Pure Gases in Food Grade Air

How to Test for Purity and Contaminants

Erin Zimmerman with Trace Analytics

 Trace Analytics, LLC

o Compressed Air Testing Since 1989

o ISO 17025 Accredited
o Tests to ISO 8573, ISO 14644, ISO 14698, and
more!
o Has members and contributors on
o NFPA 1989
o ISO 8573 committee
o ISPE Good Practice Guide
o State-of-the-art equipment that allows us to
analyze hundreds of samples a day
o Work with clients around the world

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 Erin Zimmerman

Erin Zimmerman is the customer service and

sales manager at Trace Analytics.
With wide experience in customer service, she
has a passion for problem solving and works
hard to find the perfect solution for clients.
Erin is HACCP certified and works diligently
with her team to provide the exceptional
service that Trace Analytics is known for.

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 Uses for Pure Gases in Food and Bev

▪ CO2 + N2 – carbonation in beer, soda,

nitro dinks
▪ Extend shelf life
▪ N2 preserves and protects from oxidation
▪ MAP (modified atmospheric packaging)
▪ Oxygen for fermentation, extends shelf life
▪ Gases affect taste and color
▪ Aeration – for appearance and feel of
baked goods

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 Purity vs Contamination

Purity - percentage of gas in a mixture. Gas purity refers to the proportion

of gas present in a sample

Contamination – particles, water, oil, microorganisms or other gases may

negatively impact the quality of the gas or gas mixture

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

Usage may require certain
percentages of gases (ex: 99%
Oxygen, or 99.96% Nitrogen)

Common Specifications:
• USP
• EU 231
• FCC
• JECFA
• CGA
• Custom specifications

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 COMMON CONTAMINANTS

PARTICLES WATER OIL MICRO

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 Sources of Contamination

Purity:
• Offgas
• Leaks – introduce ambient air
• System isn’t producing the
appropriate quality after a certain
period of time

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 Sources of Contamination

Contaminants:

• Distribution piping
• Maintenance
• Hoses, o-rings, etc
• Ambient air
• Leaks
• Cleaning supplies
• Systemic oils
• Condensation / water build up
• Corrosion

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

Imagine drinking clean water
through a dirty straw…

No matter how clean the

water is, a dirty straw with
contaminate whatever passes
through it.

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

Food Safety Standards and Regulations

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 Your Tool Kit

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 Testing Pure Gases

Point of Use Testing Before and After Comparison Testing

Filtration

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 TREND ANALYSIS

Create trend analyses with regular testing

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 PURITY TESTING

We can test the purity of N2, O2, and Ar gases, as well

as gaseous contaminants such as CO2, CH4, CO, TVHC

Trace can test to USP, NFPA 99, FCC,

JECFA, and more

1 2 3

No Spec Existing Specs Custom Specs

Provides gas purity results Tests to existing pure gas Work with Trace Analytics if
with no pass/fail. specifications like USP, your customer has a custom
FCC, JECFA etc. pure gas spec.

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 CONTAMINANT + PURITY TESTING
We can test for particles, water, and total oil in your
compressed air or gas lines in a variety of different ways.

Trace can test to ISO 8573 Classes 1-6,

USP, NFPA 99, CGA, and more

1 2 3

Particles Water Total Oil

To meet ISO 8573 Classes Test for water vapor with We can test for oil vapor, oil aerosol,
1-5, we will size and bin detector tubes and receive on and gaseous hydrocarbons in your
particles. 0.5 microns and site readings for immediate compressed air or gas lines.
up. troubleshooting

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 MICROBIAL TESTING

We can perform enumeration, Gram’s staining, and

microbial identification

Trace can test to ISO 8573-7, ISO 14644, ISO 14698,

USP 797, and custom specifications.

1 2 3

Enumeration Gram’s staining Microbial Identification

Total Plate Counts: total Identify Gram-positive and Presumptive identification for
fungal and total bacterial Gram-negative organisms customers looking to know
per cubic meter per ISO the Genus/Species of
8573-7 organism

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

 How Trace Analytics Can Help

o ISO 17035 Accredited Laboratory to A2LA

o Provides training and handles calibration of
equipment
o Can provide testing for particles, water, total oil,
gases, and environmental testing
o Expert team of customer service reps to help you
troubleshoot available Mon-Friday

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5

HAVE QUESTION WE DIDN’T COVER?
Reach out to our team of experts.

TRACE ANALYTICS, LLC | ERIN ZIMMERMAN | SALES@AIRCHECKLAB.COM | 1-800-247-1024 X 5