Nitrogen can be utilized for various processes in the food packaging industry. It is a safe, inert gas, and with a nitrogen generation system, it can be produced from the surrounding air, eliminating the need for your facility to manage costly, high-pressure cylinders.
Here’s a look at some of the many ways the food packaging field can benefit from nitrogen gas:
1. Purging
Food packaging facilities often utilize purging techniques to remove oxygen from storage containers. This is usually done before sealing the packaging, ensuring that minimal or no oxygen remains inside. This practice helps preserve the food’s freshness, flavor, and shelf life. See more: Nitrogen Purging with a Nitrogen Generator
2. “Padding”
Nitrogen can also be used to “pad” the contents of a food package, preventing the package from collapsing and damaging the food products within. Items like potato chip bags are often padded with nitrogen to maintain the proper pressure level and keep the chips from breaking during transport.
3. Modified Atmosphere Packaging
Modified atmosphere packaging is a purging process in which the internal composition of a package is altered to enhance shelf life in the food packaging industry. While this technique is prevalent in food packaging, it is also commonly used in the packaging of pharmaceuticals. This process reduces the amount of oxygen to slow the growth of aerobic organisms and oxidation reactions. The displaced oxygen is often replaced with nitrogen, although carbon dioxide is utilized in some industries. See more: ” Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) “
4. Vertical Form Fill
Vertical form-fill packaging involves creating a package and inflating it with gas, such as nitrogen. In facilities utilizing assembly line packaging machines, vertical form-fill sealing is commonly employed to store food in plastic bag containers. During the final stage of vertical form filling, an inert gas (typically nitrogen) is used to inflate the bag, which helps protect the food or liquids during transport. See more: Vertical Form Fill Packaging with Nitrogen
5. Controlled Atmosphere Storage
The air composition around the food product is regulated in controlled atmosphere storage. Additionally, temperature and humidity levels are managed to prevent decomposition and enhance the product’s shelf life. Fresh fruits and dry commodities like grains, oilseeds, and legumes are the two main products that benefit from controlled atmosphere storage. In this context, the use of nitrogen helps manage the threat of insects and other pests, which cannot survive indefinitely without oxygen.
The most effective and economical method for utilizing nitrogen in food packaging is generally through a nitrogen generator. Rather than depending on high-pressure, costly nitrogen cylinders, a nitrogen generator creates its own nitrogen supply from the surrounding air. This enables facilities to sustain the necessary nitrogen supply for their operations while also minimizing the risk of combustion associated with other types of gases. Nitrogen’s dry, inert properties have made it the preferred choice for food packaging as well as various manufacturing and storage industries.