Sieve Analysis — Particle Size Distribution for Paprika¶

1. Purpose & Scope¶

Sieve analysis quantifies the particle size distribution (PSD) of ground paprika powder or crushed flakes. PSD directly affects flowability, extraction rate, color dispersion, and mouthfeel in the final application.

Reference Standards: - ASTM E11 — Specification for Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth - ISO 3310-1 — Test sieves — Technical requirements and testing - ISO 2591-1 — Test sieving — Methods using test sieves of woven wire cloth

2. Equipment¶

Item	Specification
Test sieve set	8" (200 mm) diameter, stainless steel frame
Sieve mesh sizes	20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 mesh (ASTM E11)
Sieve shaker	Vibratory or tapping type, amplitude 1–3 mm
Balance	±0.01 g readability
Receiving pan	Bottom pan for fines < finest sieve
Brush (nylon)	For sieve cleaning between runs

3. Procedure¶

3.1 Assemble sieve stack in ascending mesh order (coarsest on top, finest on bottom) over receiving pan. 3.2 Weigh 100 g (±0.1 g) sample into top sieve. 3.3 Place cover on top sieve, secure stack on shaker. 3.4 Shake for 10 minutes at standard amplitude. 3.5 Weigh each sieve fraction + receiving pan content. 3.6 Report as percentage retained on each sieve.

4. Typical Results for Paprika Grades¶

Mesh	Opening	Standard Powder (40 mesh)	Fine Powder (60 mesh)	Coarse (20 mesh)
20	841 µm	0–2%	0%	≤ 10%
30	595 µm	2–10%	0–2%	20–40%
40	420 µm	40–60%	2–10%	20–30%
60	250 µm	20–40%	40–60%	5–15%
80	177 µm	5–15%	15–30%	2–8%
100	149 µm	2–5%	5–10%	0–2%
Pan	< 149 µm	0–5%	0–10%	0%

Cross-References¶

Particle Size — Complete particle size glossary entry
Particle Size Test Record — QC test log template
Bulk Density — PSD correlation with density
Flowability — PSD correlation with powder flow