nitrogen in packaged convience foods

[hoola]

I have heard that one reason hydrogenated oils are added to certain foods is that is extends shelf life if effect by reducing oxygenation of the ingredients. Could not the need for such treatment of the oil be reduced or eliminated by packaging the item in nitrogen or some other appropriate gas? It would seem easily done to purge the air and add the inert gas as a final step in the manufacturing process.

Edited March 25, 2017 by hoola

[Moontanman]

I have heard that one reason hydrogenated oils are added to certain foods is that is extends shelf life if effect by reducing oxygenation of the ingredients. Could not the need for such treatment of the oil be reduced or eliminated by packaging the item in nitrogen or some other appropriate gas? It would seem easily done to purge the air and add the inert gas as a final step in the manufacturing process.

 

 

It's almost impossible to keep gases contained in reasonably cost effective packaging. Oxygen and other gases can and doe migrate across barriers quite easily. Once I can across many cans of coke while cleaning out lockers where i worked, all of them were completely flat, the CO2 had escaped from sealed cans. It didn't take more than a couple years at most, think of how quick gases could escape from plastic wrap...

[hoola]

thanks for the reply....I hadn't considered that issue. If some nitrogen leaks out over time, what if little oxygen migrates inward (ambient air is 70% nitrogen), perhaps some benefit would result. I suppose a test of inward/outward gas permeability rates of a wrapper would have to be done. Most convenience foods come in cartons. The products could be in a similarly gas charged overall carton (shrink wrap), giving more time before gas transfers can occur as the nitrogen would have to transpire 2 layers. In practical application, a store keeps the product in the carton until ready to display individual wrapped items, leaving little time for gas transfer in a wrapper exposed directly to ambient air. In the case of the depleted CO2 coke bottles, did any oxygen get in is the salient point, futhermore the food packages will be under atmospheric pressure, not pressurized.

Edited March 25, 2017 by hoola

[Strange]

Could not the need for such treatment of the oil be reduced or eliminated by packaging the item in nitrogen or some other appropriate gas?

 

 

I think this is already done:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packaging_gas

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/4765673/Packaging-with-argon-helps-keep-food-fresh.html

[Moontanman]

thanks for the reply....I hadn't considered that issue. If some nitrogen leaks out over time, what if little oxygen migrates inward (ambient air is 70% nitrogen), perhaps some benefit would result. I suppose a test of inward/outward gas permeability rates of a wrapper would have to be done. Most convenience foods come in cartons. The products could be in a similarly gas charged overall carton (shrink wrap), giving more time before gas transfers can occur as the nitrogen would have to transpire 2 layers. In practical application, a store keeps the product in the carton until ready to display individual wrapped items, leaving little time for gas transfer in a wrapper exposed directly to ambient air. In the case of the depleted CO2 coke bottles, did any oxygen get in is the salient point, futhermore the food packages will be under atmospheric pressure, not pressurized.

 

 

If CO2 can escape I would have to assume that oxygen can pass in the other direction. The drinks tasted very bad, not sure exactly why but drinking them was out of the question. Plastic wrap would have to be almost immediately permeable when compared to an aluminum can. Plastic wrap cannot hold pressure more than a few hours, I doubt it would prevent oxygen traveling across the barrier much longer. Gases can pass quite readily through things like plastic wrap..

[hoola]

thank you strange....!....

[John Cuthber]

 

 

...Plastic wrap cannot hold pressure more than a few hours, I doubt it would prevent oxygen traveling across the barrier much longer. Gases can pass quite readily through things like plastic wrap..

Reality disagrees with you.

http://www.packaging-gateway.com/contractors/materials/solvay/

[Moontanman]

Reality disagrees with you.

http://www.packaging-gateway.com/contractors/materials/solvay/

 

Lots of hype little to no data..