Reduced oxygen packaging question

Does anyone out there know how to go about measuring nitrogen headspace in packaged foods? We're about to start a new packaging line and the customer wants to displace headspace air with nitrogen (the product is crackers; bag in a box).

I'm looking for a cheap easy method to do random destructive testing to determine whether the air is actually being effectively displaced.

Any ideas?

Hi esquef ,

 

I were using oxygen analyzer , as far I remember it should not exceed 0.2  , I were using it for milk powders and cereals , the machine were quite old 18 years ago , technology no is more advanced you can consult your laboratory equipment or search for it there is a lot of such equipment .Sorry I do not remember the brand , also I do not know specific brand , you can determine oxygen or nitrogen to assure replacement

 

It is using a Prob you puncture the package then the measurement starts in 30 min.

 

this is an example

http://www.quantekin...8GIqxoCQHnw_wcB

 

 

Just another thing you need also to make sure of the sealing using vacuum desiccator , I recommend to verify the efficiency of  sealing using vacuum test before determining the nitrogen  

 

Best regards,

Ehab

Thanks for the info! Were you displacing air with nitrogen in your packaging to get your oxygen levels down to 0.2%?

Our QA peeps use an old Mocon Model 600 which has been replaced by this unit.

 

Marshall

Hi esquef ,

 

yes the measured level were 0.2%  , although the limit were 1.5 % , I do not member well the filling machine mechanism as I were in the a chemist in the lab , however I remember that it were filling under nitrogen .

The simple way is using Oxygen tester, I have had use it for milk powder packing with a rate of 2.5% max, and we were producing the Nitrogen from the air with purity 99.9% with a German technology to save the cost of buying it from companies and to be more shore about what we have in our product.

Hope you all success :)