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A simple test by Versaperm to check the permeability of your packaging and edible films, can dramatically increase the shelf life of biodegradable products, even frozen products.  Using the wrong materials can easily reduce the shelf life by days, weeks or even months for some products.  Getting it right can mean pounds in your pocket – and fresher, tastier food for your customers.

The shelf life of food is almost entirely determined by Oxygen – sometimes it needs to be excluded, sometimes included, and often the rate of flow through the packaging needs to be precisely controlled so that foods can respire.  Even with frozen foods, packaging with the wrong permeability for your product causes freezer burn and “off” smells. The critical function for both quality control and the development of new packaging designs is oxygen permeability.

Fortunately Versaperm offers a fast and effective food and packaging testing service and a consultancy, all based on its own, leading-edge, designed and manufactured laboratory equipment.  Versaperm’s latest instrument range often gives results in as little as 30 minutes, often leading to a 24 hour turn-around, whereas traditional gravimetric tests can take weeks.  And they can also measure permeability not just for oxygen, but for water vapour, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen, Argon and most other gases and vapours.

Food packaging materials are critically dependent on the specific foods they need to preserve.  If you allow too much, or too little, Oxygen or Carbon Dioxide to escape, it leads to oxygen concentrations that cause stress, taints, fermented “off” flavours and even health hazards.  Permeability is not just important for fresh fruit and vegetables, but also for packaged or frozen foods or even those traditionally sold in pouches or sachets.

Versaperm’s permeability meter is typically accurate in the parts per million range.  It offers automated control and can cope with several samples at a time and it can test both the packaging material and the finished package.

Versaperm’s comprehensive permeability laboratory testing service can often turn around a sample within 24 hours.