Addium Launches AQUALAB 5TE, Combining Water Activity and Moisture Content Measurement in a Single 60-Second Test

PULLMAN, Wash. — September 22, 2026 — Addium today announced the general availability of the AQUALAB 5TE, the next generation of the water activity instrument relied on by the majority of the world's largest food brands. The AQUALAB 5TE is the first instrument to deliver both water activity (a_w) and moisture content results in a single 60-second test, eliminating the need for separate instruments and workflows.

Built on more than four decades of water activity measurement leadership, the AQUALAB 5TE succeeds both the AQUALAB 3 and the AQUALAB 4TE, consolidating their capabilities into one platform built for modern food product pipelines.

"For 40 years, when food companies needed to be sure their products were safe and delicious, they’ve used our instruments,” said Bob Agnes, CEO of Addium. “Today, AQUALAB instruments lead the market, and with the 5TE, we've applied our passion for precision and innovation to raise the standard again."

One instrument, every team, no gaps

Quality failures often trace back to disconnected data – an R&D assumption that never got validated, a production adjustment that never got logged, or a QA flag that came too late. The AQUALAB 5TE closes that gap by putting every water activity and moisture content reading – from R&D benchtop through production line through QA release – into one shared system, tied to products, batches, and operators.

Key capabilities include:

• Dual measurement in 60 seconds. Water activity and moisture content in a single test, delivered with the chilled-mirror accuracy AQUALAB is known for. Accuracy: ±0.003 a_w and ±0.5% moisture content reference.
• BlockSwap™ zero-downtime calibration. Annual calibration no longer requires shipping the instrument offsite. Labs swap the block and keep running.
• 7-inch glove-ready touchscreen. 5TE is built for operators, not engineers. It features integrated tutorials, multi-language support, and plug-and-play peripherals (keyboard, barcode scanner, printer).
• 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. Electronic records and signatures, searchable audit trails on-instrument and in AQUALAB Cloud, and mirrored user access controls across every device.
• AQUALAB Cloud integration. Automatic sync of every reading, tied to products, batches, and operators, all easily accessible and AI-ready. Instant pass/fail alerts based on product-specific thresholds. Offline operation with auto-sync when reconnected.
• Industrial-grade durability. Robust thermopile plating engineered for lab-floor conditions, with proactive fan health diagnostics to prevent failure.

Built for the realities of modern manufacturing

The AQUALAB 5TE arrives as food, pharmaceutical, and adjacent manufacturers face rising compliance demands, tighter margins, and increasing pressure to accelerate product development cycles. By unifying measurement, data, and compliance workflows, the instrument reduces the hidden risks that come from fragmented tools – missed readings, calibration downtime, disconnected records, and decisions made on incomplete data.

Early distributor feedback has been strong. In pre-launch evaluations, thirteen global AQUALAB distributors rated the 5TE an average of 4.23 out of 5.0 after hands-on product exposure.

"As we disassembled the instruments piece by piece, every improvement revealed was a revelation," said Ken Ohki, CEO of METER Japan. "We already considered the 4TE the best in the world, but the AQUALAB 5 takes it to a new level."

The AQUALAB 5TE is available now. 

About Addium

Addium exists to make the global food and agriculture system more precise, more efficient, and more resilient. Addium combines science, software, and sensors to help food brands, growers, and researchers see what was previously invisible and act on it with confidence.

Addium’s AQUALAB instruments have set the standard for water activity and moisture analysis for more than 40 years, and are trusted today by the majority of the world's largest food brands. Learn more at aqualab.com.

Download the AQUALAB 5TE press kit here.

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Media Contact 

Conner Newbold
Brand and Communications Lead
[email protected]

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