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A texture analyzer (texture analyser) is a type of universal testing machine (UTM) used to test food and other materials. It derives its name from food 'texture', which relates to manual and oral sensory assessment of food. Texture analyzers generally measure in the force range of tens of Newtons and are usually small table-top devices with low capacity load cells. Foods are measured using some kind of fixture, which is attached to the load cell. Test data is captured graphically and the force/deformation profile generated is subjected to a process called 'data reduction' to derive the measurement parameters. The data capture, display and analysis is now done via computer-based software and can be automated to greatly speed-up testing.

A distinguishing feature in the kind of testing performed with a texture analyzer is its highly empirical nature. There are some international standards used, but in most cases a test will at most confirm to an internal company standard or one the user has created. This is partly due to the lack of physical standards for foods and it is also due to the shear variety of foods available. Lastly, the correlation between instrumental testing and human sensory is difficult and introduces an element of subjectivity. Standards that have been created for foods include: bread, rice and pulses.

History of texture analyzers
Alina Surmacka Szczesniak pioneered Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) using the General Foods Texturometer in the 1960s and correlating the results with a sensory panel. Texture profiles were plotted onto a chart recorder and analysed to generate the texture parameters. Malcolm Bourne at Cornell University greatly furthered this work using the Instron UTM to carry out TPA tests.