Packaging gas

A packaging gas is used to pack sensitive materials such as food into a modified atmosphere environment. The gas used is usually inert, or of a nature that protects the integrity of the packaged goods, inhibiting unwanted chemical reactions such as food spoilage or oxidation. Some may also serve as a propellant for aerosol sprays like cans of whipped cream. For packaging food, the use of various gases is approved by regulatory organisations.^[1]

Their E numbers are included in the following lists in parentheses.^[2]

Inert gases[]

These gas types do not cause a chemical change to the substance that they protect.

argon (E938), used for canned products
helium (E939), used for canned products
nitrogen (E941), also propellant
carbon dioxide (E290), also propellant

Propellant gases[]

Specific kinds of packaging gases are aerosol propellants. These process and assist the ejection of the product from its container.

chlorofluorocarbons known as CFC (E940 and E945), now rarely used because of the damage that they do to the ozone layer:^[3]
- dichlorodifluoromethane (E940)
- chloropentafluoroethane (E945)
nitrous oxide (E942), used for aerosol whipped cream canisters (see Nitrous oxide: Aerosol propellant)
octafluorocyclobutane (E946)

Reactive gases[]

These must be used with caution as they may have adverse effects when exposed to certain chemicals. They will cause oxidisation or contamination to certain types of materials.

oxygen (E948), used e.g. for packaging of vegetables
hydrogen (E949)

Volatile gases[]

Hydrocarbon gases approved for use with food need to be used with extreme caution as they are highly combustible, when combined with oxygen they burn very rapidly and may cause explosions in confined spaces. Special precautions must be taken when transporting these gases.^[4]

butane (E943a)
isobutane (E943b)
propane (E944)

References[]

^ "The purity of gases". Cleanroom Technology 21 June 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
^ "Current EU approved additives and their E Numbers". Food standards agency 26 November 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
^ Spectrum Laboratories : Chemical Fact Sheet - Cas # 75718
^ "Amendment to Directive 96/77/EC on purity criteria of food additives". Food standards agency 27 June 2002. Retrieved 15 February 2011.

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[1] "The purity of gases". Cleanroom Technology 21 June 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2011.

[2] "Current EU approved additives and their E Numbers". Food standards agency 26 November 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2011.

[3] Spectrum Laboratories : Chemical Fact Sheet - Cas # 75718

[4] "Amendment to Directive 96/77/EC on purity criteria of food additives". Food standards agency 27 June 2002. Retrieved 15 February 2011.

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Containers	Aerosol spray Aluminium bottle Aluminum can Ampoule Antistatic bag Bag-in-box Bag Barrel Biodegradable bag Blister pack Boil-in-bag Bottle Box Bulk box Cage Case Carboy Carton Chub Clamshell Corrugated box design Crate Disposable cup Drum Endcap Envelope Euro container Flexible intermediate bulk container Folding carton Glass bottle Gunny sack Inhaler Insulated shipping container Intermediate bulk container Jar Jerrycan Jug Keg Mesh bag Multilayered packaging Multi-pack Packet (container) Padded envelope Pail Paper bag Paper sack Plastic bag Plastic bottle Retort pouch Salvage drum Sachet Water sachet Security bag Shipping container Shipping tube Skin pack Spray bottle Squround Stand-up pouch Steel and tin cans Tetra Brik Thermal bag Tub (container) Tube Unit load Vial Wooden box
Materials and components	Adhesive Aluminium foil Bail handle Bioplastic Biodegradable plastic BoPET Bubble wrap Bung Cellophane Closure Coated paper Coating Coextrusion Corrugated fiberboard Corrugated plastic Cushioning Desiccant Double seam Flip-top Foam peanut Gel pack Glass Hot-melt adhesive Kraft paper Label Lid Linear low-density polyethylene Liquid packaging board Living hinge Low-density polyethylene Metallised film Modified atmosphere Molded pulp Nonwoven fabric Overwrap Oxygen scavenger Package handle Packaging gas Pallet Paper Paper pallet Paperboard Plastic-coated paper Plastic film Plastic pallet Plastic wrap Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Pressure-sensitive tape Pump dispenser Screw cap Screw cap (wine) Security printing Security tape Shock detector Shock and vibration data logger Shrink wrap Slip sheet Staple (fastener) Strapping Stretch wrap Susceptor Tamper-evident band Tear tape Temperature data logger Time temperature indicator Tinplate Velostat
Processes	Aseptic processing Authentication Automatic identification and data capture Blow fill seal Blow molding Calendering Canning Coating Containerization Converting Corona treatment Curtain coating Die cutting Die forming (plastics) Electronic article surveillance Extrusion Extrusion coating Flame treatment Glass production Graphic design Hazard analysis and critical control points Hermetic seal Induction sealing Injection moulding Lamination Laser cutting Molding Package tracking Papermaking Plastic extrusion Plastic welding Printing Product development Production control Quality assurance Radio-frequency identification Roll slitting Shearing (manufacturing) Thermoforming Track and trace Ultrasonic welding Vacuum forming Vacuum packaging Verification and validation
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Category: Packaging