Is my mixer causing particle degradation?

Q: What’s the quickest way to determine if my mixer is causing particle degradation?
A: Particle degradation can be deterioration in quality from a reaction (such as spoilage of a food product) or size change (such as breaking friable particles). Deterioration in quality is usually obvious from simply looking at the mixture. Size change is less obvious, so you’ll need to compare a mixture sample with samples of the ingredients and good quality final product. One way to do this is to fill clear glass jars or vials about half full with samples of the mixture, the ingredients, and good quality final product. By rotating the jars or vials by hand, you can spot significant differences in the samples’ flow characteristics, which are usually caused by particle size changes.