From spagetti to Special-K, cereal and grain products are a large portion of processed food.  Many food companies use moisture content as a quality spec and have for many years.  They don’t measure water activity if their products are considered “dry enough” that mold/bacteria aren’t viable concerns for them.

Measuring Moisture Right

So why measure water activity? Because it’s considerably more precise than measuring moisture levels. Having more precision may not sound important but when you calculate how much you’ll lose when you buy ingredients with too much water left in them you will reconsider. Water activity is a simple way to keep an track of this problem, and may also give you moisture readings at the same time.

Delivering “Snap, Crackle, Pop”

The texture can literally make or break a breakfast cereal. Water activity helps you to know when loss of texture may be a problem for you. This is specifically true for products that have multiple components, like raisin bran. Water activity can predict which components will have changing water levels, and whether the final water activity will deliver the texture your customers desire.

Vitamin Verification

Cereals and grains, and specifically whole grain products, are often decreed as “healthy”.  In addition to being a good dietary source of fiber, whole grains contain a selection of B vitamins.  Or at least they did until they remained in a warehouse for a month prior to arrival on the store shelf.  Water activity is a more advanced predictor of vitamin degradation than moisture content.