Key Points
- Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is an innovative technology that changes the atmosphere surrounding packed products.
- MAP removes oxygen from packaging by altering atmospheric gases’ natural distribution and makeup.
- There are two different kinds of MAP processes: passive and active.
- The three most popular MAP methods are gas flushing, barrier films, and scavenger or desiccant packaging.
- Modified Atmosphere Packaging offers benefits like improved product quality and control, reduced costs, and increased product availability.
What Is Modified Atmosphere Packaging?
Modified Atmosphere Packaging changes the atmosphere surrounding packed products like pharmaceuticals and food and beverages by adding a gas barrier to protect, preserve, and extend shelf life during transportation and storage.
How MAP Removes Oxygen from Packaging
MAP removes oxygen from packaging by altering atmospheric gases’ natural distribution and makeup. The main goal of the MAP process is to decrease oxygen levels inside the packaging to prevent decreased tablet quality and effectiveness.
There are two different kinds of MAP processes: passive and active. Active modified packaging displaces unwanted gases from the packaging and replaces them with a desired mixture of gases. Passive modified atmosphere packaging works using a specific film type to develop the desired atmosphere that naturally occurs due to the product’s respiration and the diffusion of gases through the film.
Different Types of Modified Atmosphere Packaging Processes
There is a wide range of different types of MAP processes that use the passive and active methods to protect and preserve packaged products, but below are the three most common:
Gas Flushing
Gas flushing is a popular active modified atmosphere packaging method for food packaging. It accomplishes three significant goals:
- Displacing oxygen in packaging to delay oxidation
- Decreasing the growth of organisms that cause spoilage
- Acting as a filler to maintain package conformity
The gas flushing process works by pumping harmless gas like nitrogen into the packaging before it’s sealed, resulting in ambient oxygen displacement. The product’s spoilage rate decreases because of the lower amount of oxygen inside the package.
Barrier Films
The barrier film passive modified atmosphere packaging method works by using a variety of barrier packaging materials to decrease moisture and oxygen inside the package. A popular MAP technique for blister packaging, common types of barrier films include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
Scavenger or Desiccant Packaging
Scavenger or desiccant packs are common modified atmosphere packaging solutions used in bottles. These small types of packaging typically include ascorbic acid, activated carbon, and iron powder, which absorb ambient moisture and oxygen from inside the packaging to protect tablets and capsules.
The Benefits of Modified Atmosphere Packaging
Along with extending product shelf life, Modified Atmosphere Packaging has a wide range of other benefits like:
- Improved product quality and control
- Reduced costs
- Increased product availability
- Reduced labor
- Waste elimination
- Improved manufacturing capacity
The Sealing and Nitrogen Purge Packaging Method
The sealing and nitrogen purge packaging method is a modified atmosphere packaging that uses nitrogen to keep tablets and capsules fresh in blister packs by replacing oxygen with nitrogen. The package is sealed after it’s purged with nitrogen to slow down the decay process.
How Nitrogen Packaging Machines Remove Oxygen From Packaging
Nitrogen packaging machines remove oxygen from packaging by performing the following steps:
- The empty bottles or blister packs are filled with the product.
- The nitrogen packaging machine purges each bottle or blister pack with nitrogen to remove the oxygen inside the packaging.
- The machine seals the packaging immediately to make sure oxygen doesn’t reenter the bottle or blister pack.
The Sepha EZ Blister: A Modified Atmosphere Packaging Machine
The Sepha EZ Blister is a semi-automatic packaging machine equipped with optional MAP capabilities for use in the laboratory or production. This small-scale blister packaging system allows you to purge blister or medical device packaging with nitrogen or any other harmless gas specific to your requirements. This innovative MAP machine is perfect for running a facility with low-volume packaging solutions.
Here’s how the EZ Blister modified atmosphere packaging machine works:
- Forming materials are fed from the reel to create trays designed to your exact product requirements.
- Then, the formed trays are sealed using knurled or flat heat sealing plates with lidding material fed from the reel holder.
- Next, the trays are purged with gas in a chamber before final sealing.
- After the trays are sealed, they’re cut and perforated using a precision die cutter.
EZ Blister Features
The EZ Blister modified atmosphere packaging machine includes a variety of features like:
- Customizable components specific to your manufacturing requirements
- A reel holder that feeds forming and sealing materials
- A purge chamber that enables MAP capabilities
- Easy setup via HMI and minimal training required
- A tool-less changeover of format parts that takes less than two minutes
- Cold forming capabilities
- Optional perforated cutting tools
- 304 stainless steel, anodized aluminum, or PTFE machine parts
- PTFE coated-forming plates and knurled or heat sealing plates
- An operating speed of 200 cycles per hour for any single operation
Ascend Offers Innovative Modified Atmosphere Packaging Solutions
At Ascend Packaging Systems, we provide you with innovative MAP systems that improve product quality and control, reduce costs, and increase product availability, like the Sepha EZ Blister. The EZ Blister has optional MAP capabilities, but it is also designed to handle thermoform and cold-form materials like PVC, PVDC, PP, Aclar, and Alu/Alu to increase barrier protection, safety, and shelf life. It’s also available with an auto-feed option that holds your packaging material in place and feeds a predetermined amount through the machine for forming or sealing, increasing your production rate to 300 to 500 cycles per hour. Contact us today to learn more about Ascend’s packaging systems with optional MAP capabilities.
EZ Blister Features
The EZ Blister modified atmosphere packaging machine includes a variety of features like:
- Customizable components specific to your manufacturing requirements
- A reel holder that feeds forming and sealing materials
- A purge chamber that enables MAP capabilities
- Easy setup via HMI and minimal training required
- A tool-less changeover of format parts that takes less than two minutes
- Cold forming capabilities
- Optional perforated cutting tools
- 304 stainless steel, anodized aluminum, or PTFE machine parts
- PTFE coated-forming plates and knurled or heat sealing plates
- An operating speed of 200 cycles per hour for any single operation
