PRODUCT QUALITY CONTROL
Product quality control takes place in one of the most modern laboratories of its kind, which is equipped for all analyses needed for monitoring the production process and ensuring the required product quality: raw oils, meal, lecithin, refined oils, glycerine and biodiesel. The quality of raw and ancillary materials used in production (seeds, hexane, sodium hydroxide, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, methanol and sodium methylate) is controlled in addition to the bottling materials (PET performs, labels, thermal and stretch foil). Analyses of water (raw, process, cooling, boiler and waste) and energy sources are also conducted in the factory laboratory, while analyses required for product quality and safety certificates are performed in accredited laboratories – SP Laboratory in Bečej and the fuel laboratory at Pančevo Petroleum Refinery.
Product quality control equipment and instruments
- Gas chromatograph (Agilent Technologies) 7890A with FID and the 7694E Headspace Sampler for steam phase preparation – analyses of biodiesel (methyl esters, methanol residues, free and total glycerol, mono-, di- and triglycerides), analyses of hexane residues in raw oil and meal, analyses of fatty acid content and wax content in oils
- UV 1800 and UV 1240 Spectrophotometer (Shimadsu) – analysis of phosphorus and phospholipid content in oils
- Karl Fischer coulometer 756 (Metrohm) – determination of moisture in biodiesel and methanol
- Karl Fischer Titrino 787 (Metrohm) – determination of moisture in oils, hexane, lecithin, glycerine and sodium methylate
- Rancimat 743 (Metrohm) – determination of oxidative stability in biodiesel and oils - the only instrument of its kind in Serbia
- Cold filter plugging point HCP 842 (PAC Walter Herzog) with Julabo cryostat – determination of fuel filtration points
- Polariscope – evaluating the distribution of mass in PET performs and finished packaging
- TD-NMR system mq-One XL Bruker – determination of oil content and moisture in seeds, meal, husks and other hard materials
- RVDV-I Prime Viscometer Brookfield – determination of viscosity of fluid samples
- Standard equipment and instruments (densitometer, pH meters, rapid moisture meters and analysers, turbidimeter, analytical and technical scales, water baths, centrifuge, annealing furnaces, dryers, sample digestion and water steam distillation, etc.)