What are Oxygen Absorbers? Oxygen absorbers, also known as oxygen scavengers, are a type of desiccant, which are used to reduce the amount of oxygen present in a packed product. When products are packed for sale/transportation purposes, these oxygen absorbers go with them to ensure that when the package is opened, the product is still fresh. However, the main purpose of using oxygen absorbers is to safeguard the product. Reducing the amount of oxygen in the packet also goes a long way in extending the shelf life of the commodity.
Functioning of Oxygen Absorbers The working of an oxygen absorber is based on a chemical reaction. The oxygen scavenger consists of an iron powder, which combines with the oxygen present in the package to turn into rust. When all the iron powder is converted into rust, it is an indication that the absorption is complete. The oxygen absorbers will stop the absorption process. The next step is removing all the oxygen from the “fully loaded� absorber. After this, the oxygen absorber is brought in contact with air and the reaction takes place once again until all the iron powder is exhausted. The working of the oxygen absorber depends on many factors like the product it is being packed with, the water activity of the said product among others.
Main Users of Oxygen Absorbers Oxygen absorbers are mainly used in the pharmaceutical, medical and food industries. In the medical field, it is used to keep medical diagnostic units and devices fresh. Shifting focus to the food industry, this desiccant is placed with foods prone to getting rancid like nuts and snacks, whole fat dry foods, flour and grain items, processed, smoked and cured meats, cheeses and dairy products, spices and seasonings. The desiccant also preserves other food items like fresh and precooked pasta and noodles, breads, cookies, cakes and pastries, candies and confectioneries, tea and coffee, dried fruits and vegetables. While placing an oxygen absorber with any product, one must ensure that it should always be low in moisture and oil. If the moisture content is not low, then the use of oxygen desiccant can lead to food poisoning. Talking specifically about confectionery industry, experiments have shown that chocolates, which are packed along with oxygen absorbers inside a barrier packing material, exhibit more taste, softness and aroma. This is in comparison to chocolates packaged using other methods. Thus we can safely say that oxygen absorbers are the best packaging companion for confectioneries.
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