Professional pH testing engineered specifically for chocolate production and quality control. The Hanna HI981039 Foodcare Chocolate pH Tester features a specialized electrode with low-temperature glass, conical tip for penetrating semisolids, and replaceable bridge electrolyte—designed to deliver accurate pH measurements throughout the chocolate-making process from bean to bar.
Key Features & Benefits
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Chocolate-specific electrode – Conical tip, LT glass, and PVDF body engineered for chocolate applications
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Replaceable bridge electrolyte – Refresh the junction to extend electrode life and maintain accuracy
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Low temperature (LT) glass – 50 Megaohm resistance optimized for measuring food at lower temperatures
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Conical tip design – Easily penetrates semisolid chocolate for direct measurements
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High precision – 0.01 pH resolution with ±0.05 pH accuracy
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Auto calibration – One or two-point automatic calibration with buffer recognition
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Food-grade PVDF body – Chemical resistant, UV resistant, and fungal growth resistant
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Long battery life – Up to 800 hours continuous use with CR2032 battery
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Complete kit – Includes buffers, cleaning solutions, electrolyte gel, and storage solution
Why pH Matters in Chocolate Production
pH plays a critical role in chocolate quality, affecting flavor development, texture, viscosity, and shelf stability. Monitoring pH during fermentation, conching, and tempering helps chocolatiers:
- Control fermentation of cocoa beans for optimal flavor development
- Optimize conching time and temperature for desired taste profiles
- Ensure proper emulsification and texture
- Predict and prevent fat bloom and quality issues
- Maintain consistency across batches
- Meet quality standards and specifications
Specialized Electrode Technology
Replaceable Bridge Electrolyte
The innovative electrode design features an outer junction sleeve that can be removed and cleaned. After cleaning, simply add a small amount of the supplied gel electrolyte to refresh the junction. This extends electrode life, improves pH measurement accuracy, and reduces long-term costs compared to disposable electrodes.
Low Temperature (LT) Glass
The pH-sensitive glass tip uses a special low-temperature formulation with approximately 50 Megaohms resistance—significantly lower than standard pH glass. This lower resistance is essential when measuring food products at cooler temperatures, providing ideal resistance for the measuring circuit and ensuring accurate readings even in refrigerated samples.
Conical Tip for Penetration
Unlike flat or spherical tips, the conical tip design allows easy penetration into semisolid materials like chocolate, cocoa mass, and chocolate paste. This enables direct pH measurement without extensive sample preparation, saving time and reducing measurement errors.
PVDF Body Construction
Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) is a food-grade plastic that offers exceptional chemical resistance to most solvents and cleaning agents, including sodium hypochlorite (bleach). PVDF provides high abrasion resistance, mechanical strength, UV resistance, and natural resistance to fungal growth—ideal for food production environments.
Advanced Features for Professional Use
Large Enhanced LCD Display
The clear LCD shows pH reading, stability indicator (hourglass icon), low battery indicator, and calibration tags simultaneously for at-a-glance status monitoring.
Automatic Calibration
Calibrate automatically to one or two points with automatic buffer recognition. After calibration, the buffer values used are displayed on screen for verification and quality documentation.
Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC)
Built-in ATC automatically adjusts pH readings for temperature variations from 0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F), ensuring accurate measurements regardless of sample temperature.
Stability Indicator
An hourglass icon displays on the LCD until a stable reading is obtained. Once the reading stabilizes, the indicator disappears, signaling that you can record the measurement with confidence.
Probe Diagnostic
During calibration, the meter displays an error (Err) message if the probe needs cleaning, helping you maintain optimal electrode performance and measurement accuracy.
Flexible Auto-Off Options
Set the meter to automatically shut off after 8 minutes or 60 minutes to conserve battery life, or disable auto-off entirely for continuous monitoring applications.
Exceptional Battery Life
The CR2032 Li-ion battery provides approximately 800 hours of continuous use. A low battery indicator blinks when power is running low, giving you advance warning to replace the battery.
Applications in Chocolate Production
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Cocoa bean fermentation: Monitor pH during fermentation to control flavor development
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Cocoa mass/liquor: Test pH of ground cocoa for quality control
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Conching process: Track pH changes during conching to optimize flavor and texture
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Chocolate paste/mass: Direct measurement in semisolid chocolate products
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Finished chocolate: Quality control testing of final products
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Incoming ingredient QC: Verify pH of cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and other ingredients
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R&D and formulation: Develop new recipes and optimize processes
Perfect for Chocolatiers & Food Manufacturers
Whether you're a craft chocolatier, industrial chocolate manufacturer, or food scientist, the HI981039 delivers professional-grade accuracy at an affordable price point. It's fully featured for both hobbyist chocolate makers and commercial production facilities.
Technical Specifications
| Specification |
Detail |
| SKU |
HI981039 |
| pH Range |
0.00 to 12.00 pH |
| pH Resolution |
0.01 pH |
| pH Accuracy (@25°C/77°F) |
±0.05 pH |
| Calibration |
Automatic, one or two-point with buffer recognition |
| Temperature Compensation |
Automatic, 0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F) |
| Glass Type |
LT (Low Temperature) – approx. 50 Megaohms |
| Electrode Body |
PVDF (food-grade, chemical resistant) |
| Tip Shape |
Conical (for penetrating semisolids) |
| Junction Type |
Replaceable bridge electrolyte |
| Battery Type / Life |
CR2032 Li-ion / Approx. 800 hours continuous use |
| Auto-off Options |
8 minutes, 60 minutes, or disabled |
| Environment |
0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F); RH 95% max |
| Dimensions |
51 × 148 × 21 mm (2 × 5.8 × 0.9") |
| Weight |
45 g (1.6 oz.) |
What's Included
The HI981039 Foodcare Chocolate pH Tester arrives complete with everything needed for immediate testing:
- HI981039 pH tester with specialized chocolate electrode
- pH 4.01 buffer solution sachets (2)
- pH 7.01 buffer solution sachets (2)
- Electrode cleaning solution sachets (2)
- Gelled bridge electrolyte for junction renewal
- Electrode storage solution
- CR2032 3V Li-ion battery
- Quality certificate
- Instruction manual
Electrode Care & Maintenance
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Storage: Store electrode in the provided storage solution to keep the glass membrane hydrated
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Cleaning: Clean electrode regularly with the provided cleaning solution to remove chocolate residue
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Junction renewal: Remove outer sleeve, clean, and add fresh gel electrolyte to refresh junction
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Calibration: Calibrate regularly using fresh buffer solutions for optimal accuracy
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Temperature equilibration: Allow sample and electrode to reach similar temperature before measuring
Typical pH Values in Chocolate Production
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Fresh cocoa beans: pH 6.0-6.5
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Fermented cocoa beans: pH 4.5-5.5
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Cocoa mass/liquor: pH 5.0-6.0
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Natural cocoa powder: pH 5.0-6.0
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Alkalized cocoa powder: pH 6.5-8.0
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Finished dark chocolate: pH 5.0-6.0
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Finished milk chocolate: pH 6.0-7.0
Why Choose Hanna Foodcare?
Hanna Instruments' Foodcare line is specifically designed for food and beverage applications, meeting the unique challenges of food production environments. With over 40 years of experience in analytical instrumentation and a presence in over 140 countries, Hanna delivers the accuracy, durability, and support that food professionals demand.
Quality Assurance & Support
Each HI981039 includes a quality certificate and is backed by Hanna's commitment to customer support. For technical assistance, calibration guidance, or replacement parts, our expert team is ready to help.
