Meat+Poultry - March 2019 - 70

PA C K A G I N G S O L U T I O N S

Within the past decade, oxygen absorber use has
increased dramatically.
"There have been a few improvements fine-tuning
the formulation, production, and the nylon sachet,
but for the most part they have not changed much,"
Tice says. "Greater availability and improvements
in flexible packaging have helped bring the oxygen
absorber into more wide-spread use, but I think the
recent explosion in popularity has been primarily driven
by their effectiveness as more and more industries are
discovering oxygen absorbers are the best way to preserve
their products."

TECH TALK

The concept of using oxygen absorbers in jerky
packages was commercialized in the late 1970s.

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The technology works today by using a breathable packaging material and inserting the oxygen absorber during the
packaging process after several tests are conducted given
customer requirements and packing dimensions.
"Depending on the type of raw material used, chemical
absorption or physical adsorption occurs within the
packaging through the oxygen absorbers breathable
membrane and is stored within the raw material," Marinac
says. "Through the FDA or other governing body, all
entities are ensured that the oxygen absorber is safe to be
packed together with the food products."
Oxygen absorbers can greatly increase the storage
time and preserve freshness of many products such as
jerky, without the use of chemicals or additives.
In addition to being more effective than other methods,
they are also very easy to use in both high-volume
packaging or a home kitchen. Automated dispensers are
available for production lines, but a one-person cottage
food operation can also easily do their own packaging
with no special equipment other than a hand-operated
impulse sealer to heat-seal the pouches.
"The most commonly used oxygen absorbers contain
an iron carbonate formulation along with a tiny amount
of entrapped water that allows them to activate in dry
conditions," Tice says. "Iron-free oxygen absorbers that
use ascorbic acid instead are available, and usually
used because they will not set off a production line
metal detector."
Although oxygen absorbers are gaining popularity
for preserving many food products, virtually all jerky
companies have switched to oxygen absorbers due to their
superior effectiveness, affordability and ease of use.
"Oxygen is very destructive to food products, directly
and indirectly, and that is why completely removing it
has such a dramatic effect," Tice says. "Oxygen absorbers
prevent contamination from mold, bugs, worms, and all
other aerobic organisms. They also prevent lipid oxidation
in jerky which leads to rancidity, discoloration and flavor
defects."

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Meat+Poultry - March 2019

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