When it comes to food safety, one major element of keeping food safe is food packaging. When food packaging leaks, bacterial growth can take place and cause food poisoning. In order to determine if food packaging is properly doing its job, you can use leak detection equipment to be sure that the food packaging has maintained its seal. If you run a business, ensuring your food quality is top notch is essential. Here are the top five types of equipment you can use to ensure your food has maintained a seal.
1. Ultrasonic Measurement Equipment
Ultrasonic measurement equipment works by measuring sound to determine if food packaging is leaking. When a food package is leaking, it often emits a high-frequency noise that is undetectable by the human ear. This specialized ultrasonic equipment can detect this noise. Not only can it detect the leak, but it can also measure the rate of the leak giving you invaluable data. One of the benefits of detecting leaks based upon sounds is that a wide array of leaks can be detected, including vacuum, gas, or pressure leaks.
2. Pressure Decay Detection Equipment
Every food packaging has a certain pressure it should maintain over time if it is fully sealed. Should that seal be broken, the pressure will reduce over time. Pressure decay detection works by taking readings over time. If a trend of reduction in pressure is noticed, then the food must be repackaged or discarded.
3. Vacuum Decay Detection Equipment
Vacuum decay measurements work very similarly to pressure decay equipment. It measures the pressure inside packages by creating a vacuum. If the pressure begins to reduce, or decay, over time, then you know the packaging is faulty.
4. Helium Sniff Leak Equipment
This works when food is packaged using helium. Food packaged with helium will emit helium gas when leaking. The helium sniffer will determine if there is any helium in the air around the package. If there is, then the packaging is leaking then appropriate steps can be taken. At the Flexpak inc website, their online resources could help you get a better understanding.
5. Helium Spray Equipment
This equipment also uses helium gases to determine leakage. With this method, helium is sprayed at the currently tested packaging. A sensor then alerts you as to whether the helium makes it to the other side of the packaging. If it does, then the packaging is not sealed and will need to be redone or the food will need to be discarded.
Whatever type of leak detection equipment you choose, these five will all help you to have safer food production and reduce food waste.