ATAGO PAL-Easy ACID2 Portable Grape Acidimeter

Overview

The ATAGO PAL-Easy ACID2 is a handheld, optical-electrochemical hybrid acidimeter engineered for rapid, reagent-free quantification of total acidity in grape must and wine—expressed as tartaric acid equivalent (% w/v). Unlike conventional titrimetric methods requiring standardized NaOH solutions, burettes, indicators, and trained personnel, the PAL-Easy ACID2 employs a temperature-compensated conductometric principle coupled with proprietary optical path stabilization to deliver repeatable acidity readings in under three seconds. Its core measurement algorithm correlates electrical conductivity and refractive index shifts induced by organic acid concentration in aqueous grape juice matrices, calibrated specifically against reference titration data across the 0.10–4.00% range. Designed for vineyard-side use, winery QC checkpoints, and mobile enology labs, the instrument meets functional requirements for ISO 27165-compliant preliminary acidity screening and supports traceable process monitoring under GLP-aligned workflows.

Key Features

• Reagent-free operation eliminates chemical waste, disposal costs, and operator exposure risk associated with titrant handling.
• Dual-parameter display shows real-time acidity (% tartaric acid) and sample temperature simultaneously—critical for correcting thermal drift in must analysis.
• Integrated temperature compensation (10–40 °C) applies polynomial correction to maintain accuracy across seasonal harvest conditions without manual recalibration.
• Linear OFFSET correction (y = ax ± b) enables traceable alignment with laboratory titration results or alternate reporting units (e.g., g/L H₂SO₄), satisfying method equivalency validation per OIV MA-AS313 and ASTM D7292.
• IP65-rated enclosure ensures dust-tight operation and resistance to low-pressure water jets—suitable for humid cellar environments, outdoor crush pads, and transport in field kits.
• Backlit LCD remains active for 30 seconds after any button press, optimizing usability under variable lighting conditions during harvest or barrel sampling.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The PAL-Easy ACID2 is validated for clarified grape juice, pressed must, and still wines with turbidity 200 mg/L SO₂ without prior desulfiting. The device complies with IEC 61010-1:2010 for electrical safety in laboratory equipment and conforms to RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU. While not a primary reference method, its performance aligns with OIV Resolution OENO 439-2017 for rapid acidity estimation when used within defined operating limits and verified against titration at least once per shift.

Software & Data Management

The PAL-Easy ACID2 operates as a standalone instrument with no onboard data logging or USB connectivity. However, its consistent output format (two-decimal % values with embedded temperature stamp) facilitates manual entry into LIMS or Excel-based QC templates. For audit readiness, users are advised to record instrument ID, calibration date, offset coefficients (a, b), ambient temperature, and operator initials alongside each reading. The linear offset function supports 21 CFR Part 11–compatible documentation when paired with controlled electronic notebooks that capture coefficient application history and justification.

Applications

• Vineyard maturity assessment: Rapid acidity screening pre-harvest to determine optimal picking windows.
• Crush pad QC: Real-time verification of must acidity prior to inoculation or SO₂ addition.
• Fermentation monitoring: Spot-checking residual acidity trends during alcoholic fermentation (within ethanol tolerance limits).
• Blending support: Comparative acidity profiling across tank lots to guide ratio decisions.
• Educational enology labs: Demonstrating acid-base principles without titration setup overhead.

FAQ

Does the PAL-Easy ACID2 replace official titration for regulatory reporting?
No—it serves as a rapid screening tool. Final compliance reports (e.g., for EU wine labeling or TTB submissions) require AOAC or OIV-validated titrimetric methods.
Can it measure lactic or malic acid individually?
No. It reports total acidity expressed as tartaric acid equivalent and does not resolve individual organic acid species.
How often must the OFFSET coefficients be updated?
Coefficients should be re-determined whenever a new batch of reference titration standards is introduced, or if instrument recalibration is performed—typically daily in high-throughput wineries.
Is temperature calibration required separately?
No. The built-in thermistor is factory-calibrated; only routine verification against a NIST-traceable thermometer is recommended before critical measurements.
What maintenance is required beyond cleaning?
Wipe the prism surface with lint-free tissue and ethanol after each use; avoid abrasive cleaners. No internal servicing is user-accessible—return to ATAGO-authorized service centers for verification every 12 months.