Importance of Oxygen absorber

Oxy-Guard™ oxygen scavenging packets, also known as oxygen absorbers are a method of active packaging.  Clariant’s oxygen absorbers are focusing on maintaining freshness in packaged foods. The shelf life foods such as pet treats, processed and dried meats, meals ready to eat (MRE’s), packaged coffee and teas...etc can use the advantages of oxygen absorbers.

Oxygen absorber

Oxygen absorbers are really grateful products in food industries. The shelf life of packaged foods is also prolonged by avoiding food degradation due to oxygen that can lead to the growth of microorganisms.  Foods with unsaturated fats and oils also benefit due to their high susceptibility to oxidation.

Oxygen absorbers are available in different sizes as either individual packets or for automatic insertion. Oxy-Guard™ oxygen scavengers are also available as a continuous strip. Also available, Oxy-Guard™ Case Ready Meat oxygen absorbers ensure fast removal of oxygen in moist refrigerated conditions.

Clariant is a top Turkish brand. they are the manufacturers of moisture absorbers. The product is available all over the world through different suppliers. They have more than 2000 products. Their products are using all over the world in different types of industries.

Application-based different products are available from Clariant. Clariant manufactures a full line of moisture adsorbent bags which consist of strong, yet porous, nonwoven materials such as Dupont Tyvek®, filled with a variety of desiccant types:
Desi Pak® - bentonite clay, Sorb-It® - silica gel, Tri-Sorb® - molecular sieve

All these lines of products are used to defend a range of products as they travel through the supply chain, our baggage fits the rigorous business and government standards together with authority, DIN, Mil-Spec, and JEDEC.

Clariant products are usually used for semiconductor dry packing, preservation packaging and export packaging, with typical applications together with electronic devices, food packaging, equipment, automotive elements, machinery, military product, metal elements, and many other valuables.

 

Oxygen Absorbers

In the modern days, Many food and non-food items are importing and exporting to long distances, So we have to make sure the item is fresh and unspoiled till they reach their final destination because it is very important. This is where the role of oxygen absorbers or oxygen scavengers, becomes important. Nowadays the use of oxygen absorbers is increasing day by day. So what are oxygen absorbers and why are they so much in demand?

Oxygen Absorbers are small packets containing iron powder which helps to absorb oxygen. The material of the oxygen absorber packets allows oxygen and moisture to enter but it restricts iron powder to leak out. Therefore the oxygen absorber is safe to place on top of food.

Spoiled Nuts

Moisture absorbers are available in different forms. We can choose it depends on our application. It includes ferrous oxygen absorbers as well as non-ferrous oxygen absorbers. Ferrous carbonate and metal halide catalyst are the main content of ferrous oxygen absorbers. Acerbate, sodium hydrogen carbonate are containing in non-ferrous oxygen absorbers. It is another version of silica gel.

Look at the image, it is a spoiled walnut. Because of the moisture or wet, the walnut becomes spoiled. Some times we will be lost the crunchiness of the nuts. sometimes it will shrink to the center of the shells. All these are happening because of moisture or atmosphere wet drops. In this situation, moisture absorbers can help us to prevent these issues.

Now Look at this image. This shows a fresh walnut. Place a moisture absorber packet besides the walnut. It can help to absorb the wet and moisture. Place the nuts with an oxygen absorber inside a glass jar or airtight jar. Check it after a few days, and compare it with the nuts placed in a jar without oxygen absorbers. So you can see the difference!!!

Silica gel and Oxygen absorber

Silica gel and oxygen absorbers are entirely different products, but their main purpose is similar. Both of these products are used to absorb moisture from the surroundings. They are porous in structure. Therefore they can absorb moisture content more than their weight. These two products are eligible to reuse after some processes.

Silica gel and oxygen absorbers may stop absorbing moisture once they reached to their maximum limit. But luckily we have an option to reuse silica gel by reheating it. For home purposes we can simply reheat it by using an oven and can be use it again.

But for commercial purposes it is not possible. So for this we can reheat silica gel by using some other industrial methods. Otherwise just replace it with new as it is very cheaper by cost. Many options available in the market for silica gel.

Oxygen absorbers are used to absorb moisture especially from food products. They are tested and certified to keep along with food items. To accommodate any custom size, they have been transformed from dried iron-powder sachets to simple self-adhesive patches. It helps to customize the sachets as per the capacity and application.

Oxygen concentration can be effectively lowered to 100 ppm by using oxygen absorbers. So they are really effective. Actually oxygen absorbers are not new in the market. They are already using with wide range of food products such as bread, meat, fish, fruit, and cheese, ...etc. They are completely safe as well as non toxic to use with food products, even it is not an edible item.

The main reason that we are using oxygen absorbers is they will not release any harmful gases to outside. We know that it is a chemical. But however they will not act with any other substances. They can help us for the preservation of food and pharmaceutical products to reduce food wastage in developed nations and increased food security in the developing & third world.