Argon is a noble gas and is present in the atmosphere in very small amounts, only 0.9 percent. It is a special gas with a very high degree of purity, and because of its chemical characteristics it is used in various industries, including the food industry, where it is useful in food processing stages to prolong food preservation. Let’s see, then, what argon is, its main applications and the advantages of its use in food.

What is food grade argon gas: characteristics

Argon is a nonflammable, compressed, colorless and odorless gas, plus it is an inert and very dense gas with a higher specific gravity than air, making it safe and useful to use in many industrial settings. Like all noble gases, it is characterized by high molecular stability and extremely low reactivity.

The uses of argon

The peculiarities of this gas are the strength of various industrial processes in a wide range of commodity categories and enable optimization in terms of efficiency both on the processing side and from the point of view of product quality.

Here are the main uses of argon gas in various industries:

• Food industry
  The applications of which are specifically analyzed in the following section.
  
  
• Aluminum production
  Argon is used for inerting in place of air or nitrogen in the degassing process to eliminate unwanted gases and remove hydrogen and particulates from molten aluminum.
  
  
• Steel processing and production

It prevents oxidation by removing gases and vapors; in stirring molten steel, it allows temperatures to be kept under control and a homogeneous composition to be obtained. Again in degassing it is an aid in the elimination of unwanted gases and is used during the refining of stainless steel in the argon-oxygen decarburization (A.O.D.) process.

• Metal fabrication
  In this industrial process, argon is used to create inert protection during welding, achieve an oxygen- and nitrogen-free environment for annealing and rolling of metals and alloys, and to clean up molten metals by eliminating porosity in the melt.
  
  
• Semiconductor manufacturing
  For creating a protective atmosphere and as a heat transfer medium for germane and silicon crystal growth, but also as a carrier or purge gas.
  
  
• Lighting
  For filling incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs and obtaining blue light in neon lamps.

The uses of argon in the food industry

In the food industry, argon is used to create atmospheres with reduced oxygen. This noble gas proves particularly effective in the packaging in protective atmosphere and for extend shelf-life of food, preventing deterioration from oxidation, mold formation, and moisture leakage, but it is also used in various processes in winemaking, such as Nitrogen alternative to remove oxygen, particularly during storage and thewine bottling.

Argon and food packaging

In particular, argon in the food industry, either singly or in a mixture with other food gases, brings real benefits in the food packaging stage:

• Prevents oxidation of the product
• Slows down bacterial growth
• Gives a fresh appearance to the product and improves its presentation
• Maintains organoleptic and nutritional characteristics unchanged

Inerting with argon

Argon can also make a significant contribution in the inerting process, as:

• Keeps the product safe
• Increases product life by preventing oxidation
• Counteracts the phenomenon of rancidity

The benefits of using argon gas in foods

Responding promptly to the needs of markets and consumers is the most important challenge for food producers and distributors in all sectors, especially in light of the increased demand for ready-made meals that are easy to cook and store.

In this, food gases are great allies of the industry, including argon, as in combination with or instead of other solutions it provides several advantages in the economics of enterprise management:

• Improved efficiency and planning of production processes
• Reducing production costs
• Improved distribution capacity
• Reduction of production waste
• Increased product safety, quality and marketability

How is argon produced?

As with oxygen, nitrogen and other “minor” gases, argon is produced by the process of fractionating air.

This process involves separating the air into the components from which it is made:

• Nitrogen (78%)
• Oxygen (21%)
• Argon (0.9%)
• other gases (0.1%).

Learn more about fractionation youtube video

SIAD’s Argon

Our Group maintains a long tradition in the production and marketing of pure and ultra-pure gases such as argon, and we have been committed to the advancement of the industry since SIAD’s founders started the first two research laboratories.

Some of the processes developed by SIAD have since become assets of the large national chemical industry and have enabled SIAD to play a leading role nationally and internationally, specializing in the production of pure gases for laboratories and industry.

Today, the automation achieved in the air fractionation process enables high levels of efficiency ranging from production to storage to distribution to ensure a positive experience for partners who embark with us on a path of process efficiency through the use of gases.

We guarantee supply arrangements and a range of ancillary services to make the most of the use of this noble gas:

• Transportation in cylinders, cylinder packs, or tankers
• Design and installation of gas distribution systems
• Provision of equipment for the proper use of argon
• Technical assistance and advice for transportation, distribution and its applications

In addition, SIAD argon can be supplied with purity (grade 5.0 – 5.5 – 5.8) or in special mixtures and calibration mixtures of composition on request.