New Technology Preserves Food, Beverages Without Chemicals

CHARLOTTE, N.C.Clariant launched its new Oxy-Guard technology to help prevent the growth of mold, fungus and bacteria in pre-packaged foods. The new  technology uses oxygen scavenger packets to eliminate reliance on chemical preservatives.

Clariants introduction of our Oxy-Guard oxygen scavenger technology to the U.S. food packaging market comes at a very significant time," said Justin Mueller, head of Cargo & Device Protection, Clariant. As the global availability of nutritional, high-quality food supplies becomes more criticaldue to a growing worldwide population and rising food pricesconsumers are becoming increasingly concerned with food freshness, shelf life and cost."

Oxygen is the primary cause of food degradation, affecting flavor, color, smell and texture, and can deteriorate foods vitamin and nutritional value. According to an article by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), oxygen scavengers used in the food packaging industry are referred to as active packaging," and are considered to be a progressive, next-generation technique for delivering long shelf life and consumer convenience.

Clariants Oxy-Guard packaging inserts contain a combination of salt and iron powder, which combine to maintain oxygen levels at less than 0.01% inside sealed packages. As the salt absorbs moisture from the packaging, the iron begins to oxidize, initiating the oxygen absorption process. The technology can extend product shelf life from one week to several months compared to packaged foods that do not use an oxygen scavenger.

 Oxy-Guard can preserve baked goods, nuts, dried grains, pasta, processed and dried meats, coffee and tea, chocolates and confectionery, dairy products, powdered proteins and beverages, frozen meals and pet foods. The oxygen scavengers are available globally in a variety of sizes, based on the size of the packaging and the residual air inside, and they are available in individual packets or continuous strip configurations for automatic insertion.