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Ever since its development in 1883, the Kjeldahl method of protein determination had been the standard in laboratories across the world. It wasn't until the 1990s that the Dumas method began acquiring a foothold. Though the Dumas method was technically older than the Kjeldahl, only recent technological developments have made it easily accessible to labs, and "easily accessible" is certainly one way to describe the modern Dumas method of protein determination, especially how LECO does it.

While plant-based proteins have been part of humanity's diet for centuries, it wasn't until the advent of the original textured vegetable protein (TVP) in the 1960s that it started becoming a viable replacement for animal-based protein sources in more mainstream diets. The first commercially available plant-based proteins would not be mistaken for animal-based protein sources and were largely of interest only to vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians. 

Things have changed dramatically in the plant-based protein sector, especially in the last ten years. Meat-substitutes that looked, smelled, felt, and tasted similar to meat swept the market, and in an age where consumers are becoming more and more informed and interested in sustainability and stewardship of the planet, plant-based protein has risen as a viable alternative for about one in four consumers, those who consider themselves flexitarians.

Pet ownership has increased over the last few years, when an explosive boom during the COVID-19 lockdowns showing no signs of stopping. Over 70% of American households have at least one pet, with most of those homes having at least one cat or dog. As pet ownership continues to rise, so too does the demand for pet food.

Got milk? The infamous advertising campaign started in 1993 for the California Milk Processor Board and was an instant success. The strength of the advertisements stays true even today, with 90% of all Americans aware of the slogan. Though the campaign has been retired in all but California these days, the dairy industry is continuing to grow around the world. A huge part of this forecasted growth comes from the growing interest in dairy protein.

Alcohol is one of the oldest intentionally-crafted drinks in the world, with evidence of fermented drinks existing as early as 10,000 BC. It has remained an important cultural touchstone around the world, with most countries having some version of "going out for drinks" as a common social activity. While there are three main types of alcoholic beverages—wine, beer, and spirits—beer consistently remains the most popular alcoholic drink around the world and third most popular drink after water and tea. Recent Gallup polls find that 38% of Americans prefer beer to wine (30%) and spirits (29%).

Since the 1800s, there have been two major methods of protein determination, the Kjeldahl and the Dumas methods. Both methods measure the nitrogen in a sample and use mathematics to convert that into the protein content. Though the Dumas method was older, the Kjeldahl method quickly took off in popularity due to its relative ease of performance. However, as new technologies developed, the Dumas method began gaining in popularity.

Year after year, the popularity of juice continues to rise. As consumers become more health- and environmentally-conscious, juice has risen to the forefront as a sustainable, vegan, and nutritious beverage option. It certainly doesn't hurt that with the pandemic, people have shifted to entertaining at home and making their own mixed drinks with juices as mixers. But how does juice actually hold up to nutritional demands?

Express Micro Science (EMS) is the only food nutritional laboratory in Scotland, serving clients in food, leisure, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries. For more than ten years, they've had constant, steady growth. But after they added protein determination to their services, they struggled with their instruments and results. Finally, in 2020, after five years of frustration, they chose to replace their old instruments with the LECO protein determinators.

This Thursday, November 25, most Americans will be sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal, with approximately 95% eating some form of turkey. The National Turkey Federation (NTF) estimates that 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving. At an average weight of 15 pounds per bird, this adds up to approximately 690 million pounds of turkey in a single day. But how much protein is in that turkey? LECO took a look.

Over the last thirty years, the Dumas combustion method for analyzing protein content in food has been gaining popularity against the classic Kjeldahl wet chemical digestion and titration method. The Dumas method has several advantages over the Kjeldahl method: it is much faster, with much lower operating costs, no real safety issues, and no toxic waste produced. However, there is a debate over which of the two main approaches to the Dumas method is better: a vertical or a horizontal combustion furnace.