How Nitrogen Flush Packaging Machines Prevent Food Spoilage

If you’re in the food packaging industry, you know how important it is to ensure that your food stays fresh for as long as possible. For many kinds of food, just how fresh the food stays depends on the packaging.

The right type of packaging can help your food stay fresh for a long time, and for many types of food, nitrogen flush packaging is the right type of packaging. Knowing how nitrogen flush works, why it helps extend the shelf life of your foods, and what you can do to use this type of packaging in your business is important. Here’s what you should know.

What is Nitrogen Flushing in Food Packaging?

Nitrogen flushing is the process of flushing out the air in a package to replace it with nitrogen. First, the food is inserted into the packaging. Next, the package is flushed with nitrogen. The nitrogen displaces the air in the package while drying out unwanted moisture in the packaging. Finally, the package itself is sealed up.

This process is used in the packaging of many different types of food, including potato chips. Nitrogen takes up space in the bag and keeps the bag puffed up when it’s sealed. This puffiness gives the chips a cushion and prevents the chips from becoming crushed during transportation.

Why Is Nitrogen Gas Used in Packaging?

Nitrogen gas is used in packaging because:

1. It’s easy to access (it is in the air all around us)
2. It’s inert
3. It’s non-toxic
4. It helps to prevent spoilage

All of these qualities make nitrogen a relatively easy gas to use for food packaging. It’s also very effective.

Nitrogen does not react with the food in the package, so it stops the food from deteriorating over time. Food that has been stored in nitrogen-rich packaging can retain its flavors and colors for much longer than it would if it had been stored in an environment that contained oxygen.

How to Produce Nitrogen for Food Packaging

The most efficient way to produce nitrogen for food packaging is with an On Site Gas Systems nitrogen generator. Nitrogen generators pull the nitrogen from the surrounding air, filter out the oxygen and other particles in the air, and then expel a steady supply of nitrogen to use for nitrogen flushing.

What Are the Benefits of Using Nitrogen Gas in Packaging?

There are many benefits of using a nitrogen flush packaging machine for your food packaging business.

Safe

Nitrogen gas is a non-toxic gas, so it’s safe to work with, and safe to use in food packaging for humans.

Displaces Oxygen

In food packaging, nitrogen helps reduce the amount of oxygen present, which can promote the growth of harmful microorganisms in the food. Oxygen also accelerates the deterioration of food, altering its flavor and color. By using nitrogen packaging, a low-oxygen environment is created, slowing down these negative effects.

Non-Reactive

Nitrogen is an inert gas, which means that it will not react with the food in the packaging. Whereas oxygen causes these off flavors and can change the appearance of the food over time, nitrogen cannot.

Abundant

Nitrogen makes up approximately 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere. This abundance helps make harnessing nitrogen in the air relatively easy. With a relatively low-cost nitrogen generator system, food packaging companies can use the nitrogen that’s present all the time to keep food fresh.

Need Nitrogen Flush Packaging Machines for Your Business? Contact On Site Gas Systems

On Site Gas Systems is a trusted name among companies in need of custom nitrogen and oxygen generation. We’re a US-based company that sells new, custom, and refurbished nitrogen generators to companies from a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, food packaging, aeronautics, metallurgy, and more.

If you require a nitrogen generator for your business, we’re here to help. We can help you decide which type of nitrogen generator is best for your business. In need of a custom machine? We’ll design and build it for you. Call today to get started with a quote for your next nitrogen generator.