Inflatable packaging

Inflatable packaging is a method of packaging a specific gas into a packaging container. Specifically, the packaging container is first evacuated and then a specific gas is charged and sealed.
Experiments have shown that fresh foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits are required to consume self-preserved nutrients when they are stored, resulting in aging of the cells, deterioration of quality, and finally rot. In order to maintain their freshness for a long time, their metabolism must be controlled. If the mixture of high-carbon dioxide, low-oxygen, and appropriate amount of nitrogen gas is filled into the packaging container according to different foods, their metabolism can be controlled. Because carbon dioxide has the function of inhibiting the metabolism of foods and preventing the growth of bacteria and mold, and reducing the pH value of the couple, it can prevent food spoilage and prolong the aging period of foods. Oxidation is required for many foods, especially in the preservation of meat, in order to preserve the original food. Some freshness and its fresh appearance are essential, but it is easy to degenerate foods. Decreasing the content of oxygen can reduce the adverse effects on foods. Nitrogen is an inactive inert gas, which is different from carbon dioxide and oxygen. Almost no effect with food, but the amount of nitrogen can offset the air pressure in the vacuum when the packaging container, can play a role in preventing squeezing food.
Then, what proportion of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen gas should be filled into the packaging container? Some experiments abroad show that different foods require different proportions of mixed gas. This is because different foods do not have the same rate of metabolism. Moreover, the meaning of inflatable packaging is not only that when the packaging is filled with an appropriate proportion of mixed gas, but also to maintain the proportion of this mixed gas, otherwise it will not achieve the desired effect. Due to the interaction between the gas mixture itself and the metabolism of the food, the gas in the packaging container is continuously changing. This requires a special packing container capable of sucking in the required gas and releasing the excess gas to constantly adjust the mixture gas. The proportion does not change. For example, a commonly used packaging material for fresh vegetables is a monolayer film made of vinyl acetate and low density polyethylene. This material has the special function of releasing carbon dioxide and inhaling oxygen. By using it to package fresh vegetables, etc., it is possible to continuously adjust the mixed gas in the container and keep the original ratio unchanged.
Inflatable packaging has a wide range of functions, and can be used for the preservation of roasted foods such as livestock meat, fresh fish, fresh vegetables, and bread, and can maintain the color, aroma, taste, nutrition, and fresh appearance of various fresh foods for a long period of time. If the food is packaged inflated and then refrigerated, the effect will be better. Compared with single-use inflatable packaging, it can greatly extend the shelf life of foods. Therefore, inflatable packaging is widely favored by consumers, producers and processors.
However, there are still some problems in inflatable packaging that have not yet been solved. First of all, inflated packaging must use a certain proportion of mixed gas as a preservative, and use specific packaging materials and packaging machines for packaging. Therefore, the cost is too high. At present, it can only be used for packaging and preservation of high-grade foods. Secondly, the requirements for packaging materials are too strict, the cost is too high, and it is not easy to obtain. The currently used two-component extruded oxygen barrier materials are not suitable for inflatable packaging, and materials used for inflatable packaging are still developed very little.
As a new type of packaging, inflatable packaging has been widely used in Europe and has been promoted in some countries such as the United States. According to foreign forecasts, due to the wide range of uses and advantages of inflatable packaging, in the 21st century, the number of inflatable packaging will exceed the sum of aseptic packaging and distillation packaging.