Did you Know...
The gas mixtures within the MA packs must be tested at least on start and end of production. Frequency of testing during production should ideally be the equivalent of other checks such as weight control and pack integrity.
By undertaking a series of smaller checks the packer is more likely to identify variations which could affect the safety and/or quality of the product, i.e. for longer runs, testing should ideally be undertaken at hourly intervals if not half-hourly. The use of on-line analysis and control systems can be a useful addition as they will monitor the gas mixture on a continuous basis and stop the machine if anything is detected as being out of specification.
As off-line testing is generally a destructive test a balance needs to be achieved between the cost of the samples and the cost of not testing effectively.
Additional checks should also be considered when an incident has occurred on the packing line. These incidents may be simple such as changing the packing film or may be more complex such as cleaning the machine and resetting the sealing jaws after product “pile-up”.
Check out this case study about gas mixing.