Oxygen Scavenger Industry: Global Oxygen Scavenger Market Boom Raises New Challenges

Oxygen Scavenger Industry: Global Oxygen Scavenger Market Boom Raises New Challenges

Introduction to Oxygen Scavenger Industry

Oxygen scavengers are chemicals that prevent oxidative degradation by reacting with molecular oxygen. They help extend shelf life of packaged foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Over the past decade, global oxygen scavenger market has witnessed significant growth due rising demand from food and beverage processing industries. However, increased volume has raised new environmental concerns that need addressing.

Oxygen Scavenger Industry Drivers of Growth

One of the primary drivers of growth has been changing consumer lifestyle and eating habits. With increasing urbanization and dual income families, demand for packaged, ready-to-eat and longer shelf-life foods is growing. Oxygen Scavenger allow manufacturers to extend shelf life of various products without preservatives or artificial ingredients. This aligns well with rising health consciousness among consumers.

Another important growth driver is increased international food trade. Globalization of supply chains requires products to have longer shelf life and withstand transit stresses. Oxygen scavengers effectively address this need by maintaining quality during transportation and storage. They help manufacturers export perishable goods to meet international trade standards.

New Applications Emerge

Traditionally, oxygen scavengers were primarily used for packaging of snack foods, cured meats and cheese. However, with advances in technology, newer applications continue to emerge. For instance, oxygen scavengers are increasingly being used in flexible packaging of bread, pastries and biscuits. They allow extending shelf life of baked goods by 3-5 days without preservatives.

Similarly, in beverage sector oxygen scavenger incorporation in bottle closures helps maintain product freshness. New formats like aseptic cartons and Tetra Brik packages also utilize oxygen scavenging technology. Pharmaceutical companies also find them useful for tablets, syrups and ointments packaging to protect efficacy of active ingredients.

Environmental Impact

While oxygen scavenging technology has revolutionized food packaging, its environmental footprint requires addressing. Most common oxygen scavengers contain iron powder that reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide. This generates microplastics termed as nanoparticles or nano-waste. Studies show nano-iron particles from food packaging can leach into surrounding ecosystem.

If released untreated during waste processing, these metal nanoparticles may pose toxic risk to microorganisms in soil and waterways. They can accumulate in food chains over time with unknown impacts. Additionally, some oxygen scavengers use volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as catalysts that vaporize during reaction. This raises concerns about indoor air pollution from packaged foods.

Regulatory Compliance 

In light of environmental impact, several developed countries and regions have introduced regulatory norms for oxygen scavengers. European Union passed directives limiting VOC emissions from packaging materials. Similarly, U.S EPA has guidelines on food-contact nanoparticle safety testing. However, absence of global standards allow some commodities with nano-metals and VOCs to enter global supply chains.

Sustainable Alternatives

To address these issues, packaging industry is actively pursuing more eco-friendly oxygen scavenging technologies. Natural ingredient based solutions utilizing phytochemicals from fruits and spices show potential. Similarly, bio-plastics incorporated with algal extracts can scavenge oxygen through biological pathway. Some novel approaches involve developing edible films with anti-oxidant components.

While still at development stage, these solutions can help reduce environmental footprint in future. They will allow sustainable implementation of oxygen scavenging for extending shelf life globally without compromising on product quality or environmental impact. Technology platforms integrating smart packaging with oxygen scavenging also open new avenues.

Overall, oxygen scavenging technology has enabled efficient global food distribution by extending shelf life of packaged products. However, increased volumes have highlighted need for more sustainable solutions compliant with global regulatory frameworks. Continuous R&D in alternate technologies will play a key role in balancing growth opportunities with environmental stewardship responsibilities in the long run. Adopting a life cycle perspective across supply chains will be important to leverage this technology responsibly.

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