Nitrogen flushing on snack packaging, is it safe?

Have you ever bought snacks such as potato chips, which have a bubble wrap, but when you open them, they only contain air? This snack packaging process is called nitrogen flushing, that is, when nitrogen is put into food packaging. However, is it nitrogen flushing this effect on food and on our health? Check out the following reviews.

What is that nitrogen flushing ?

Oxygen will trigger mold, yeast, and aerobic bacteria to grow and spoil food. So, food will quickly go rancid or change color if it is exposed to oxygen for too long, just like food that is left open.

One way to make food last longer is to remove oxygen from the container, and replace it with nitrogen. This process is called nitrogen flushing .

Replacement of oxygen with nitrogen aims to avoid oxidation which causes food to spoil quickly and spoil.

Nitrogen flushing is the reverse of the vacuum process

With foods such as fresh meat, sausages or jerky that are packaged in plastic seals, air is not required in the packaging. The food is put into a container, then the air inside is expelled so that the air is vacuum. This process is called vacuum packaging. You can observe the packaging on the sausage wrap that is tight and tight, which indicates there is no air in it.

However, not all foods are packed with vacuum packaging. Foods that are prone to crumbling or spoilage, such as chips, need protection as long as the food is distributed. Likewise, packaged coffee beans with uneven surface will look bad if packed with vacuum packaging. The packaging will form lumps if there is no air in it.

This type of food is needed nitrogen flushing . You can observe the wrapper ballooning, and when you open it there will be air (nitrogen) in it.

How to apply nitrogen flussing in packaged food is to use a machine that presses nitrogen in the container so that oxygen is completely replaced by nitrogen. Then, the container is quickly and tightly sealed.

Is the use of nitrogen flushing in snacks safe?

Reporting from Very Well, nitrogen flushing completely safe for food. Because, nitrogen contains 70% of the air you breathe. Nitrogen in packaged food containers does not react with food, so food is kept fresh and can last longer.

However, when you unwrap it snack , nitrogen in the container will mix with the surrounding air. This can cause food resistance to be reduced.

Some packaged food packages are available zip lock which makes it easier for you to secure leftovers. But on packaging that is not modeled zip lock , make sure to seal any food wrappers you have opened with string, rubber, or clips . Then, store it in the refrigerator. It would be even safer to move it into a tightly closed container, such as a jar.

Packaged foods that have been opened should not be stored for too long because the content of the food that has been mixed with the surrounding air has changed, so the food will spoil more quickly.