Labthink MAP Headspace Instrument for Fresh Keeping of Vegetable and Fruits

May 18, 2009 - PRLog -- Headspace testing is very important to Vegetable MAP packages and shelf-life of the products. Labthink introduces new headspace tester for better fresh keeping guarantee of MAP packages and shelf life.
Fresh vegetables and fruits are still living organs after picking. They mainly take respiration as main metabolic activity. Since they are separated from the matrix, have no more supply and can only consume the carbohydrate, pectin, vitamins and organic acid to live; this results in quality decline of those vegetables and fruits. The core concerning for vegetable and fruit fresh-keeping is how to slow down respiration and restrain metabolic activity so as to keep vegetables and fruits in dormancy or semi-dormancy status. Besides commonly applied frozen storage, the frequently applied methods include modified frozen storage and complex MAP and frozen storage. At present, the world advanced fresh keeping method is the above-mentioned complex MAP and frozen storage, which can perfectly combine the modified chain with the frozen storage chain together.
The principle of complex MAP is to apply complex fresh keeping gas to replace the air inside the plastic packages or boxes so as to change the gas proportion inside the bags or boxes; thus, forms a small modified air environment condition inside the bags or boxes, that is, a small modified air room. Then, with the application of frozen storage, metabolic activity is slow down and freshness is prolonged.
MAP gas usually consists of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen. Oxygen content reduction can reduce respiration of the vegetables and fruits and restrain metabolic activity; carbon dioxide concentration improvement can further slow down respiration; nitrogen is one of the inert gases with no effects on the vegetables and fruits and acts as the filling gas. Different vegetables and fruits require different gas proportion, which is mainly determined by the characteristics of the vegetables and fruits themselves. There are certain requirements on gas mix accuracy error and gas replace rate for their complex MAP. In the advanced MAP design standards, a gas replace rate of up to 99.5% is required with less than 2.0% gas mix accuracy error.
Therefore, in order to achieve fresh keeping, vacuumizing is not enough. Vacuumizing and insert complex gas is the best choice. As to the ratio, headspace analyzer (usually for oxygen and carbon dioxide measurement) should be equipped; and the best ratio should be found according to detailed actual testing. As to your questions, we can not provide you the relevant data at present; this job can only be fulfilled when your company has the relevant testers and detailed testing.
Labthink introduces Labthink PARAM HGA-01 Headspace Gas Analyzer for the measurement of the content of oxygen, carbon dioxide and mixing proportion in the sealed bags, bottles, cans and other packages.
It can be used to evaluate package gas contents, mixing proportion rapidly and accurately in production lines, warehouses, laboratories and other occasions, thereby to guide the production and ensure the shelf life.
Labthink PARAM HGA-01 Headspace Gas Analyzer is of portable design with world leading components; it is one-click operation and double power supply, build-in chargeable battery guarantees fast field measurement. Build-in mini printer for easy result printing; and professional software with functions of data analysis, processing and test report output.
Labthink, the excellent provider of testing instruments and testing services, is devoted to provide most excellent and complete quality control solutions for pharmaceutical, foodstuff, cosmetics, packaging, printing, adhesive, automotive, petrochemistry, environment, biology, new energy, construction, aviation and electronic industries worldwide.

Labthink Instruments Co., Ltd.
No. 144 Wuyingshan Road, Jinan 250031, China
Tracy Bao  info@labthink.cn
Tel: 0086 531 85061153  fax:0086 531 85812140

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