Snack food packaging leak testing is a vital process for ensuring the safety and quality of snack foods, reducing waste and cost, and complying with regulatory standards and requirements. This is especially important for perishable snack foods like salad packs, baked goods and snacks that require moisture and oxygen protection.
How to Find Leaks in Snack Packages
Snacking packaging is made of a variety of materials, and different packages may need different types of seal integrity tests. This is why it is essential to understand which equipment is right for your needs so you can get the most out of the test. Then, you can be sure that your products will always travel to their destination without being spoiled.
Using a vacuum decay leak tester to determine the integrity of a seal is a great way to find weak points in your packaging that could result in leaks. These machines are able to handle any kind of material or packaging, so you can be sure that your products will be properly tested.
The test itself is easy to perform. Simply place a snack pack in a see-through tank, fill it with water and then let it sit under vacuum. This will cause bubble streams to appear if there are any leaks in the seal.
This test is non-destructive, and it can be used for a wide range of food packaging, from meat and fish to cheese, coffee, cereals, pet food, bakery, produce and pasta. The results will show whether the seal is leaking and how large the leak is.
Another way to determine the integrity of a seal is to use a dye penetration test. Unlike the vacuum decay test, the dye penetration test uses visible dye that penetrates into the seal area. However, this can be problematic for MAP, gas-flushed and hermetic seals.
In addition to providing a visual indicator of a leak, this test is also non-destructive, and it is easy to interpret the results. It is also quick and reliable, detecting both gross and fine leaks quickly and accurately.
Having proper leak testing equipment is critical for any food producer. This will ensure that your food stays fresh, and it will allow your customers to enjoy a high-quality product every time.
INFICON will exhibit the Contura S400 leak detector for MAP and flexible packaging at PACK EXPO International (October 14-17, 2018; McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, Booth E-8563). The Contura S400 is an alternative to water baths and gas-based testing for MAP and other food packages that require seal integrity.
The test is designed to help food manufacturers reduce waste and increase production efficiency. It is a non-destructive, simple and affordable solution that has been successfully used in many countries worldwide.
Snack food packaging is an essential part of any company’s production process, and it needs to be reliable in order to keep consumers safe from spoilage. This will help to build brand trust with end consumers, and it will make for a better overall experience.