Written by Oxygen absorbers are small packets of chemicals that aid in the reduction of oxygen content within sealedvironments such as food packaging. They have the primary function of inhibiting spoilage and degradation of products and therefore keep food fresh for a longer time. In this particular article, the reader will get to know the concept of these smart little packets all about the need for preservation.
How Oxygen Absorbers Work
Oxygen absorbers function via the concept of oxidation which means that oxygen interacts chemically with specific substances. The packets are made up of finely powdered iron powder and in addition to that there are also salt and water. Iron powders act as the reductant, whereby water and salt are used to promote the oxidation process.
When the packet is opened and is brought to the surface, the iron powder reacts with oxygen at a very fast rate. This results in the formation of iron oxide, or rust, that is, it forms a chemical bond with oxygen atoms to become bonded with iron. Another feature that favors iron’s ability to combine with oxygen is that when it rusts, the iron forms layers which peel off to allow more iron to combine with oxygen.
The iron powder inside the packets used is a specialized kind of iron powder that has a very high surface area, thus more exposed to the oxygen. Imagine how much oxygen can fit into a single gram of iron powder – that’s more than 200 meters squared of surface area! To be specific, when more and more oxygen is used up for the oxidation reaction, there is less oxygen concentration inside the packet as compared to the outside. This gradient is maintained in order to pump oxygen into the packet using basic principles of diffusion.
In minutes, the absorber is able to adopt almost all the oxygen within a sealed pack. It will continue to take more oxygen as air starts to infiltrate the packaging over time. There is no way that the iron will have reacted with so much oxygen at some point that the chemical reaction does not progress any further.
Why it is Critical for Oxygen to be Absorbed
Even the removal of oxygen has some highly significant uses in the realm of processed foods and drugs. The fats can react with oxygen in ways which are detrimental to the nutrients, vitamins, flavors and other components, resulting in spoilage due to chemical breakdown or due to microbial action such as mold growth.
As for dry foods, oxygen allows oxidative reactivity where fats make an unpleasant smell, specifically by rancidity. It also forms chemical bonds with vitamins and other vital nutrients including vitamin C and these deteriorate with time. Other such ingredients which can be oxidized include metal portions like in iron and these may influence the nutritional balance as well as change the taste.
In moist products such as meats as well as bake goods, oxygen leads to mold formation, bacterial spoilage, and yeast production. It also includes parasites that dwell and reproduce in cartons, insects and larvae.
Cleverly, absorbers thereby greatly slow these deleterious processes by effectively sopping up nearly all oxygen. They significantly increase the span for foods and medicines to be stored for longer periods without compromising on the quality offered by refrigeration systems. Oxygen scavengers are widely used for packing of foods, desiccants for coffee, cereals, nuts, fruits, vegetables and so on. They do everything from preserving vitamins in a product to the quality of medicine too.
There are several types of oxygen absorbers that are used in the process of oxygen reduction or removal of oxygen from different products.
There are a few varieties of oxygen absorbers tailored to different applications:There are a few varieties of oxygen absorbers tailored to different applications:
- Ageless style absorbers are made from finely divided iron powder and electro solutions. They are most suitable to protect goods that are highly vulnerable to oxygen and moisture such as powdered milk, vitamins, drugs and freeze-dried products among others.
- The DESSO style absorbers employed iron powder with the use of humectants which controls moisture. They are ideal for dry foods such as nuts, coffee beans, grains, jerky, snacks, seeds or even canned pet food.
- ATCO style absorbers include iron together with halogenated oxidants necessary for enhanced oxygen capture. They are suitable for use in packaging bakery products, fresh meat & fish products, fruits and vegetables and also wet pet foods.
- Self-reacting style packets employ its formula to initiate oxygen absorption reaction where the formula is exclusive to the brand. This enables them to work in very dry environments, as we have seen with the current climate back home that is very dry.
All the oxygen absorbers, regardless of their style give the same effect of effectively removing oxygen from any enclosed space thus preventing spoilage and deterioration of contents. They are considered as vital means of ensuring that all types of consumable products are transported across the globe. Due to the incredible chemical reactions occurring within these small packets, tons of food continues to be preserved, as do immeasurable quantities of products in transportation and storage companies. Therefore, every time you get to encounter what you perceive to be “do not eat packets”, you will be assured that though they are not food , they are used to preserve other foods.
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