Why Is Nitrogen Used in Food Packaging?

MAP stands for Modified Atmosphere Packaging.

The composition of gas inside the package is modified according to the requirements of the food.

Common MAP gases include:

• Nitrogen – N₂
• Carbon dioxide – CO₂
• Oxygen – O₂ in selected applications.

Nitrogen can help:

• reduce package oxygen,
• limit oxidative reactions,
• support aroma and quality retention,
• provide an inert atmosphere,
• protect fragile packaged products.

The correct gas mixture depends on the product.

Where Is Nitrogen Used in the Food Industry?

Typical applications include:

• snacks and chips,
• nuts,
• coffee,
• dairy products,
• meat and processed meat,
• bakery products,
• spices and dry foods,
• ready meals,
• beverage tanks,
• tank blanketing and purging.

What Is a PSA Nitrogen Generator?

A PSA nitrogen generator produces nitrogen-rich gas from compressed atmospheric air.

Typical process:

Atmospheric Air
→ Compressor
→ Air Receiver
→ Dryer
→ Precision Filtration
→ PSA Nitrogen Generator
→ Nitrogen Receiver
→ Purity Analysis
→ MAP Packaging Line

PSA uses Carbon Molecular Sieve – CMS to preferentially adsorb oxygen and selected air components.

What Nitrogen Purity Is Required for MAP?

There is no single universal purity specification for all food packaging applications.

The required N₂ quality should be determined according to:

• food type,
• packaging technology,
• target residual oxygen,
• packaging machine,
• quality specification,
• applicable food-safety requirements.

A key engineering principle is:

Do not generate unnecessarily high purity. Generate the purity the process actually requires.

In PSA systems:

N₂ Purity ↑
→ Recovery ↓
→ Compressed Air Demand ↑
→ Energy ↑
→ Cost per Nm³ ↑

How Is a PSA Generator Sized for MAP?

Sizing should consider:

• number of packaging lines,
• nitrogen demand of each machine,
• simultaneous operation,
• flushing consumption,
• peak demand,
• blanketing,
• purging,
• operating hours,
• future expansion.

Converting NL/min to Nm³/h

If a packaging machine consumes:

250 NL/min

then:

250 × 60 / 1,000 = 15 Nm³/h

Three simultaneously operating lines:

15 × 3 = 45 Nm³/h

Peak demand and design margin must then be evaluated.

PSA Nitrogen vs Cylinders

PSA vs Liquid Nitrogen

A correct LIN comparison should include:

• delivered nitrogen price,
• tanker logistics,
• cryogenic tank rental,
• storage,
• boil-off losses,
• minimum deliveries,
• supply risk.

PSA operating cost mainly consists of:

Electricity + Maintenance + Consumables

The most useful comparison is therefore:

€/Nm³ N₂

Benefits of On-Site Nitrogen for Food Plants

• Continuous nitrogen availability
• Reduced external supply dependency
• Predictable operating costs
• Automated operation
• Purity tailored to the process
• Reduced cylinder handling
• Potential scalability
• Integration with multiple packaging lines

How Is ROI Calculated?

Annual Current Nitrogen Cost = Annual N₂ Consumption × Delivered N₂ Cost

Add logistics and rental.

Then:

Annual PSA OPEX = Electricity + Maintenance + Consumables

Annual Savings = Current N₂ Cost – PSA OPEX

Simple Payback = PSA Investment / Annual Savings

High-utilization packaging plants operating multiple shifts can be particularly attractive for on-site generation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is nitrogen used in MAP packaging?

Nitrogen helps displace oxygen and create a controlled atmosphere around the food.

What is MAP?

Modified Atmosphere Packaging changes the gas composition inside a package according to product requirements.

Can PSA nitrogen be used for food packaging?

Yes, when the system is engineered to meet the required nitrogen purity, flow, pressure and gas quality.

What nitrogen purity is required?

It depends on the food, packaging line, residual oxygen target and quality requirements.

Can a PSA nitrogen generator operate 24/7?

Industrial PSA systems can be engineered for continuous operation.

On-Site Nitrogen for Food Packaging with Mentis Engineering

Mentis Engineering treats MAP nitrogen as a complete process system:

**Compressor

• Air Treatment
• PSA Nitrogen Generator
• Nitrogen Storage
• Purity Analysis
• PLC/HMI
• Packaging Line Distribution**

Share your nitrogen consumption, number of packaging lines, operating hours and pressure requirements.

Our team can calculate:

PSA Capacity + Compressor Requirement + Energy Consumption + N₂ Cost per Nm³ + Annual Savings + ROI

Mentis Engineering – On-Site Nitrogen Generation for Food Packaging