Brix
- For the commune in France, see Brix, Manche, for the computer game, see Brix (computer game).
Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is a measurement of the mass ratio of dissolved sucrose to water in a liquid. It is measured with a saccharimeter that measures specific gravity of a liquid or more easily with a refractometer. A 25 °Bx solution has 25 grams of sucrose sugar per 100 grams of liquid. Or, to put it another way, there are 25 grams of sucrose sugar and 75 grams of water in the 100 grams of solution.
Brix, Balling, Plato
The Brix scale is a refinement of the Balling scale tables developed by German chemist Karl Balling. The Plato scale which measures in Plato degrees is also a refinement of the Balling scale and the three scales are often used interchangeably since the differences are minor.
- Brix is primarily used in fruit juice and wine making.
- Plato is primarily used in brewing.
- Balling is obsolete but still appears on older saccharimeters.
Usage
Brix is used in the food industry for measuring the approximate amount of sugars in fruit juices, wine, soft drinks and in the sugar manufacturing industry. Different countries use the scales in different industries; in the UK brewing is measured with specific gravity X 1000, European breweres use Plato degrees, and US industries use a mix of specific gravity, Brix, degrees Baumé and Plato degrees.
For fruit juices, one degree Brix is about 1-2% sugar by weight. This usually correlates well with perceived sweetness.
Since Brix is related to the concentration of dissolved solids (mostly sucrose) in a fluid it is therefore related to the specific gravity of the liquid. Because the specific gravity of sucrose solutions is well known, it can also be measured by a refractometer. For ease of use, refractometers are preferred over hydrometer spindles marked for the Brix scale. Temperature compensated refractometers remove the temperature dependence of specific gravity measurements and require only a drop or two of sample to take a reading.
Scientific usage
When a refractometer is used, it is correct to report the result as "refractometric dried substance" (RDS). One might speak of a liquid as being 20 °Bx RDS. This is a measure of percent by weight of TOTAL dried solids and, although not technically the same as Brix degrees determined through a specific gravity method, renders an accurate measurement of sucrose content since the majority of dried solids are infact sucrose.
See also
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External links
Specific Gravity Resources: