Detecting color differences in lentil flour samples using an inexpensive, hand-held colorimeter

Premise The Nix Spectro 2 was developed to obtain CIEL*a*b* values from small samples and is an affordable alternative to the more expensive spectrophotometers typically used to assess food color. Methods To validate the use of the Nix for lentil seed quality research, eight genotypes in three different field trials, were evaluated for flour color using HunterLab (illuminant C) and Nix (illuminants D50 and C) instruments and results compared for consistency. Results The a* and b* Nix scores were comparable to those obtained with the HunterLab (r 2 = 0.9-0.95). L* scores had lower correlation values: 0.61 and 0.58 when comparing HunterLab (C) with Nix (D50) and Nix (C), respectively. Discussion Lower L* correlations could be a result of the influence of direct light exposure during HunterLab scans. In contrast, the Nix uses more technical repetitions per scan and avoids direct light exposure with the use of an adaptor, suggesting the L* Nix values are more reliable than those from the HunterLab. We observed that the Nix procedures are more repeatable and rigorous, validating its use for assessing color, especially for small samples, a common limitation within breeding programs.