Tuesday, May 19, 2015

The Use Of Nitrogen Membrane Generators In The Food Industry

By Tammie Caldwell


The food industry has always been concerned with the freshness of food since this is how they are able to make a profit. The longer the freshness last, the more places it can be shipped to and the more people these products can reach. This is why many companies employ nitrogen membrane generators to help them fulfill their goals.

In order for a particular food item to remain fresh in a package, the color, aroma, and flavor has to be preserved. Most people expect their food to look as if it has been prepared the same day. They expect it to taste, smell, and look appetizing. If it does not meet these requirements, they will not buy the product.

To make sure that the customer is satisfied, the companies make use of various processes in order to create the best environment for the quality of the food to be maintained. To do this, there has to be a way to prevent oxygen from interacting with the natural chemicals found in food. This interaction is known as oxidation, which can be seen when cut fruits like apples turn brown.

Since oxygen creates this situation, which is not good for the food industry, nitrogen is used to preserve edible items in packages. This inert gas does not change the color or flavor of the food and the aroma remains the same for a significantly longer period of time. Bacterial growth is also minimized to a great degree.

In addition to minimizing bacterial growth, it also helps in preventing rancidity caused by the natural oils found in food. These oils can be found in products like potato chips and other foods that have naturally occurring oils in them. A process known as blanketing coats the food with a layer of the inert gas which helps the product to have a longer shelf life.

An inert gas like nitrogen, cannot be used just as they are. They have to be food grade and must have a certain level of purity depending on the type of food that is being packaged. The purity level of the gas can begin at 95% and go up to a level of 99.9%. Most companies use an oxygen meter to help them decide on the level of purity they need.

There are different types of systems that are used to create the purity that is needed. If membrane technology is used, the purity level is less than it would be using a different system. Some companies are satisfied with 98% percent which is what they will get if they use this type of technology. On the other hand, other companies might need a higher number.

The creation of packaged foods means that technology has to be used to create a product that will last. There are different types of processes that can be used to accomplish the goal of providing freshness. However, it is the companies that have to decide which one they will use to suit their needs.




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