WHAT’S ON AT AUSPACK
The importance of food grade gas to the industry is highlighted through Supagas’ work with key stakeholders.
Supagas MAP gases assist businesses with their food products to extend shelf life and freshness Gas at food-grade level for processing and packaging purposes in the food and beverage industry is important to preserve food quality and extend shelf life. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
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ood grade gas is important for the food processing and packaging industry. The gas used is to help keep food fresh for a longer period and assist food quality for manufacturers. Supagas, as a business has worked in the Australian gas industry since 1968 and continues to work with a range of food and beverage businesses offering Specialty and Industrial gases. Supagas’ state-of-the-art facilities allows them to offer multiple gas types and gas products, as well as manage a specialised NATA Accredited laboratory to blend and test specialty gas mixtures. George Elhlou, national specialty gases manager at Supagas, said the company is exhibiting at AUSPACK 2022, as the show will provide wide
ranging access to emerging technologies within the food industry with continued development as more businesses use Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) gases for food production. An important area of application is MAP, known at Supagas as the SupaMap product range available in cylinder, pack and bulk form. The gas mixture is selected to help improve the conditions and spoilage, individually for various products. “Supagas’ extensive experience and knowledge in food gas applications and processing, including packaging is focused direct to the customer. Allowing the food packaging, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to focus on their scope of work. Whilst leaving the
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total MAP gas supply system solution in the hands of Supagas, where customer satisfaction and support is paramount,” George highlights. “To investigate and liaise with food equipment packaging OEMs will allow us to help equipment manufacturers and their customers on the set up and installation of appropriate MAP gas cylinder and bulk supply modes. MAP tends to be a combination of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen mixtures, as each product will determine the mixture of gas required,” expresses Elhlou. “Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are the dominant gases used. It’s about ensuring we do enough experimental work with the client to determine what is the most
efficient mixture for their product,” explains Elhlou. For food packaging customers and equipment manufacturers, Supagas are here to help with gas supply and application of MAP gases. As gas specialists, Supagas’ knowledge of gases is to help manufacturers with the most appropriate gas mixture that will provide the greatest possible solution to meet the customers’ product requirements. MAP gas machines will flush oxygen out of the packaging to inject the required gas (i.e. pure or mixture gas), prior to sealing. The objective is to ensure the product quality and shelf life, thereby providing manufacturers with the greatest opportunity for markets,
