Modernizing Classical Analysis: Rapid, Sustainable Technologies for Moisture, Fat, & Ash Testing in Food & Pet Food

1-Minute Summary 

• Rapid moisture, fat, and ash testing reduces turnaround from hours to minutes. 
• AOAC-validated methods ensure full regulatory defensibility. 
• Solvent-free NMR fat analysis supports sustainability goals. 
• Equivalent accuracy to classical methods with higher throughput  

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Rapid Moisture, Fat, and Ash Testing for Modern Food Laboratories 

At Certified Group, innovation meets responsibility. Our vision for rapid moisture, fat, and ash testing of food matrices is to combine speed, sustainability, and science. 

To that end, we are proud to integrate CEM Corporation’s Oracle™, SMART 6™, and Phoenix Black™ instruments into our analytical workflows to drive faster turnaround, sustainable lab operations, and scientifically validated performance. 

Traditional AOAC methods for moisture, fat, and ash are robust but labor-intensive. Our goal was to modernize these classical techniques without compromising accuracy, especially as our clients increasingly demand rapid, reliable data to meet regulatory and market needs. 

Our validation efforts have demonstrated that CEM’s microwave and NMR-based systems are not only faster but also scientifically equivalent to AOAC-approved methods, making them a viable path to operational efficiency and green innovation. 

Rapid Ash Testing with Phoenix™ Black Technology 

Ash content was determined using the CEM Phoenix Black™, a rapid muffle furnace system designed for high-throughput ash analysis.  

• Samples were weighed into ceramic crucibles and placed into the furnace, where they were subjected to controlled, high-temperature combustion (typically 550–600°C).  
• The Phoenix system uses a microwave-assisted muffle furnace that significantly reduces ashing time – often completing the process in under two hours compared to the 6–8 hours required by conventional muffle furnaces.  
• The instrument’s precise temperature ramping and active airflow control ensured consistent oxidation across diverse sample types, including pet food and animal feed.  
• Results from the Phoenix system were benchmarked against traditional dry ashing methods, confirming method equivalency in accuracy while offering significant time savings and improved operational sustainability. 

Rapid Moisture and Fat Testing with SMART 6™ and Oracle™ 

Samples were prepared and analyzed for fat and moisture using a two-step rapid analytical workflow combining the Smart 6™ and Oracle™ systems.  

• Moisture was determined first using the Smart 6, which uses a hybrid drying technology (infrared and microwave energy) to achieve uniform moisture removal within 2–3 minutes.  
• Following moisture analysis, the same samples were immediately transferred to the Oracle system for fat determination via NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance).  
• This method is entirely solvent-free and does not require sample pre-treatment, making it especially suited for a variety of matrices including pet food, animal feeds, and processed foods.  
• Fat values were measured non-destructively and independently of moisture, particle size, and sample heterogeneity.   

Table 1: Accuracy of the CEM Oracle method for diverse food matrices (reproduced from CEM Technologies Oracle™ and SMART 6™ Foodstuff Application Note) 

	Moisture/Solids			Fat
Sample	SMART 6	Oven	Difference	ORACLE	Solvent Extraction	Difference
Guacamole	21.55	21.51	0.04	9.88	9.89	0.01
Cheese Dip	29.25	29.39	0.14	11.44	11.48	0.04
Cheese (enzyme modified)	46.65	46.12	0.53	18.57	18.56	0.01
Fake Cream	27.01	27.03	0.02	16.27	16.25	0.02
Pudding	15.22	15.13	0.09	2.7	2.68	0.02
Beverage Mix	18.62	18.52	0.1	3.25	3.29	0.04
Chili	13.26	13.1	0.16	3.87	3.92	0.05
Hot Dog	53.06	53.66	0.6	30.1	30.09	0.01
Beef	67.48	67.82	0.34	12.04	11.94	0.1
Chicken	71.52	71.65	0.13	7.98	7.84	0.14
Pork	70.16	70.08	0.08	10.3	10.14	0.16
Fish (Salmon)	71.44	71.63	0.19	4.06	4	0.06
Potted Meat	70.02	70	0.02	12.89	13.04	0.15
Skim Milk	90.73	90.74	0.01	0.19	0.18	0.01
Yogurt	79.92	79.1	0.18	0.86	0.81	0.05
Whole Milk	88.03	87.88	0.15	3.41	3.41	0
Ice Cream	39.12	39.07	0.05	13.51	13.56	0.05
Processed Cheese	46.63	46.07	0.56	21.36	21.44	0.08
Natural Cheese	39.74	39.52	0.22	29.85	29.9	0.05
Cream Cheese	54.6	54.77	0.17	33.58	33.7	0.12
Sour Cream	24.94	25.23	0.29	17.54	17.69	0.15
Average			0.21			0.06

Table 2: Repeatability of the CEM Oracle method for diverse food matrices (reproduced from CEM Technologies Oracle™ and SMART 6™ Foodstuff Application Note)

	Replicates
Sample	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Average	Range	Std. Dev.
Guacamole	9.84	9.94	9.93	9.91	9.86	9.85	9.86	9.91	9.81	9.85	9.88	0.04	0.13
Cheese Dip	11.45	11.51	11.47	11.47	11.33	11.41	11.44	11.5	11.48	11.35	11.44	0.05	0.18
Cheese (enzyme modified)	18.68	18.59	18.62	18.63	18.47	18.6	18.6	18.51	18.45	18.5	18.57	0.08	0.23
Fake Cream	16.18	16.24	16.16	16.23	16.32	16.28	16.29	16.35	16.35	16.25	16.27	0.07	0.19
Pudding	2.72	2.67	2.64	2.67	2.75	2.72	2.77	2.71	2.68	2.65	2.7	0.04	0.13
Beverage Mix	3.28	3.29	3.29	3.15	3.28	3.29	3.16	3.25	3.23	3.24	3.25	0.05	0.14
Chili	3.85	3.91	3.88	3.78	3.88	3.91	3.86	3.86	3.86	3.89	3.87	0.04	0.13
Hot Dog	30.13	30.34	30.27	30.19	29.95	29.83	30.25	30.02	29.76	30.28	30.1	0.2	0.58
Beef	12.06	12	12.18	12.1	12	12.04	11.93	12.17	11.99	11.97	12.04	0.08	0.25
Chicken	7.97	8.05	7.83	8.04	8.04	8.08	8.1	7.48	8.12	8.08	7.98	0.19	0.64
Pork	10.3	10.24	10.24	10.46	10.39	10.25	10.28	10.21	10.39	10.24	10.3	0.08	0.25
Fish (Salmon)	4.03	4.1	4.1	4.11	4.12	4.02	3.84	4.09	4.1	4.11	4.06	0.09	0.28
Potted Meat	12.99	12.76	12.85	12.84	12.89	12.99	13.13	12.85	12.9	12.72	12.89	0.12	0.41
Skim Milk	0.17	0.19	0.2	0.2	0.21	0.16	0.19	0.21	0.15	0.18	0.19	0.02	0.04
Yogurt	0.84	0.87	0.84	0.89	0.85	0.86	0.89	0.84	0.89	0.88	0.86	0.02	0.06
Whole Milk	3.43	3.41	3.4	3.42	3.41	3.39	3.41	3.39	3.4	3.41	3.41	0.01	0.03
Ice Cream	13.56	13.46	13.54	13.48	13.51	13.48	13.57	13.55	13.54	13.47	13.51	0.04	0.1
Processed Cheese	21.22	21.47	21.27	21.41	21.45	21.34	21.34	21.41	21.4	21.36	21.36	0.11	0.25
Natural Cheese	29.82	29.82	29.89	29.9	29.82	29.93	29.88	30.23	29.68	29.96	29.85	0.04	0.08
Cream Cheese	33.63	33.63	33.58	33.65	33.4	33.74	33.67	33.68	33.5	33.67	33.58	0.1	0.25
Sour Cream	17.4	17.58	17.56	17.71	17.45	17.36	17.55	17.68	17.83	17.83	17.54	0.12	0.31

Why Rapid Moisture, Fat, and Ash Testing Matters for Your Operation 

• Reduced analysis time from hours to minutes. 
• Lower solvent and energy use – aligning with sustainability goals. 
• Better support for high-throughput clients. 
• Rigorously validated for diverse matrices: meat, dairy, pet food, seafood, feed. 

Analytical Equivalence Backed by AOAC Validation 

CEM methods used at Certified Group have been benchmarked and cross-validated with classical methods, achieving outstanding correlation and precision. Here’s how: 

Fat & Moisture (Oracle™ + SMART 6™) 

• Technology: NMR for fat, microwave for moisture 
• AOAC Validated: AOAC 2008.06 (Meats); AOAC PVM 1:2004 (Dairy); AOAC 934.01 (Animal Feed); AOAC 954.02 (Pet Food); AOAC 950.46 (Moisture in Meat) 

NMR Data			Traditional Method Data		RPD%
	Moisture %	Fat %	Moisture	Fat	Moisture	Fat
Beef 1	57.03	24.46	59.67	23.2	-4.52	5.29
Beef 2	56.75	24.48	59.12	23.69	-4.09	3.28
Beef 3	56.81	24.69	58.98	23.8	-3.75	3.67
Average	56.86	24.54	59.26	23.56
RSD%	0.3%	0.5%	0.6%	1.4%
Sausage 1	55.13	24.18	56.51	24.49	-2.47	-1.27
Sausage 2	54.7	25.1	55.02	26.71	-0.58	-6.22
Sausage 3	54.3	25.15	56.98	23.35	-4.82	7.42
Average	54.71	24.81	56.17	24.85
RSD%	0.8%	2.2%	1.8%	6.9%
Kidney 1	82.44	0.79	82.56	1.12	-0.15	-34.55
Kidney 2	82.32	0.73	82.51	1.48	-0.23	-67.87
Kidney 3	82.37	0.74	82.61	1.26	-0.29	-52.00
Average	82.38	0.75	82.56	1.29
RSD%	0.1%	4.3%	0.1%	14.1%

Table Summary 

1. RSD% for fat: 0.27%–8.02% 
2. Fat detection from 0.86% to 33.58% 
3. Better repeatability than wet chemical extraction 

Ash (Phoenix Black™) 

• AOAC validated: 942.05 (Animal Feed); 923.03 (Flour); 920.153 (Meat); 938.08 (Seafood). 
• Capacity: 15 samples per run. 
• Flexibility: Compatible with any crucible normally used in conventional ashing systems. 
• Eco-Efficiency: Less power, less residue, no muffle furnace wait time. 
• Client Confidence: We maintain full AOAC defensibility of results for regulatory submissions. 

Driving Adoption with Data 

Despite the benefits, some clients are hesitant to switch from long-standing classical methods. We understand that change brings uncertainty, so we are: 

• Offering side-by-side data studies to compare CEM and classical methods. 
• Willing to invest our resources to build tailored equivalency data for your product. 
• Promoting method transparency and AOAC compliance in client education. 
• Demonstrating performance with real sample trials: meat, pet food, dairy, seafood. 

The Future of Rapid Moisture, Fat, and Ash Testing 

The implementation of advanced rapid analysis technologies such as the Oracle™ NMR system, SMART 6™ for moisture and fat, and Phoenix™ Black for ash content, demonstrates a transformative opportunity to modernize operations.  

Our comparative studies across diverse matrices, including pet food and animal feed, confirm the strong agreement between CEM-based methods and conventional reference methods. These technologies not only reduce turnaround time and manual workload but also align with Certified Group’s broader sustainability and innovation goals.  

While customer adoption may be gradual due to longstanding reliance on traditional methods, our commitment to generating comparative validation data positions us to lead this shift with confidence. By embracing fit-for-purpose, high-efficiency instrumentation, we pave the way for more agile, responsive, and environmentally conscious analytical services.   

Contact our team to discuss adding rapid moisture, fat, and ash testing to your safety and quality program.