How to reduce air generated during packaging

We all know that vacuum packaging has greatly improved food packaging. Various packaging techniques are constantly emerging in the modern market, and the application of high technology provides a solid foundation for the improvement of food packaging. Among many packaging techniques, each has its own technological advantages. The one I, the editor of Guangdong Lepai Intelligent Technology, am referring to here is a modified atmosphere packaging technique used in food packaging machines.

Modified atmosphere packaging, as a food packaging technique, has a long history in the application of food packaging machines. As early as the 1930s, Europe and the United States began researching the use of CO2 gas to preserve meat products; in the 1950s, N2 and CO2 gas were used to replace the air in beef cans and cheese cans, effectively extending the shelf life; in the 1960s, due to the development of various airtight plastic packaging materials, many foods such as meat, fruits, vegetables, cakes, tea, and dairy products successfully adopted gas replacement packaging technology; in the 1970s, the gas packaging of fresh meat became widespread in Europe and the United States, and since then, modified atmosphere packaging has flourished worldwide. It can be said that modified atmosphere packaging technology is very skilled in the application of food packaging machines and is very common in the modern food packaging industry.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP or CAP internationally, and modified atmosphere packaging or gas replacement packaging, gas packaging domestically) uses packaging materials with gas barrier properties to package food. According to customer needs, a certain proportion of O2+CO2+N2, N2+CO2, or O2+CO2 mixed gas is filled into the package to prevent or slow down the deterioration of food quality in physical, chemical, and biological aspects, thereby extending the shelf life and improving the value of the food.

Three common applications of modified atmosphere packaging:

1. Application of CO2 in food packaging

China has successfully researched the use of nanotechnology to efficiently catalyze the formation of biodegradable plastics from CO2. Even if the catalyst for producing plastics from CO2 is "destroyed" to the nanoscale, achieving polymerization of catalytic molecules with CO2, allowing each gram of catalyst to catalyze about 130 grams of CO2 to form a new packaging material containing 42% CO2. As a biodegradable and environmentally friendly material, it has broad application prospects.

2. Application of nitrogen in food packaging

Nitrogen (N2) is an ideal inert gas with unique effects in food packaging: it does not react chemically with food or is absorbed by food, it can reduce the oxygen content in the packaging, greatly inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria and fungi, slowing down the oxidation and spoilage of food, thus preserving the food. Nitrogen-filled packaging can also prevent food from being crushed, sticking together, or shrinking, maintaining the geometric shape, dryness, crispness, color, and aroma of the food. Currently, nitrogen packaging is rapidly replacing traditional vacuum packaging and has been used in fried potato chips and fries, and oil-cooked foods. It is favored by consumers, especially children and young people, and nitrogen packaging is expected to be used in more food packaging.

3. Application of mixed gases in food packaging

Mixed atmosphere packaging is internationally known as MAP packaging, and the modified atmosphere packaging gas usually consists of CO2, N2, O2, and a small number of special gases. CO2 inhibits the growth and reproduction of most aerobic spoilage bacteria and fungi; O2 inhibits the growth and reproduction of most anaerobic spoilage bacteria; it maintains the color of fresh meat and the oxygen respiration and freshness of fresh fruits and vegetables; N2 is used as a filling gas. The composition ratio of the mixed gas is appropriately selected according to the food type, storage requirements, and packaging materials to achieve high food preservation quality, good preservation of nutrients, true preservation of the original state, and extension of the shelf life. Mixed atmosphere packaging is widely used both domestically and internationally.

With the rapid development of science and technology, product packaging has become an important means of promoting sales and enhancing competitiveness. Many new technologies, processes, ideas have been applied to packaging design, packaging processes, packaging equipment, new packaging materials, and new packaging industries. Packaging design has entered the computer age, and a design method suitable for fast updating and using computers and various information systems has emerged. Today's designers must have basic packaging design skills, but also be able to think, appreciate, and be creative, while computer skills are built on the aforementioned skills. Packaging designers must also understand the relevant packaging manufacturing processes, how to select materials, and how to use modern packaging manufacturing equipment, such as pre-press equipment and post-press processing equipment. Not only has packaging design become computerized, but packaging technology in packaging machines has also been integrated with computers, which is also an important trend in the development of the packaging machine industry. In the future, more technologies will be integrated, and the advantages brought by computers will only get better and better.

Packaging forming includes the forming of metal packaging, plastic packaging, paper packaging, and other composite material packaging. The forming of many different materials has been simplified and made more scientific with the help of air pressure, impact, wet processing, and vacuum technology.