The Falling Number method is uncomplicated, but requires an apparatus which follows the international standards. Such an apparatus consists of a water bath, a test tube, a stirring rod, and a stirring device. Whereas the method was quite manual when it was first invented, instruments today are mainly automated in their operation.
To analyze a grain sample it first needs to be ground to a powder, whereas a flour sample can be analyzed as it is. The sample is put into the test tube; distilled water is added, and the tube is then shaken vigorously to achieve a homogeneous mix. The tube is then placed in the boiling water bath, and the operator begins to stir the sample. Simultaneously the starch begins to gelatinize and the slurry becomes more viscous. The mixing ensures the gelatinization is homogeneous in the slurry, crucial for consistent test results. An additional effect of the high temperature is that the alpha-amylase enzyme contained in the grain begins to break the starch down into glucose and maltose, thereby reducing the viscosity of the slurry. The amount of starch break-down is directly proportionate to the alpha-amylase activity, meaning that the higher the activity of the alpha-amylase, the lower the viscosity will be