In-house nitrogen generator cuts food firms' costs
nitrogen, used in the food and drink industry to extend shelf life.
Dominick Hunter claims its nitrogen generator, Maxigas, is a safer and cost effective alternative to high-pressure cylinders and dewars.
Maxigas generates nitrogen from compressed air. "There are no on-going costs such as refills, delivery costs or order processing and manufacturers benefit from reduced down-time associated with changing cylinders because nitrogen is available on-demand," the company stated in releasing the machine.
Nitrogen is used in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), blanketing and sparging operations in the food and beverage industry.
MAP is a process in which nitrogen, a tasteless and odourless gas, is flushed into packaged foods to replace oxygen before sealing.
The process, which typically reduces oxygen levels to below one per cent to prevent oxidation and aerobic spoilage, also helps maintain flavour and crispness.
Blanketing is a method of controlling the atmosphere surrounding ingredients during processing to prevent oxidation.
Sparging is a process in which tiny bubbles of nitrogen are introduced to liquids to reduce oxygen content and increase shelf-life.
The Maxigas will be available on the market this October.
A voluntary code of practice was recently introduced by the British Retail Consortium in conjunction with the British Compressed Air Society to help food and drink manufacturers comply with new Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations.
Part of the code deals with compressed air purification systems. Manufacturers must also comply with the European Industrial Gas Association (EIGA) specification for food grade nitrogen.
