When it comes to testing an oxygen absorber for nuts or other dry products, it is essential to assess the whole packaging system. The product itself, the amount of air left in the package, the barrier properties of the material, and the seal quality will all have an impact on the outcome of the test.
A sample test of oxygen absorbers should be carried out using the packaging configuration planned for actual use. The closer it is to real production conditions, the more informative the sample will be.
Why It Is Necessary to Control Oxygen for Nuts and Dry Foods
Lipid oxidation occurs in products with high-fat content such as nuts. If oxygen absorbers have insufficient capacity, some oxygen may still remain in the package. Oxygen may also enter through the packaging material or a weak seal, so the total oxygen load can increase over time.
The term “dry food” refers to many different product types. Products such as roasted nuts, dried fruit, dehydrated vegetables, freeze-dried foods, and snack mixes can vary considerably in moisture content, size, weight, composition, and the amount of air trapped in them.
1. Define the Type of Product
Begin by identifying the exact product you want to test and how it is processed.
For example, specify whether it is roasted, fried, baked, dehydrated, or freeze-dried. If it is a mixed product such as trail mix, mention the main ingredients and the format of the snack.
Moisture content or water activity should be included where available. Product composition and sensitivity to oxidation may also influence the application review.
For the products covered by the Tianhua 504C / 504E Guide, 504C is commonly used for high-fat, hygroscopic, or porous products such as nuts, seeds, freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, jerky, coffee, tea, and some bakery products. 504E is more suitable for puffed snacks, soft bakery products, and packs where pressure balance or package shape is important.
This does not mean that every product in the same category should use the same configuration. The final choice still depends on factors such as package type, headspace, barrier, process, and storage conditions.
For general product information, see Tianhua’s Food Oxygen Absorber page and Product Selection Guide.
2. Confirm Package Size and Headspace
Absorber sizing should not depend only on the product weight.
The initial oxygen load depends on the amount of air still available in the package, including headspace and the air trapped between larger pieces such as whole nuts. Oxygen that enters during storage also has to be taken into account.
Packages can have similar net weight but different amounts of air inside.
For the trial run, note the regular fill weight and the highest fill weight along with the package dimensions.
For rigid packs, indicate the overall internal volume as well as the estimated volume occupied by the product. For pouches, provide the finished dimensions and a brief description of the shape of the filled package.
If vacuum sealing or gas flushing is used, mention it in the trial information. If oxygen is measured right after sealing, record the result as a useful benchmark. If it has not been measured yet, it is better to state that rather than rely on an estimate.
The oxygen absorber sizing guide provides more background on packaging volume, product displacement, and headspace. Final capacity still needs to be validated through application review and pack testing.
3. Check the Packaging Material and Barrier
Packaging material has a major effect on oxygen absorber performance.
Important information includes the oxygen transmission rate (OTR), total package surface area, intended storage period, and seal quality.
Provide the complete material structure from your packaging supplier if possible, together with the conditions used for the OTR test.
Descriptions such as “plastic pouch” or “foil-look bag” are usually not enough to evaluate the barrier properly.
Also note any zippers, display windows, valves, fitments, paper layers, or other features that may affect the overall package barrier.
For an early screening trial, exact barrier data may not always be available. In that case, record it as an information gap rather than guessing.
For a formal validation trial, the planned production packaging and closure system should be used.
4. Review the Packing and Sealing Process
Oxygen absorbers begin reacting after the outer barrier bag is opened, so handling time and line practices should be treated as part of the trial.
For the current 504C / 504E products, the client guide states that sachets should be dispensed and sealed into food packages within 90 minutes after opening the outer bag. If some sachets remain, they should be immediately re-heat-sealed in the original barrier bag rather than left exposed to ambient air.
Unused product should be kept in the original sealed barrier packaging in a cool, dry place. The current storage guidance is at or below 25 °C and 60% relative humidity, away from acids, alkalis, and strong odors.
Manual insertion and automated placement can also create different risks.
For example, a high-speed vertical form-fill-seal line placing sachets into trail mix may need to consider line speed, sachet positioning, and possible physical damage during the process.
Record the sealing method, relevant machine settings, and any known contamination risks around the seal area.
During a trial, avoid changing the absorber configuration and the sealing parameters at the same time. If something fails, it becomes much harder to identify the cause.
If moisture control is also being considered, evaluate it as a separate requirement. The article on using desiccants and oxygen absorbers together provides additional background, but the combination should not be treated as a default choice.
5. Define Storage and Distribution Conditions
Storage and distribution conditions are another part of absorber selection.
The intended storage period should be treated as an input for the trial rather than a guaranteed shelf-life result.
Document the expected temperature range, warehouse conditions, distribution route, and any known condensation risk.
Secondary packaging and case configuration may also matter, especially if the product moves through different ambient, chilled, or frozen environments.
If several package sizes or markets are involved, clearly define which combination the first trial represents.
It is also important to decide when the package will be inspected during the trial.
A successful short-term test should not automatically be converted into a shelf-life claim. Shelf life should be established through the product owner’s own validation program using defined criteria and representative conditions.
6. Decide What the Sample Trial Needs to Verify
Before requesting samples, decide what the trial is expected to show.
Useful pack-level checks may include:
- Residual oxygen levels
- Visual package condition
- Seal integrity
- Sachet condition
- Product observations at defined checkpoints
The exact measurements should follow the methods agreed by the buyer or technical team.
Keep records of lot numbers, sealing parameters, storage conditions, and inspection dates. This makes unexpected results much easier to investigate later.
It is also useful to separate a screening trial from a validation trial.
A screening trial can compare several possible configurations and identify basic handling or packaging problems.
A validation trial should be more representative of actual production. It normally uses the final product, production packaging, real line conditions, defined sampling intervals, and predetermined acceptance criteria.
Before samples arrive, agree on what records will be kept and what should happen if a package leaks, a sachet is damaged, or an unusual result appears.
Information to Prepare Before Requesting Samples
Before contacting the supplier, prepare as much of the following information as possible:
- Product: exact food, formulation, processing method, physical form, fill weight, and available moisture or water-activity data.
- Risk to control: the quality issue you are trying to manage and any existing packaging problem or observation.
- Package: format, dimensions, headspace or internal volume, material structure, barrier data, and closure details.
- Packing process: manual or automatic insertion, exposure time, line speed, sachet placement, sealing method, and inspection process.
- Storage and distribution: intended storage period, expected temperature and humidity conditions, route, and secondary packaging.
- Trial design: candidate and control groups, checkpoints, measurement methods, acceptance criteria, and traceability records.
- Commercial context: planned pack sizes, expected production scale, destination markets, and any documentation requirements.
Not every detail will be available at the beginning. Missing information can be identified during the application review rather than filled in with assumptions.
Next Step
Before requesting samples, review Tianhua’s Food Oxygen Absorber page and Product Selection Guide for general application and selection information.
Once the product, package, process, and expected storage conditions are clear, submit the details through the sample request form or contact the technical team about a sample.
Prepare your product and packaging information, then request a sample for a representative pack trial.