The food and beverages business is a solid end-user industry for the industrial gas and equipment business, a relatively non-cyclical sector that accounts for as much as 7-8% of industrial gas revenues per year, according to gasworld Business Intelligence.
Gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) have long been used to chill, freeze and package foods including fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood and bakery products. The food and beverage industry has enjoyed the benefits of using industrial gases and technologies for decades, improving food quality, preservation and safety in increasingly intricate ways.
Ever-higher consumer expectations, coupled with ever-increasing standards in quality and a growing trend for packaged food products, continue to drive gradual growth in this market. Food manufactures must avoid contamination and optimise their product’s safety, resulting in rising deployment of food-grade gases in packaging and storage applications. Further still, today’s health-conscious consumers want products with fewer additives, with the added assurance of freshness and longevity, putting the emphasis on locking in aroma and texture and extending product shelf life.
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