A blend of gases --
carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen -- help preserve packaged food by reducing
the amount of oxygen inside the sealed package. Gas flushing or Modified
Atmosphere Packaging, as the process is called, also reduces the amount of
processing that food must undergo. This preserves the quality and nutrient
content of meats, vegetables, and other foods.
Estimates
suggest that 25-40 percent of fresh food does not reach consumers due to
spoilage in transit. Modified Atmosphere Packaging enables fresh food to stay
fresh by slowing down the food spoilage process, reduces food waste, and allows
consumers to store purchased foods for longer.
Without Modified
Atmosphere Packaging, oxygen levels inside food packages would be 20.9 percent.
By introducing nitrogen into the package, facilities strive to lower oxygen
levels, sometimes as far as zero. With no oxygen inside the package, bacteria
will be unable to grow and the food will not oxidize. Carbon dioxide also
inhibits bacteria growth and lowers the pH of preserved food. Carbon monoxide
is often used in meat packaging, as it can preserve the red color. Packing
plants use either low-barrier, breathable film that allows fruits and vegetables
to breathe, or high-barrier film that prevents gas inside packaged meat, fish,
or cheese from seeping out.
As oxygen is flushed
out of the package, the blend of nitrogen and carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide
is piped in and the package is sealed, trapping the inert gases inside.
While the process of
Modified Atmosphere Packaging revolutionized food packing, it isn't without
risk. Nitrogen gas, a critical component of the gas flushing blend, has the
potential to create an oxygen deficient environment if a leak occurs. As
nitrogen leaks, it physically displaces oxygen, often in a matter of minutes.
As employees breathe air that does not have enough oxygen, they may become
tired and confused or experience difficulty breathing. Within minutes, employees
could die from asphyxiation as a result of breathing oxygen-deficient
air.
Since nitrogen gas has
no color or odor, secondary measures must be used to detect a leak before staff
experience life-threatening symptoms. One simple and cost-effective way to
monitor the food packing facility for leaks is by using an oxygen
monitor.
How an Oxygen Monitor Protects Workers in Food
Packing Plants
While it's critical to
maintain the right blend of gas in packaged foods, it's also important to
ensure that gas used in food packing equipment does not leak out of the
machines. Gases used in food packing, including nitrogen, are colorless and
odorless, so staff would be unable to detect a leak visually. By installing an
oxygen monitor in the food packing facility, employers can detect leaks before
workers' health is adversely affected.
Since nitrogen gas
depletes oxygen, it's easy to tell whether nitrogen is leaking by taking
continual measures of oxygen. The secure, wall-mounted oxygen monitor checks
the levels of oxygen in the room and remains silent as long as oxygen is above
the minimum amount.
The oxygen monitor
will sound an alarm if oxygen falls to 19.5% or 18.0%. The 90 db alarm is
designed to be heard over the sound of the equipment, and there's also a
flashing light to warn employees of a drop in oxygen levels. Employees can
then leave the room before the oxygen falls below the acceptable threshold and
staff begin to experience health problems.
In addition to using
oxygen monitors on the food packing line, facilities should also use oxygen
monitors wherever inert gases are stored. Oxygen deficiency monitors from
PureAire are designed to last for a minimum of 10 years with no maintenance or
annual calibration. The monitors feature a digital display that's easy to read,
and do not drift as a result of barometric pressure. If you're looking for an
oxygen monitor that's low maintenance, accurate, and easy to use, consider
PureAire. Visit www.pureairemonitoring.com to learn more.
