Understanding the Importance of Oxygen Absorbers in the Food Industry
Oxygen present in sealed food containers can have many harmful effects on the contents. Oxygen can cause the growth of pathogens, fungi, and bacteria which can have a harmful effects on the food. The presence of oxygen can also shorten the shelf life of some foods. Therefore, it becomes critical to eliminate oxygen from the containers especially during transportation. This is where oxygen absorbers come in. Oxygen absorbers help you to remove or decrease the level of oxygen in the package. They are used to help maintain safety of food products and extend their shelf life. The oxygen absorbers are enclosed in a porous sachet or packet but it can also be part of packaging films and structures. In the earlier days, an alkaline solution of pyrogellic acid was used as an oxygen absorber. Modern absorbers sachets use a mixture of iron powder and sodium chloride. Activated carbon is also used as it can adsorb both oxygen and other gases. Activated carbon further preserves products