When Freshness Counts – Modified Atmosphere Packaging

 

Centuries ago, merchants and shippers would place a lit candle inside barrels used to store biscuits before closing the lid. The idea was that the candle flame would deplete the oxygen inside the barrel to help keep the biscuits from spoiling. These days, the candle flame has been replaced by processes called Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), which can be either active or passive. By altering the atmosphere inside food product packages, or by using specialized packaging films, today’s food processors can preserve freshness and taste; extend shelf-life; prevent oxidation, which can lead to food spoilage; and protect against crushing the food contents inside the packaging, all without the use of chemical additives, stabilizers, or even candles.

Why Use Modified Atmosphere Packaging?

Consumers want food that not only looks, tastes, and smells good, but is also convenient and lasts longer than a few days after purchase. In order to satisfy consumers, food packagers need to eliminate or, at least, control factors that contribute to food spoilage, including improper levels of moisture, temperature, or light; excessive oxygen (i.e., oxidation); and the growth of microorganisms (such as mold or pathogens that can lead to food-borne illnesses).

Spoiled food means lost revenues and lower profits for producers and intermediaries, higher food prices passed on to the consumer, and an environmental burden, as food waste reportedly contributes to some 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

How Does MAP Work?

Active modified atmosphere packaging works by changing the atmosphere inside food packaging, typically by the introduction of gases. For instance, carbon dioxide is often used to remove oxygen from inside the packaging of breads and other baked goods, in order to keep the products from going stale, prevent mold growth, and extend shelf-life.

Packaged foods with high-fat content, such as certain cheeses or fish high in fatty acids, require a high concentration of carbon dioxide to prevent mold growth and to prevent the cheese or fish from tasting rancid. However, excessive levels of carbon dioxide can make certain foods taste sour. To prevent that from occurring, food packagers may elect to use nitrogen, or a mixture of gases, instead of carbon dioxide alone.

Conversely, while certain meat, fish, and poultry require that all or almost all oxygen be removed from inside packaging and replaced with carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen to prevent microbial growth and spoilage, oxygen is actually added to some packaged meats, low-fat fish, and shellfish to prevent fading or loss of color, as well as to inhibit the growth of certain types of bacteria.

Adding nitrogen gas to packaging not only helps salty snack foods stay crispy and fresh by displacing the oxygen inside food packaging, but it also helps protect the contents from getting crushed or broken during transport of the products from manufacturing facilities to stores and, ultimately, to consumers’ pantries.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often packaged by using a passive form of MAP which includes specialized, permeable packaging films. The permeable film allows the fresh produce to continue to respire (that is, breathe) after being harvested, but at a much slower rate than if it were still on the plant. Low oxygen levels, combined with carbon dioxide or nitrogen, help to preserve the freshness, taste, and appearance of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Proper Monitoring Can Preserve Food Products and Protect Packaging Personnel

Balancing the correct mixture of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen is vital when it comes to food packaging. Too much or too little of a required gas can lead to foods that have unappetizing taste, smell, or appearance and, in baked goods, can promote mold growth, and staleness.

Moreover, food packagers and others working around carbon dioxide and nitrogen need to be aware of the potential safety risks associated with these odorless and colorless oxygen-depleting gases. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an environment in which oxygen levels fall below 19.5 percent is considered an oxygen-deficient atmosphere and should be treated as immediately dangerous to health or life. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, persons working in the affected area may become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate due to the lack of sufficient oxygen.

Because carbon dioxide and nitrogen are devoid of odor and color, individuals working around these gases might well, in the absence of appropriate monitoring equipment, be unaware that a safety risk situation has developed.

PureAire Monitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor offers thorough air monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. A screen displays current oxygen and carbon dioxide levels for at-a-glance reading by food packaging employees, who derive peace of mind from the Monitor’s presence and reliable performance.

In the event of a carbon dioxide or nitrogen gas leak, and a decrease in oxygen to an unsafe level, PureAire’s Monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting personnel to evacuate the area.

PureAire’s Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor is well-suited for facilities where gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen are used. Our Dual O₂/CO₂ monitor includes both a non-depleting, zirconium oxide sensor cell, to monitor oxygen levels, and a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor cell, to monitor carbon dioxide levels. PureAire’s O₂/CO₂ monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.

Safe Use of Liquid Nitrogen in Food Processing Plants

 

In December 2020,  two employees working at a Vernon, California food processing plant lost consciousness and died following an apparent liquid nitrogen leak. On January 28, 2021, there were several fatalities, and many other employees became sick, after being exposed to nitrogen gas when a liquid nitrogen line ruptured at a food processing plant in Gainesville, Georgia.According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a total of fourteen workers died from asphyxiation linked to nitrogen gas in twelve separate workplace accidents recorded between 2012 and 2020, and 2021 is already off to a sad start.  Tragically, these accidents illustrate the dangers of working with liquid nitrogen.

Importance of Liquid Nitrogen in Food Processing

Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is used in food processing in a number of applications, including grinding, mixing, coating, freezing, and packaging foods. Food processors may use liquid nitrogen in the production of a variety of foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and prepackaged meals. The very low temperature of LN2 is used to flash-freeze foods to help prevent microbial growth that can lead to food spoilage, and to maintain the foods’ original freshness, flavor, and textures.

Oxygen Monitors Can Reduce the Risk of Liquid Nitrogen Accidents

While the use of liquid nitrogen is important in food processing, it is not without risk. When liquid nitrogen is exposed to the air (which happens when leaks occur), it will evaporate, changing from a liquid to an oxygen-depleting gas. Oxygen deprivation can put employees in real danger if there are leaks from pressurized LN2 freezer lines, exhaust systems, or on-site storage containers. In the event of a liquid nitrogen leak, food processing workers could become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate from breathing oxygen-deficient air. Since LN2 is both odorless and colorless, workers would, in the absence of appropriate monitoring, have no way of knowing that there has been a liquid nitrogen leak.

However, by utilizing a top-quality oxygen deficiency monitor, food plant personnel can safely track oxygen levels and detect leaks before workers’ health is jeopardized.Best practice calls for oxygen deficiency monitors to be installed anywhere there is a risk of liquid nitrogen gas leaks. The monitor should be placed wherever liquid nitrogen is stored, and in all areas where liquid nitrogen is used. The monitoring equipment should include visual and audible alarms that would be activated in the event of liquid nitrogen leaks and a decrease in oxygen levels.

PureAire Monitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ line of oxygen deficiency monitors, including a water-resistant unit for facilities requiring daily wash-downs, offers thorough air monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. In the event of a liquid nitrogen leak, and a decrease in oxygen to an unsafe level, PureAire’s oxygen deficiency monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting personnel to evacuate the area. PureAire oxygen deficiency monitors are ideally suited for use in food processing facilities because the monitors can withstand temperatures as low as -40 Celsius. Each PureAire O2 monitor has an easy to read screen, which displays current oxygen levels, for at-a-glance reading by food processing employees, who derive peace of mind from the monitor’s presence and reliable performance.

Air Delivery of Super-Cooled COVID-19 Vaccines

There are several potential COVID-19 vaccines that may soon be available for widespread distribution. In particular, the United Kingdom has recently approved Pfizer’s vaccine, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering extending Emergency Use Authorization to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

That is certainly promising news, but storage, transportation, and delivery of these potentially game-changing vaccines will be quite challenging, with the CEO of the International Air Transport Association describing the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as “the largest and most complex logistical exercise ever” undertaken.

It is not just the huge numbers (literally, in the billions of doses) and vast geographic scope (worldwide, requiring delivery to every country on the planet) that make the COVID-19 vaccine distribution task so daunting, but both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines must be stored and transported in strict climate-controlled environments (reportedly, at some -70 degrees Celsius for Pfizer, and -20 degrees Celsius for Moderna) as integral parts of the vaccines’ “cold chains.”

COVID-19 Vaccine Cold Chain

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (the “CDC”) describes a cold chain as a temperature-controlled supply chain that includes all vaccine-related equipment and procedures. The vaccine cold chain begins with a cold storage unit at the vaccine manufacturing plant, extends to the transport and delivery of the vaccine (including proper storage at the provider facility), and ends with the administration of the vaccine to the patient. A breakdown in protocols anywhere along the cold chain could reduce the effectiveness of, or even destroy, a vaccine.

Given the extreme cold temperatures required within their cold chains by the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (and, perhaps, other COVID-19 vaccines that may now be under development by other firms), various companies within the vaccine delivery network (including temperature-controlled container manufacturers, logistics specialists, storage facility operators, commercial airlines, and dry ice producers) have been hard at work for months to meet the challenges associated with safely storing and transporting billions of vaccine doses once, as now appears to be at hand, they finally become available for international distribution.

Creating Super-Cold Environments

Dry ice, which is the common name for solid (i.e., frozen) carbon dioxide, is often used in cold chains to maintain the very cold temperatures required to keep certain vaccines viable. At a temperature of approximately -78.5 degrees Celsius (equating to -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit), dry ice is significantly colder than frozen water (that is, conventional ice), making it ideal for transport and storage of those vaccines which require an extremely cold temperature environment.

Safety precautions are critical when shippers use dry ice in the transportation and storage of vaccines. Unlike conventional ice, dry ice does not melt into a liquid. Instead, dry ice “sublimates” (changes from a solid to a gas state), turning into carbon dioxide gas. In poorly ventilated, confined spaces, such as storage rooms, railway cars, trucks, and cargo holds in airplanes, carbon dioxide can build up, creating a potentially serious health risk to transportation workers, including ground and flight crews.

Certain vaccine manufacturers may elect to ship their vaccines in multi-layered, storage canisters chilled with liquid nitrogen, rather than dry ice. We note that the potential health risks associated with nitrogen leaks are similar to those that may be caused by dry ice sublimation.

Oxygen Deficiency Risks Associated with Super-Cooled Environments

Carbon dioxide (as is nitrogen) is an oxygen-depleting gas that is both odorless and colorless. As such, absent appropriate monitoring, personnel working with the transportation of COVID-19 and other vaccines kept frozen with dry ice or liquid nitrogen likely would be unable to detect if dry ice were to sublimate (causing CO2 levels to rise), or if there were a nitrogen gas leak, and an associated decrease in oxygen.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an environment in which oxygen levels fall below 19.5 percent is considered an oxygen-deficient atmosphere and should be treated as immediately dangerous to health or life. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, persons working in the affected area may become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate due to the lack of sufficient oxygen.

FAA Guidance/Increased Air Shipment Capacity/Risk Mitigation

On May 22, 2009, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (the “FAA”) issued Advisory Circular No. 91-76A to specifically address the risks associated with the sublimation of dry ice aboard aircraft and, historically, the FAA has permitted even widebody aircraft to carry only relatively small amounts (typically not exceeding 1-1.5 tons per flight) of dry ice in refrigerated and insulated containers.

However, The Wall Street Journal (the “WSJ”) reported on November 29, 2020, that, in order to maintain the ultra-cold temperatures required by Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, United Airlines has recently sought, and obtained, FAA approval to carry up to 15, 000 pounds (7.5 tons) of dry ice per flight. In a December 2, 2020 interview with CNN, Josh Earnest, Chief Communications Officer with United Airlines, noted that the FAA approval will allow United to ship as many as 1.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines on each flight of its commercial 777 airplanes.

Notwithstanding the FAA’s relaxation of dry ice weight limits to permit United Airlines to help bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control, it remains focused on risks associated with air shipments of dry ice. In its November 29, 2020 reporting, the WSJ noted that “regulators restrict the amount of dry ice that can be carried on passenger jets because they typically lack the equipment to monitor and mitigate any leaked carbon dioxide.”

Fortunately, by utilizing a top-quality oxygen-deficiency monitor, vaccine storage and transportation personnel, including flight crews, can safely track levels of oxygen and detect (and react to) potentially dangerous low oxygen levels, whether caused by dry ice sublimation or a nitrogen gas leak.

PureAire Monitoring Systems, Inc.

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ Oxygen Deficiency Monitor offers thorough air monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. A screen displays current oxygen levels, for at-a-glance reading by crew members, who derive peace of mind from the Monitor’s presence and reliable performance.

Built with zirconium oxide sensor cells, to ensure longevity, the Monitor can last, trouble-free for 10 years in normal working conditions.

Our Oxygen Deficiency Monitor does not rely on the partial pressure of oxygen to operate, meaning that the Monitor is not affected by the changing pressure inside an aircraft due to altitude changes. In the event that dry ice begins to sublimate (causing carbon dioxide levels to rise), or if there is a nitrogen leak, and oxygen decreases to unsafe levels, PureAire’s Monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting flight personnel to take corrective action.

For over 20 years, PureAire Monitoring Systems has been an industry leader in manufacturing long-lasting, accurate, and reliable Oxygen Deficiency Monitors. We have dedicated ourselves to ensuring the safety and satisfaction of our clients, many of which have very sophisticated operating requirements. We are proud to note that NASA’s SOFIA-Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy--a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7 meter (106 inch) reflecting telescope--carries onboard a PureAire Oxygen Deficiency Monitor.

Don't Throw Away Your Shot...the Cold Truth About Vaccine Handling and Storage

 

In modern times, vaccines have been widely used to keep people healthy by protecting them from serious illnesses and diseases. Worldwide, vaccines annually prevent millions of deaths, and their utilization is responsible, in many parts of the globe, for the nearly total eradication of numerous diseases, including polio, measles, and smallpox.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (the "CDC"), a vaccine for a specific disease stimulates an individual's immune system, causing it to produce antibodies to counteract the antigens associated with the disease in question, just as one's immune system would do if one were actually exposed to the disease. The concept is that, after getting vaccinated, the inoculated patient develops immunity to the disease without first having to contract it. Unlike medicines, which are used to treat or cure diseases, vaccines are intended to prevent them.

Handling and Storage of Vaccines

Developing a vaccine can take years before it is deemed safe for human use and, thereafter, manufactured and made available for widespread distribution and inoculation. Throughout the manufacturing and  distribution process, and up to the time of administration, a vaccine must be kept in strict climate-controlled environments, collectively referred to as the "cold chain." The CDC describes a cold chain as a temperature-controlled supply chain that includes all vaccine-related equipment and procedures. The vaccine cold chain begins with a cold storage unit at the vaccine manufacturing plant, extends to the transport and delivery of the vaccine (including proper storage at the provider facility), and ends with the administration of the vaccine to the patient. A breakdown in protocols anywhere along the cold chain could reduce the effectiveness of, or even destroy, a vaccine.

According to FedEx, while most vaccines have traditionally been transported in a cold temperature range of 2 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius, certain vaccine manufacturers and pharmaceutical firms require a much lower temperature range within the cold chain associated with specific vaccine products.

Dry ice, which is the common name for solid (i.e., frozen) carbon dioxide, is often used in cold chains to maintain the very cold temperatures required to keep certain vaccines viable. At a temperature of approximately -78.5 degrees Celsius (equating to  -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit), dry ice is significantly colder than frozen water (that is, conventional ice), making it ideal for transport and storage of those vaccines requiring an extremely cold temperature environment.

Safely Tracking Carbon Dioxide Levels When Working with Dry Ice

Safety precautions are critical when shippers use dry ice in the transportation and storage of vaccines. Unlike conventional ice, dry ice does not melt into a liquid. Instead,  dry ice "sublimates" (changes from a solid to a gas state), turning into carbon dioxide gas. In small, poorly ventilated spaces, such as storage rooms and closets, cargo vans, trucks, and airplanes, carbon dioxide can build up, creating a potentially serious health risk.

Carbon dioxide is an oxygen-depleting gas that is both odorless and colorless. As such, absent appropriate monitoring, workers involved with the transportation and/or storage of products frozen with dry ice likely would be unable to detect if dry ice were to begin to sublimate, with carbon dioxide gas levels possibly rising to unsafe levels. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, persons working in the affected area may become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate due to the lack of oxygen

Fortunately, by utilizing a top-quality oxygen monitor, also known as an oxygen deficiency monitor, vaccine transportation storage personnel can track oxygen levels and detect (and react to) dangerous carbon dioxide levels before employee health is jeopardized.

PureAire Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor

PureAire Monitoring Systems' Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor offers thorough air monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required.  A screen displays current oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, for at-a-glance reading by employees, who derive peace of mind from the Monitor's presence and reliable performance.

In the event that dry ice begins to sublimate, causing carbon dioxide levels to rise, and oxygen to decrease to unsafe levels, PureAire's Monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting personnel to evacuate the area.

Our Dual Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Monitor is well-suited for industries where dry ice is used, such as in the handling, transportation, and storage of life-saving vaccines. The Monitor includes both a non-depleting, zirconium oxide sensor cell, to monitor oxygen levels, and a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor cell, to monitor carbon dioxide levels. Known for their dependability, PureAire's O2/CO2 Monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.

What Are Hot Melt Adhesives? Why Are They Used and What Is the Importance Of Nitrogen Gas?

 Hot Melt Adhesives and Available Types Used in Industrial Manufacturing

Industrial hot melt adhesives are polymer-based thermoplastic resins that, when melted, are used to bond materials together. Hot melt adhesives are comprised of one or more base polymers combined with tackifiers (which provide stickiness to the adhesive), plasticizers (to provide greater flexibility), and antioxidants (for protection against degradation) to allow for stability, adhesion, and flexibility.

Industrial hot melt is available in a variety of forms, including granular or powder hot melt blocks, pellets, bags, cakes, drums, and pillows. These materials are solid at room temperature, and then heated, melted, and dispensed for a variety of industrial applications.  As the adhesive returns to room temperature, a strong bond is created, adhering the manufacturing components together.

Hot melt can be dispensed as a liquid or, by introducing an inert gas (such as nitrogen) to the hot melt, as a foam.

Industrial Hot Melt Applications

In either liquid or foam form, hot melt adhesive is used across a wide variety of industries including  aerospace; automotive; product assembly; furniture making, cabinetry, and upholstery; product packaging; book binding; and non-woven sanitary hygiene products.

Aerospace and automobile manufacturers utilize hot melt adhesives for potting electronics (a process used to protect sensitive components from impact or vibration), as well as sealing rivets, seams, and joints. Additionally, hot melt foam is used in airplanes and cars as insulation around doors and windows to reduce vibrations and noise, as well as in seat assembly.

The pages in books and magazines are kept securely bound together using HMAs. The packaging industry depends on a strong adhesive bond to keep the flaps of corrugated boxes and cartons securely closed.

Non-woven personal hygiene products are manufactured by utilizing hot melt adhesives throughout the manufacturing process, including adhering the elastic strands in the leg openings and waistbands, bonding the fabric layers together to secure and stabilize the wetness core, and affixing the fastening tapes to the waistband.

Charring

Charring is akey concern when working with hot melt adhesives, as char (degraded adhesives that have oxidized, hardened into a gel, and been blackened and burned) can negatively affect the adhesives, cause equipment failure, and lead to a shut-down in production.

Key causes of charring include overheating (typically as a result of either using a temperature that is too high for a particular hotmelt, excessive heating times, or incorrect melt tank size); oxidation (exposing the adhesives to too much oxygen), and contamination (from dirt, dust and other materials that fall into the hotmelt and burn).

Once formed, the char can break off into pieces that may clog filters and stop up spray and bead nozzles. The pieces of char can work their way onto the materials to be bonded, leaving marks, streaks, and uneven surfaces. Eventually, bits of char may get into hoses and pumps, breaking seals and scoring and damaging hoses and pump walls.

Why Nitrogen is Used for Hot Melt Adhesive

To reduce potential damage from charring, hotmelt operators may elect to blanket the adhesives with nitrogen (N2) in a process by which nitrogen, an oxygen depleting gas, is piped into the space between the hotmelt adhesive and the top of the hopper or melt tank. The nitrogen blanket protects the adhesive by creating a barrier against falling debris, and it also removes oxygen and moisture which may cause the hotmelt to oxidize and form char .

Oxygen Monitors Improves Quality Control and Helps Protect Employees

To preserve the integrity of the hot melt while blanketing with nitrogen, employees must maintain proper oxygen levels within hoppers or melt tanks, as too much oxygen can cause oxidation. Proper oxygen monitoring equipment should be placed inside melt tanks to measure and control oxygen levels.  A nitrogen leak could lead to failure of the nitrogen blanket, which could compromise the integrity of the adhesives.

Moreover, wherever nitrogen is used, the possibility of nitrogen leaks poses potential risks to humans. Since nitrogen displaces oxygen, a leak could deprive the air of oxygen, thereby creating a possible health hazard for personnel. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, persons working in the area can become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate due to the lack of oxygen. Since nitrogen lacks color and odor, there is no way, absent appropriate monitoring, for employees to detect a leak.

Best practice calls for oxygen deficiency monitors to be installed anywhere there is a risk of gas leaks. As such, oxygen monitors should be placed wherever nitrogen is stored, and in all areas where nitrogen is used.

PureAire O2 Deficiency Monitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ line of Oxygen Deficiency Monitors and Water Resistant Sample Draw Oxygen Monitors continuously track levels of oxygen and will alert hotmelt personnel to nitrogen leaks before employees’ health is put at risk.  In the event of a nitrogen gas leak, and a decrease in oxygen to an unsafe level, the monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting employees to evacuate the area.

PureAire’s Water Resistant Sample Draw Oxygen Monitor is a self-contained oxygen deficiency system that is suitable for remote sampling of oxygen levels in confined spaces, hotmelt tanks, and other locations where remote oxygen monitoring is required. The built-in pump samples oxygen levels from up to 100 feet away.

PureAire oxygen monitors measure oxygen 24/7, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. Built with zirconium oxide sensor cells to ensure longevity, PureAire’s O2 monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.Each PureAire O2 monitor has an easy to read screen, which displays current oxygen levels, for at-a-glance readings by hotmelt manufacturers, who derive peace of mind from the monitor’s presence and reliability.

Nitrogen Blanketing

Overview

Nitrogen (N2) blanketing is a process by which nitrogen is added to fill the headspace (the area between the fill line of a tank’s contents and the top of the storage vessel) to eliminate oxygen and moisture from storage tanks. Nitrogen is commonly used to blanket due to its extremely low reactivity with other substances, as well as its availability and relatively low cost. Other gases can also be used; however, some may be more reactive, and the costs higher,than nitrogen.

Why Blanket with Nitrogen?

Many industries, including oil, gas, and ethanol refineries, as well as chemical, pharmaceutical, and food processors, use nitrogen blanketing to prevent fires and explosions, and to preserve product quality.

Nitrogen blanketing can protect facilities from potentially catastrophic accidents when manufacturing combustibleand explosive chemicals, such as ethanol and other volatile materials, since removing oxygen eliminates the possibility of a fire and/or an explosion. Moreover, tank blanketing with nitrogen prevents oxygen, water, and other unwanted substances from coming into contact with the contents of the storage tanks, and/or causing undo wear of the tanks themselves, as oxygen and moisture inside storage tanks can cause evaporation and corrosion that may result in structural damage to the tanks.

Cooking oil processorstypically blanket with N2 to remove oxygen, which could otherwise oxidize the contents and negatively affect the tasteand,might decrease the shelf life of the oils.

Monitoring Mitigates Risks in Nitrogen Blanketing

Depending upon the needs of the facility and the type of tank, nitrogen is commonly supplied by one of the following methods: continuous purge (a constant flow of nitrogen), pressure control (N2 is added to maintain a set pressure within the tank), and concentration control.

The concentration control methodworks by using an oxygen detection monitor, in conjunction with a nitrogen generator, to continuously measure the level of oxygen inside the storage tank, and, if necessary,owing to elevated oxygen levels, add nitrogen to eliminate excess oxygen in the tank.
To ensure facility safety, protect personnel, and preserve the integrity of the tanks’ contents while blanketing with nitrogen, employees in facilities utilizing concentration control must maintain proper oxygen levels within storage tanks, as too much oxygen can cause an explosion.

Proper oxygen monitoring equipmentshould be placed inside storage tanks to measure and control oxygen levels.  Oxygen monitors should also be placed in any area where nitrogen is stored or used. Further, the O2 detection equipment should be capable of activating visual and audible alarms and, in the event of a nitrogen leak, stop the flow of nitrogen.

The same property–oxygen displacement –that makes nitrogen blanketing such a valuable process,can be deadly if nitrogen leaks from the supply lines or storage containers. Employees could suffocate from breathing oxygen-deficient air and, since N2 lacks color, and odor, there is no way, absent appropriate monitoring, to determine if there has been a leak.

PureAire Monitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ Explosion-Proof Oxygen Deficiency Monitor is perfect for facilities that use inert gases including, but not limited to, nitrogen, helium, and argon. The enclosure is specifically designed to prevent ignition of an explosion. The monitor is well suited for environments such as ethanol refineries, chemical manufactures, corn and grain processing facilities, powder coatingplants, and the oil and gas industry, where combustible materials, dust, and ignitable fibers are present.

The Explosion-Proof Oxygen Monitor’s built-in pump continuously samples oxygen levels from up to 100 feet away, making it ideal for use with storage tanks, confined spaces, and other hard to reach areas where oxygen monitoring is essential.

The monitor constantly measures changes in oxygen levels and can be programmed to control the flow of nitrogen as needed to ensure safe blanketing.  Additionally, should oxygen levels outside the storage tank drop to an OSHA action level,PureAire’s monitor will set off alarms, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting personnel to evacuate the area.

The monitor will remain accurate at temperatures as low as -40C. PureAire’s durable, non-depleting, zirconium oxide sensor will last up to 10+ years in a normal environment without needing to be replaced.PureAire oxygen monitors measure oxygen 24/7, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required.

In short, PureAire’s Explosion-Proof Oxygen Monitor enablesoil, gas, and ethanol refineries, food processors, and other industries blanketing with nitrogen, to preserve, in a cost-effective manner, the well-being of their employees, the integrity of their products and safety of their facilities.

Fast, Frozen, Convenience-Tunnel Freezers

Frozen foods first became commercially viable in the 1930s, thanks in large part to Clarence Birdseye. He is credited with inventing the double-belt freezer, the forerunner to modern quick-freeze technology, which includes the tunnel freezers used by most major food processors in North America.

Frozen foods offer many benefits to today’s busy consumers, including convenience; minimal processing, with few to no preservatives; a long spoilage-free product shelf life; and, especially when compared with canned foods, superior taste, since the ingredients are quick-frozen at their peak of freshness. Seasonal foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are, once they have been frozen, now available year-round. In the same way, people living in landlocked locations can enjoy fresh-frozen seafood, no matter the distance from the coast. And, through the near magic of quick-frozen partially baked bread products, we can consume bakery-quality goods at home, straight out of the ovens in our own kitchens.

Still, even as Mr. Birdseye’s invention made frozen foods available to mass consumers in the first place nearly a century ago, so, too, have more recent innovations in freezing technology, including new freezer types, such as tunnel freezers using cryogenic gases, greatly improved the quality and, therefore, the market acceptance, of frozen foods. These freezers very quickly “flash freeze” foods at extremely low temperatures, such that the foods maintain essentially all of their original freshness, flavor, and texture.

How Tunnel Freezers Work

Tunnel freezers work by rapidly freezing food using cryogenic gases, such as liquid nitrogen (LN₂) or carbon dioxide (CO₂). The fresh food items are placed on a conveyor belt, which carries them into the freezer, where an injection system (utilizing either liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide), together with fans circulating the gas-chilled air, ensure that all food surfaces are quickly and evenly frozen.

Food products frozen in cryogenic tunnel freezers, including all manner of proteins, fruits, vegetables, and parbaked bread and dough items, are ultimately shipped to grocery chains and warehouse superstores; operators of quick service, fast casual, and fine dining restaurants; and school and hospital cafeterias, among other places, and they are enjoyed daily by millions of hungry people.

Monitoring Can Protect Food Processing Employees

While the use of liquid nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide is essential in that part of the quick-frozen food processing industry using tunnel freezer technology, it is not without risk. LN₂ and CO₂ are both oxygen-depleting gases, and oxygen deprivation could put employees in real danger if there are gas leaks from freezer supply lines or exhaust systems, or from on-site gas storage containers. In the event of a leak, plant personnel could become disoriented, lose consciousness, or even suffocate from breathing oxygen-deficient air. Since liquid nitrogen and carbon dioxide are both colorless and odorless, workers would, in the absence of appropriate monitoring, have no way of knowing that there has in fact been a gas leak.

PureAire Water-Resistant Dual O2/CO2 Monitors 

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ water-resistant dual oxygen/carbon dioxide monitors offer thorough air monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. A screen displays current oxygen and carbon dioxide levels for at-a-glance reading by employees, who derive peace of mind from the monitor’s presence and reliable performance.

In the event of a nitrogen or carbon dioxide leak, and a decrease in oxygen to an unsafe level, the monitor will set off an alarm, complete with horns and flashing lights, alerting personnel to evacuate the area.

PureAire’s dual oxygen/carbon dioxide monitor is housed in an IP67 water resistant enclosure that will keep the electronics dry during wash-downs and will remain accurate at extremely low temperatures.That makes the monitor ideally suited for facilities using liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide, such as frozen food processing plants with tunnel freezers. Built with zirconium oxide sensor cells and non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR)cells to ensure longevity, PureAire’s dual O2/CO2 monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.

Cryotherapy - Baby It’s Cold Inside

Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy (also known as cold therapy) is broadly defined as the use of very cold temperatures for medical or general wellness purposes.  Modern cryotherapy (which comes from the Greek kyro, meaning “cold” and therapeia,  meaning “healing”) can be traced back thousands of years, and some form of it was practiced by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, among other civilizations, which used extreme cold therapy to treat injuries and reduce inflammation.

In 1978, a Japanese rheumatologist, Toshima Yamaguchi, developed what is known as Whole Body Cryotherapy (“WBC”), in which, cryotherapy is applied to the entire body; that is, the whole body, except the head, is exposed to extremely cold temperatures. Dr. Yamaguchi’s research found that rapid temperature decreases on the outer layers of individuals’ skin led to a rapid release of endorphins, which caused those individuals to become less sensitive to pain. To put his findings into practice, Dr. Yamaguchi and his associates built the world’s first cryochamber.

How Whole Body Cryotherapy Works

Whole body cryotherapy involves enclosing the entire body (excepting the head) in a cryochamber, with liquid nitrogen used to quickly chill the chamber to temperatures between -200 and -300 degrees Fahrenheit for a period not longer that 2-4 minutes. The extremely rapid cooling of the body causes blood flow to concentrate towards the body’s core, and away from the extremities, which, in concept, can reduce inflammation relating to soft tissue injuries.  At the same time, the body releases endorphins, which serve to decrease pain and increase feelings of euphoria.

Health Benefits Attributed to Whole Body Cryotherapy

Whole body cryotherapy is used to treat patients suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions, as well as, Olympic and other elite athletes experiencing muscle soreness, and to shorten recovery times from injuries and surgeries.

Cryotherapy is used to treat joint pain and inflammation due to arthritis and fibromyalgia, and for pain management, physical therapy, anti-aging, and weight loss treatments.

Oxygen Monitors Can Protect Cryochamber Workers and Users

In 2015, a cryotherapy facility employee in Las Vegas was found dead after she suffocated in a chamber.  The coroner’s office concluded that the death was caused by accidental asphyxiation, resulting from low oxygen levels, possibly resulting from a leak of the nitrogen gas used to rapidly chill the cryochamber. Nitrogen is an oxygen-depleting gas that is both odorless and colorless. Oxygen deprivation is called a silent killer because there are no indications that one is breathing oxygen deficient air until it is too late. As such, absent appropriate monitoring, workers would be unable to detect a nitrogen leak if one were to occur in a gas cylinder or line. Conversely, by utilizing a top-quality oxygen monitor, also known as an oxygen deficiency monitor, cryochamber personnel can track oxygen levels and detect leaks before a workers’ and users’ health is jeopardized.

PureAire Monitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ oxygen monitors continuously track levels of oxygen and will detect nitrogen leaks before the health of cryochamber operators or users is put at risk. Built with zirconium oxide sensor cells, to ensure longevity, PureAire’s O2 monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.  In the event of a nitrogen gas leak, and a decrease in oxygen to an unsafe level, the monitor will set off an alarm, replete with horns and flashing lights, alerting staff and users to evacuate the area.

Best practice calls for oxygen monitors to be installed anywhere there is a risk of gas leaks. The oxygen monitors should be placed wherever nitrogen is stored and, in all rooms where nitrogen is used.

PureAire oxygen monitors measure oxygen 24/7, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required.

Each PureAire O2 monitor has an easy to read screen, which displays current oxygen levels, for at-a-glance readings by cryochamber employees, who derive peace of mind from the monitor’s presence and reliability.

Freeze-Dried Food…Dogs Eat It Up

Overview

As dog owners, we treat our pets as we do our children, taking care that the food we give them is not only filling and nutritious but contains only high-quality ingredients sourced and processed in ways that meet our exacting standards.

For many owners, far in the past are the days of grabbing any old bag of kibble off the shelf and feeding it to Fido or Ginger. Dog owners today are making informed choices in their purchases of pet food, such as whether the ingredients are all-natural or organic, whether they contain allergens to be avoided, which proteins predominate in the mix, etc. Not only are owners increasingly educated about what goes into their dogs’ food, they are faced with many choices when it comes to exactly what form the food will take.

Types of Dog Food

Major pet food types available to contemporary dog owners, from a wide array of manufacturers, include dry food, semi-moist, canned, raw, and freeze-dried food.
Dry food, commonly known as kibble, is the most prevalent type of dog food on the market. Semi-moist food is served either on its own or added to kibble for a variety of tastes and textures. Canned food is a moist product with a long shelf life. Raw food appeals to owners who believe that an uncooked all-meat diet is closer to what dogs would have eaten in the wild, before they became domesticated. Raw foods may be produced and sold as either fresh, fresh frozen, or freeze-dried.

Freeze-Dried Dog Food

The freeze-dried dog food segment--including 100% freeze-dried meals, so-called “kibble+” (dry kibble mixed with freeze-dried components), and freeze-dried treats, such as beef liver and other types of training tidbits--currently commands only a niche share of the ~$30 Billion U.S. dog food industry, but it is rapidly growing in popularity among owners seeking, as in their own diets, to avoid highly processed foods.

Purchasing freeze-dried proteins, whether cooked or raw, as well as fruits and vegetables (which are typically freeze-dried in a raw state), allows owners to provide their pets with minimally processed, nutrient-rich, natural foods. Freeze-drying quality ingredients makes for an easily transportable, shelf-stable tasty food that does not require refrigeration.

Gas Usage in Freeze-Dried Food Processing and Packaging

Food safety is as important in the pet food industry as it is in the manufacturing and distribution of human-grade foodstuffs.  Proper temperatures must be maintained in order to prevent mold and bacteria growth resulting from, among other things, improper cooking and cooling temperatures, as well as insufficient or excessive moisture.

Quality control and safety concerns dictate that, because of their rapid cooling and freezing properties, liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid carbon dioxide (liquid CO2) be used in pet food production to uniformly cool proteins after cooking, and to freeze them as part of the freeze-drying process. Once properly chilled, the proteins and other ingredients that go into a freeze-dried dog food product are quickly frozen in blast freezers using LN2 or liquid CO2.  After freezing, they are placed into vacuum drying chambers for some 12 hours, until the drying process is complete (i.e., essentially all moisture has been removed), following which the food is ready for packaging.

To prolong dog food shelf life (by inhibiting the growth of mold and bacteria which thrive in oxygenated environments), nitrogen is injected to displace oxygen from the product packaging.The addition of nitrogen during the packaging phase also provides a cushion to protect the contents from settling and breakage that can occur during shipping and handling.

Oxygen Monitors Can Improve Safety in Pet Food Manufacturing and Packaging

While their use is essential in the production of freeze-dried dog food, nitrogen and carbon dioxide can pose health risks (including death by asphyxiation) to employees working in the industry. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are both odorless and colorless, and they displace oxygen. Absent appropriate monitoring, workers would be unable to detect a leak if one were to occur in a gas cylinder or line. Conversely, by utilizing a top-quality oxygen monitor, safety and production personnel can track oxygen levels and detect leaks before workers’ health is jeopardized.

PureAire Monitors

With PureAire Monitoring Systems’ dual oxygen/carbon dioxide monitor, pet food producers can track levels of oxygen and detect nitrogen or carbon dioxide leaks before workers’ health is at risk. PureAire’s O2/CO2 monitor measures oxygen and carbon dioxide 24/7, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required. PureAire’s monitors can handle temperatures as low as -40C, making them ideally suited for environments, such as pet food processing plants, that use liquid nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

Built with zirconium oxide sensor cells and non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR) cells, to ensure longevity, PureAire’s O2/CO2 monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operation conditions.

New requirements for safe use and storage of liquid nitrogen and dry ice

The College of American Pathologists ("CAP")recently imposed new requirementsto address risks related to the use and storage of liquid nitrogen ("LN2") and dry ice.

Background

The new requirements come after a deadly incident in 2017, when liquid nitrogen leaked at a Georgia lab that was not accredited through CAP.  Emergency responders were called to the scene when an employee suffered burns and, moreover,lost consciousness from oxygen deprivation caused by the leak. While the employeeeventuallyrecovered from her injuries, one of the first responders died of asphyxiation as a result ofthe nitrogen leak.

That unfortunate incident illustrates the dangers of nitrogen leaks,which are inherent in the storage and use of LN2. Indeed, there are several cases reported nearly every year of laboratory personnel who die of asphyxiation caused by exposure to nitrogen gas.
Asphyxiation riskis present in dry ice usage as well since, if it is stored in areas without proper ventilation, dry ice can replaceoxygen with carbon dioxide, potentially causing workers to rapidly lose consciousness.

CAP’s New Regulations

Despite their safety risks, both dry ice and LN2 have many beneficial uses in commercial and lab settings, including hospital and research facilities. As such, CAP’s new focus on utilizing best practices to increase employee safety and reduce the danger of nitrogen leaks is vitally important.
Before the regulations were changed, lab directors had greater personal discretion in selectingthe types and deployment of safety equipment utilized in their facilities. Now, laboratories are required to place oxygen("O2") monitors at human height breathing levels anywhere liquid nitrogen is used or stored, and they must place signage warning of safety risk regarding, and train all affected employees on safe handling of, LN2 and dry ice.

Pathologists understand that oxygen/carbon dioxide monitors must be placed appropriately anywheredry ice or LN2 are used or stored.  Even a couple tanks of liquid nitrogen kept in a supply closet pose a safety risk, because even a small leak can quickly displace a large amount of oxygen.

Oxygen Monitors Protect Laboratory Workers

While many people realize that the use and storage of liquid nitrogen and dry ice can present health risks, they may fail to grasp the speed at which circumstances can become dangerous.  It takes only a few breaths of oxygen-deficient air for one to lose consciousness.

AS CAP recognized, oxygen and carbon dioxide monitors offer an effective solution to the health and safety risks posed by nitrogen leaks and inadequatedry ice storage. O2/CO2 monitors continually monitor the air, and they will remain silent so long as oxygen and carbon dioxideremain within normal levels.However,in the event that oxygen is depleted to an unsafe level (19.5%, as established by OSHA), or carbon dioxide levels rise to an unsafe level, alarms embedded in the monitors will sound, alerting employees to evacuate the area and summon assistance from qualified responders.

PureAireMonitors

PureAire Monitoring Systems’ line of oxygen and dual oxygen/carbon dioxide monitors offerthorough air  monitoring, with no time-consuming maintenance or calibration required., The monitors function well in confined spaces, such as closets, basements, and other cramped quarters.  PureAire’s monitors can handle temperatures as low as -40 C, making them ideally suited for environments, such as laboratories, that utilize liquid nitrogen or dry ice. A screen displays current oxygen levels for at-a-glance reading by employees, who derive peace of mind from the monitor’s presence and reliable performance.
Built with zirconium oxide sensor cells and non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR)cells, to ensure longevity, Pure Aire O2 monitors can last, trouble-free, for over 10 years under normal operating conditions.  That makes PureAire a cost-effective choice forprotecting employees and complying with the new safety regulations affecting labs and hospitals.
Learn more about oxygen monitors and best practices for their use at www.pureairemonitoring.com.

IVF Cryopreservation and Safe Handling Practices

Couples that want to have a baby but have not been able to conceive naturally are drawn to invitro fertilization (IVF) treatments.

In an IVF treatment, several eggs are fertilized at once, which creates multiple embryos. While more than one embryo may be implanted, to spur the odds of pregnancy, there are inevitably some unused embryos.

The remaining embryos may be preserved cryogenically, for use later, rather than destroyed. There are many reasons couples may select cryopreservation of embryos, including:

• A second chance if the IVF treatment fails the first time around
• The desire to have another child
• As a precaution before undergoing medically necessary procedures that might the reduce the odds of a successful pregnancy, such as cancer treatment
• Opportunity to use embryos in medical research
• Opportunity to donate embryos to another couple

The National Embryo Donation Center estimates that there are over 700,000 human embryos currently stored in the United States.

The cryogenic process relies on cryoprotective agents (or CPAs), which protect the embryo from damage while it freezes. Damage may occur as ice crystals form during the freezing process. Without the use of CPAs, the ice crystals could pierce the embryo wall, causing embryo failure.

Cryopreservation facilities may use either a slow or fast method to freeze the embryos. In the slow method, embryos are frozen in stages, with protective agents added in slow doses over time. The frozen embryos are then preserved in liquid nitrogen until they are slowly thawed for use.

The fast-freezing method combines higher concentrations of CPAs to the embryo, after which the embryo is quickly plunged into liquid nitrogen. The process is so quick that ice is unable to form, thus protecting the embryo from damage.

Wherever liquid nitrogen is used, there are risks associated with nitrogen leaks. Nitrogen displaces oxygen, and a leak would rob the air of oxygen, thereby creating a health hazard for medical staff. When there is not enough oxygen in the air, persons working in the area can suffocate due to the lack of oxygen. Since nitrogen lacks color and odor, there is no way to detect a leak using the senses. In addition, a nitrogen leak could lead to failure of the cryopreservation tanks storing the embryos. In order to ensure the safety of employees, and the viability of the embryos, cryopreservation facilities need to rely on oxygen monitors.

How Oxygen Monitors Protect Employee Health in IVF Facilities

Oxygen monitors continually sample the air, taking periodic readings of current oxygen levels. In the event of a nitrogen leak, and a drop in oxygen to an OSHA action level, the built-in horn will sound, and lights will begin to flash, thereby providing notification to the employees that they must exit the area.

Best practice calls for oxygen monitors to be placed wherever nitrogen is used or stored. Not all oxygen monitors currently on the market are suitable for use in confined spaces or in freezers.

PureAire Monitoring Systems oxygen monitors are uniquely suited for use in an IVF facility, because the monitors can withstand temperatures as low as -40C.

PureAire Monitoring Systems monitors feature long-lasting zirconium sensors, which are designed to provide accurate readings, without calibration, for up to 10 years. Busy IVF facilities will appreciate the ease of use, and low maintenance of PureAire Monitoring Systems products.

To learn more or to view product specs, please visit www.pureairemonitoring.com

New Solar Cell Technology to Help lower prices for the consumer

Inkjet Perovskite solar cells may help shape the future of energy production by lowering costs, and transparency.

Solar panels used to be costly and time-consuming to produce—and quite expensive on the consumer side. New technologies have driven costs as well as production time down, to the benefit of consumers. See what's new with solar panels and where the solar cell technology is going. 

New Solar Panel Developments

In traditional solar panels, silicon acts as a semiconductor. By doping the silica material with gallium and arsenic impurities, the silicon-based solar panel is able to capture solar energy and convert the sun's energy to electricity. While there are other materials that can act as semiconductors for solar energy, silicon is ideal because is forms an oxide at high temperatures. The oxide makes it easy to product consistent, high quality solar panels. The latest generation of solar cells use perovskite rather than silicon.

In 2009, researchers first discovered that perovskite could also be used to make photovoltaic solar cells. Despite the potential of this discovery, perovskites weren't considered a good choice for solar panels, because the materials needed to be heated to such high temperatures that very few materials could be coated with the perovskite solution. Glass could withstand the high heat, but a glass solar panel would be an impractical product for obvious reasons.

A young scientist recently discovered a new way to work with perovskites. Using an evaporation method, Polish scientist Olga Malinkiewicz, was able to coat flexible foil with perovskites. To speed the substrate drying process, nitrogen was used. By blowing dry nitrogen gas over the wet perovskite film, the resulting evaporation happened faster and more consistently. Without utilizing nitrogen in the process, the panels could have an inconsistent coverage, which would lead to poor energy conversion rates. 

The resulting solar panels were thin and flexible, both in their material application and their use cases. Imagine a portable solar panel that could attach to a laptop, drone, or car, something that could capture the sun's energy indoors or outdoors and travel with you, to power whatever you needed. 

Since her initial discovery, Malinkiewicz has refined the approach. The latest generation of perovskite solar cells are created with an inkjet printing procedure which makes them faster and cheaper to produce. With mass production feasible from an economic perspective, the perovskite solar cells can be a popular option to add electricity to areas that do not have an underlying power grid, whether that's rural communities or developing countries.

The technology is still being refined, so you won't see widespread perovskite solar cells just yet. However, researchers are cheering the innovation and its potential to revolutionize energy distribution.

One thing to consider moving forward with perovskite solar panels is the use of nitrogen in the process. Anywhere nitrogen is used, there's a safety risk should the gas leak from supply lines. 

How an Oxygen Monitor Can Help Detect Nitrogen Gas Leaks

Nitrogen leaks create health risks because nitrogen displaces oxygen, which humans need to breathe. Undetected, a nitrogen leak could create oxygen-deficient air, leading to respiratory distress and eventually death via asphyxiation. Nitrogen gases is both colorless and odorless, which means it would be impossible to detect a leak relying on the senses.

The easiest way to detect a leak is to measure ambient oxygen using an oxygen monitor. Oxygen monitors continually track levels of oxygen, sounding an alarm if levels fall to the OSHA threshold where safety is at risk. With flashing lights and a loud alarm, workers will be able to exit the room before the onset of health problems. 

PureAire creates industry-leading oxygen monitors that last for 10 or more years, with no calibration or maintenance needed. Learn more or view product specs at www.pureairemonitoring.com.

Pepsi Is Launching the First Ever “Nitro Soda”

Nitrogen-infused or nitro beverages have been among the biggest trends in the beverage industry. There's been no shortage of nitro cold brew coffees and nitro beers, but never a nitro soda—until now, with the launch of Nitro Pepsi. The new beverage was sampled at the 2019 Super Bowl and while you won't find it on tap just yet, here's what you can look forward to.

Introducing Nitro Pepsi 

Nitro Pepsi aims to revolutionize the most signature aspect of soda, which is the carbonation.

CO2 gas is responsible for creating the tangy bubbles that give soda its texture and mouthfeel. Nitrogen creates bubbles that are smaller and softer, for a creamier mouthfeel in the drink. The creamy experience naturally complements sweet, malty beer styles like stouts and porters, as well as cold brew coffees.

Translated into Pepsi, the nitrogen bubbles create a beverage that's reminiscent of an ice cream float (with that creamy sweetness). The drink will be available in two flavors, original Pepsi and vanilla. Pepsi recommends drinking the Nitro Pepsi cold, but not over ice.

With its new nitro soda, Pepsi hopes to transform the soda drinking experience, much the way that craft beer and coffee have been transformed by nitro drinks, and introduce their brand to a new audience of consumers.

While there's a lot of excitement around the new beverage, there are also some risks to consider, due to the use of nitrogen gas. Nitrogen is naturally dense and will displace oxygen in the environment. If the bottling plant experiences a nitrogen leak, this means that oxygen within the bottling plant will be pushed out of the air, creating a public health hazard.

Nitrogen gas is colorless and odorless, so employees would not be able to spot the leak. When oxygen levels first begin falling, employees will not notice any symptoms. By the time oxygen levels dip to the point where health is at risk, employees may begin to experience cognitive confusion or suffer respiratory distress. With oxygen deprivation, there's a risk of losing consciousness or suffering death via asphyxiation.

Preventing Nitrogen Leaks With a Dual O₂/CO₂ Monitor

While the nitrogen leak cannot be detected, what can be tracked is the level of oxygen in the room. By paying attention to oxygen levels and alerting employees when levels fall below the safe threshold, as defined by OSHA, a dual O2/CO2 monitor protects public health. Not only are these alarms required by OSHA where inert gases like nitrogen are used, they are the easiest way to protect employees from workplace hazards and deliver peace of mind in the plant bottling area.

The O2 monitor works by sampling the air to check oxygen levels. As long as oxygen levels are within the safe zone, the monitor is silent. With PureAire products, the monitor always displays readouts on a screen, so employees can check oxygen levels at a glance.

If a nitrogen leak develops and oxygen starts to fall, the monitor will flash lights and sound an alarm so that employees have ample warning to evacuate the area. Plant workers can then alert emergency services, who can respond to the leak.

There are many O2 monitors on the market, but PureAire's are unique for their construction. PureAire O2 monitors and dual O2/CO2 monitors feature zirconium sensors, which offer 10 or more years of reliable performance with no calibration. PureAire monitors do not need calibration or maintenance. All that's needed is to unbox the monitor, mount it on the wall, and plug it in to enjoy continuous oxygen monitoring and superior leak detection.

PureAire's O2 monitors are industry leading for their quality, construction, and performance. To learn more about PureAire’s dual O2/CO2 monitor or oxygen monitor, visit www.pureairemonitoring.com.

What is a Room Oxygen Deficiency Monitor?

Many industries use compressed gas to create products. While compressed gases such as nitrogen are low-cost, easy to use, and flexible in a range of industries, these gases have a hidden downside: They displace oxygen from the air, which puts your workers at risk of suffocation if there's a leak. A room oxygen monitor checks levels of oxygen and provides in-time alerts if there's a gas leak. Learn what a room oxygen monitor does, how it works, and who needs one.

What Does an Oxygen Monitor Do? 

Inert gases, such as nitrogen, displace oxygen. Since these gases cannot be seen or smelled, facilities need a tool that's capable of detecting gas leaks. An oxygen monitor tracks levels of oxygen in a room and provides efficient notification if oxygen levels fall as the result of a gas leak.

Oxygen monitors may be called O2 monitors or oxygen deficiency monitors. While these names are all synonymous, there are a few other terms you might hear that do not refer to this kind of oxygen monitor.

In the medical and pharmaceutical industries, you may come across blood oxygen monitor, pulse oximetry, or oximeter products. These are totally different products than the oxygen deficiency monitor, and they will not protect against gas leaks. You'll find medical oximeters sold at pharmacies and online retailers, while oxygen deficiency monitors are sold online, through distributors, or directly from manufacturers like PureAire.

Which Industries Use an Oxygen Monitor? 

Oxygen monitors are used by businesses in the following industries:

Food and beverage 
OLED
Semiconductor
Automotive

Pharmaceutical

Medical gas
MRI
Cryotherapy and cryohealth

Cryopreservation

Egg freezing

Research and development

Businesses in these industries commonly use gases such as nitrogen in everyday operations. An oxygen deficiency monitor not only provides in-time notification of gas leaks but may be required by regulations. Failing to install an oxygen deficiency monitor could leave you out of compliance, which could lead to fines.

How Does an Oxygen Monitor Work? 

An oxygen monitor works by using a sensor to check levels of oxygen. A digital display interface shows readouts in PPM, PPB, or percentage, so your workers can tell at a glance that everything is functioning properly.

When levels of oxygen are at naturally occurring levels, the oxygen monitor stays silent. Employees can still check the readout for peace of mind. When something is wrong, an loud alarm goes off to provide your workers with instant notification of a safety threat. 

PureAire's line of oxygen monitors feature a unique zirconium sensor, which is designed to function for 10 years or more with no maintenance. Unlike other types of O2 monitors on the market, our oxygen monitor does not need regular maintenance or calibration. Your facility will save time and money when you choose PureAire products. 

PureAire's O2 monitor perform in a range of environments, including confined spaces, basements, and freezers. Capable of accurate readouts in temperatures as low as -40 C, our oxygen monitors never drift from barometric pressure shifts or thunderstorms. 

Do you have questions about oxygen deficiency monitors? We're here to answer your questions. Chat with us online or call today: 888.788.8050.