Color Dosage (Minolta) – CIELAB

Color is a key parameter in many industrial sectors, whether food, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, animal nutrition, or plant products. It directly influences the perception of quality, consumer acceptability, and compliance with specifications.

Minolta color determination relies on the use of portable spectrocolorimeters, allowing for fast, accurate, and reproducible measurement. This approach provides standardized colorimetric coordinates, generally expressed in the CIELAB color space (L*, a*, b*), or in the form of specific indices adapted to the needs of each industry.

Importance of colorimetric measurement

Color measurement is an essential tool for manufacturers wishing to:

• guarantee the regularity and visual consistency of finished products
• objectively compare different raw materials or formulations
• evaluate the impact of transformation, conservation or packaging processes
• ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and quality standards
• strengthen the brand image by offering consistent and visually attractive products

The Minolta method is a benchmark in quality control and product development, providing reliable and reproducible data.

Principle of the Minolta method

Minolta spectrocolorimeters use a standardized light source and measure the reflection of light from the sample. The data obtained is translated into colorimetric coordinates (L*, a*, b*):

• L* corresponds to the brightness (from 0 = black to 100 = white)
• a* indicates the hue between green and red
• b* represents the hue between blue and yellow

These values ​​allow the color of a product to be precisely characterized and its evolution to be monitored over time. Specific colorimetric indices can also be calculated, such as the yellowing index, the whiteness index or the color difference ΔE, useful for comparing several batches.

Analyzed matrices

The Minolta method applies to a wide variety of industrial matrices, including:

• cosmetic and dermocosmetic creams
• plant powders, dry or nutraceutical extracts
• gels and functional formulations
• solid and liquid food products
• animal feed and plant raw materials

This diversity makes the method particularly versatile and suitable for multiple sectors.

Industrial applications

Minolta color measurement is used in several areas:

• in the food industry, to control the color of fruits, vegetables, drinks, processed products and functional ingredients
• in cosmetics, to check the consistency of shades in creams, powders and gels
• in nutraceuticals, to ensure the visual consistency of plant supplements and powders
• in animal nutrition, to standardize formulations and check the consistency of batches
• in the plant and extract industry, to compare raw materials and ensure their homogeneity

Color is a factor of differentiation and quality, and its mastery helps to strengthen the competitiveness of products.

Additional analyses available

To complement the color assessment, YesWeLab offers associated analytical services, such as:

Color determination by spectrophotometry
Turbidity analysis
Viscosity analysis
Dry matter determination

These additional analyses make it possible to obtain a complete characterization of the formulations and to strengthen the quality control of the products.

YesWeLab expertise

YesWeLab relies on a network of partner laboratories specialized in physicochemical and colorimetric analyses, rigorously selected and for the most part ISO 17025 certified and COFRAC accredited.

Since 2020, our digital platform has simplified analysis management for manufacturers, distributors, and design offices. It centralizes requests, enables sample tracking, and guarantees fast and reliable results.

Our scientific team supports each project with precision and responsiveness, in order to meet specific needs in terms of quality control and product innovation.