In today’s fast-paced food and beverage industry, meeting consumers’ demands for fresh, high-quality, and minimally processed food has become a top priority. Gas helps the food industry play such a role. As a global industrial gas supplier, Fullcryo offer large different food gases supply solutions.
For decades, industrial gases and natural gases have been good assistants in the food and beverage industry and have continued to evolve in response to changes in consumer demands. Nowadays, consumers demand that packaged food remain fresh and retain nutrients. To avoid excessive artificial preservatives, food manufacturers use food-grade gases to provide preservation functions and quality guarantees.
The lightly processed foods such as fish, meat and fresh fruits and vegetables available on the market need to rely on gas to maintain their freshness, retain their texture, moisture and flavor. Moreover, not only can they improve the taste of beverages, but certain gases applied in the food industry can also achieve the functions of cleaning and sterilization as well as rapid freezing, all of which can enhance the efficiency of food processing.
Food-grade gases refer to industrial or technical gases specifically designed for the food and beverage industry, and their applications cover production, processing, storage and sterilization, among other links. Unlike ordinary industrial gases, high-purity industrial gases usually come into direct contact with food. For large-scale production of food gases, strict purity standards must over 99%.
Their roles in the industry are diverse, including:
Atmosphere regulator: This is the most common application of food-grade gases. By adjusting the oxygen content to create an improved or controlled atmosphere (MAP), oxidation can be slowed down, and gases can prevent spoilage and extend the shelf life.
It is unimaginable that gases can also be used as food additives. In fact, in the food and beverage industry, food-grade gases are used to improve the taste or flavor of food (such as carbonation in soft drinks and beer).
Bactericidal auxiliary agents: Gases can also play a role in eliminating microorganisms, such as ozone and ethylene oxide, reducing the reliance on chemical solvents.
Low-temperature preservation: Liquefied gases (especially nitrogen and CO₂) achieve efficient preservation by reducing bacterial activity.
Pressurizing agent: Push the bulk beverage in the container (using CO₂ and N₂).
Nitrogen are inertness and low reactivity, which can protect food from oxidation in the food industry, and thus is crucial for maintaining food quality and safety.
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) : Nitrogen in food packaging slows down spoilage, retains nutrients and inhibits bacteria by replacing oxygen in the food packaging. Moreover, video-level nitrogen is used to fill packaging such as potato chips and bread rolls, providing cushioning to prevent squeezing and maintain good food shape.
Texture inflation: Inject a batch of nitrogen into food (such as chocolate bars) to create tiny bubbles and improve the taste.
Beverage distribution and processing: Did you know? A typical beer gas mixture contains 75% nitrogen and 25% carbon dioxide. Pressurized nitrogen providing a smooth taste and long-lasting foam. Nitrogen used in the beverage industry can also reduce the oxygen content, regulate the fermentation of beer, wine and juice, and retain flavor and aroma.
Low-temperature freezing: Even more impressive is that liquid nitrogen (-196°C) can instantly freeze meat and seafood. This process is achieved by preventing ice crystals from damaging cells to lock in freshness, ultimately preserving color and cell integrity.
Food processing assistance: Large-scale use of nitrogen for processes such as purging, inertization, and covering to control microbial growth and oxidation by replacing oxygen.
Carbon dioxide has a wide range of applications and diverse uses. It is the core of food processing and preservation and is applied in multiple links:
Low-temperature cooling and temperature control: Carbon dioxide, as a coolant, is most widely used in the freezing, refrigeration, and individual rapid freezing (IQF) thawing of food. The mass application of carbon dioxide can also support refrigerated transportation. All of these can preserve the flavor and texture of food and reduce the use of artificial preservatives.
Carbonation of beverages: Carbon dioxide has a high solubility and is added to soft drinks, beer and sparkling beverages to create a carbonated sensation.
Storage and preservation: As a food additive, nitrogen dioxide used for gas flushing of meat, fish, cheese and fruits and vegetables. Nitrogen food additive E290 can create a protective atmosphere, extend shelf life, preserve cell structure and reduce the use of preservatives with its natural antibacterial properties.
Food-grade oxygen plays a role in food preservation during production and in various food processing procedures:
Maintaining the appearance of meat: The oxygen used for food preservation can keep the meat bright red in color and prevent an unattractive gray color from appearing before consumers purchase it.
Fruit and vegetable preservation: To prevent fruits and vegetables from turning yellow and rotting, fruit and vegetable distributors maintain an oxygen content of 3% to 5% in the packaging of bulk green leafy vegetables (broccoli, lettuce) to extend the metabolic process.
Fermentation support: In beer brewing, oxygen provides energy for the alcoholic fermentation of bacteria. In yogurt and baked goods, oxygen promotes aerobic respiration of yeast, shortens the fermentation time and enhances the flavor.
Ozone generation: Industrial O2 is used to produce ozone, which helps with pest control and sterilization.
Aquaculture and water treatment: Oxygen applied in fish farming and transportation can oxygenate water (increasing dissolved oxygen to over 5mg/L). And it can prevent stress in fish and shrimp, improves the taste of drinking water and helps purify wastewater.
Ethylene is mainly used for fruit ripening. Large-scale fruit distributors need a large-scale supply of ethylene gas to ensure the ripening process of fruit products.
Ripening synchronization: Accelerate the softening and starch conversion of leapfrog fruits (bananas, avocados). The storage facilities will inject precise amounts of ethylene at regular intervals to match the maturation process with transportation and store display times.
Controlled application: Strict environmental control can prevent excessive exposure, which can lead to inconsistent development of taste and flavor.
At present, consumers are not only sensitive to the taste of food, but also pay more attention to whether the food they eat is healthy. The role of food-grade gases will continue to evolve, with a focus on environmental friendliness and food processing efficiency.
Innovation in green food: Common carbonated beverages, from cola to sparkling water, people’s demands for taste have increased. Moreover, with the advent of the low-carbon era, consumers’ demand for low-carbon footprint products (such as plant-based beverages and eco-friendly sparkling water) is constantly rising. Gases will play a key role in shaping low-carbon food brands.
Improvement in food production efficiency: Advancements in food gas application technology can enhance processing efficiency and reduce waste during production, such as more sophisticated modified atmosphere packaging control and precise ethylene quantification
Energy efficiency optimization: Fullcryo offers high-purity gas supply as well as low-temperature industrial gases. We will continue to support energy-saving processes, such as low-temperature freezing technology, to help food producers achieve their sustainable development goals.
Food-grade gases are indispensable for modern food and beverage operations. They solve many problems from preservation to processing, and at the same time meet consumers’ demands for quality and sustainability. At Fullcryo, we are dedicated to optimizing the transportation, storage and use of food-grade gases for enterprises of all sizes.
Among them, the food nitrogen produced by Fullcryo is applied in the food and beverage industry, strictly adhering to the GB29202-2012 standard. The product purity reaches 99.999%, far exceeding the common standard of 99.0%.
Whether you need bulk supply or small-scale solutions, we can provide customized support
Gas production: We install air separation equipment to mass-produce nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide, and provide on-site gas supply services. Small food enterprises can use our small nitrogen and oxygen generators.
Ancillary services: From transportation (gas cylinders, tank trucks) to turnkey distribution system design, gas safety usage equipment and technical consultation – we cover every link.
Customized solutions: We customize low-temperature equipment based on your specific needs to store gases, ensuring reliable access for you when needed.
Are you ready to explore how food-grade gases can enhance your operations? Contact our experts to discuss your unique gas requirements.
