product development, packaging selection, or supplier qualification. It can also be used in accelerated aging studies or preservation tests.

YesWeLab Support

YesWeLab provides access to a network of expert laboratories in rheology, physical chemistry, and materials characterization, selected for their technical expertise and compliance with current standards, including ISO 17025 and COFRAC. Through our digital platform, manufacturers can centralize their requests, track their samples, access results, and communicate with our scientific team. We support each project by identifying the most suitable methods, specifying analysis parameters, and providing technical support for interpreting results and optimizing formulations. Since 2020, numerous manufacturers have entrusted us with their hygroscopic analyses to ensure product quality and improve their processes.

Other analyses from the YesWeLab catalogue

• Flow analysis and measurement
• Powder cohesion measurement
• Particle size analysis
• Apparent density determination