A moisture balance, also called a moisture analyzer, measures the amount of moisture in a substance. This is particularly helpful in food processing lab consumables as the amount of moisture can be an indicator of freshness and quality for some foods. These analyzers are also commonly used in environmental, pharmaceutical, and materials science labs. There are several techniques that may be used to measure moisture. Some techniques used include measuring water vapor released following combustion of the sample, measuring the difference in weight after removal of moisture from the sample, and measuring the equilibrium of water vapor of the sample in a closed system. Some things to take into consideration when purchasing a moisture analytical