Background:  This analysis is used as a determination of the amount of total moisture in a sample, calculated and expressed in %.

Analysis Description:  Samples to be analyzed are homogenized and a representative test portion (about 2 grams) is spread out over the base of an aluminum dish and placed into a mechanical convection oven and dried at an appropriate temperature, for an appropriate amount of time, until constant weight is achieved (hours dried varies depending on product; for meats 120C for 2-4 hours, typically), indicating that all of the water molecules that were originally present in the sample have been removed.  This loss of moisture upon drying is determined and a percentage of the total moisture in the original sample is calculated and reported.