Chemistry and Hygiene of Food Gases

Food gases are supplied to the food industry as additives, support or in contact with food ingredients. Consequently, these gases must respect very strict standards in order to come into contact with foodstuffs and therefore in order to ensure food security. In particular, they must comply with precise rules on labelling, purity and hygiene criteria. The relevant legislation was inspired by the White Paper on Food Safety, published in 2000 by the European Commission which has defined the environmental, public health, animal health and consumer protection as joint objectives, freedom of competition. The Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 defines a food as any substance produced, processed or distributed to be ingested, or reasonably expected to be ingested. Food gases are used in the food industry in different applications. This chapter considers the role of food gases in Europe on the regulatory ground with several observations concerning basic features, food safety approaches, classifications and conditions for use.

The European legislator has defined the matter of food gases by means of three regulatory documents at least: Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (general principles and requirements of food law), Reg. (EC) No 852/2004 (hygiene of foodstuffs), and Reg. (EC) No 1935/2004 (materials and articles intended to come into contact with food). Actually, there are different national regulations on these arguments (food and non-food applications in the European Union). The comprehension of the intended use of food gases, according to recent European regulations concerning the safe use of chemicals, is critical. Other points of interest are the identification of the food business operator and the definition of food gas as ‘ingredient’, ‘technological aid’, or ‘food additive’. This chapter discusses the regulatory classification of food (and non-food) gases in the European Union, with possible exclusions.

Gases intended for food-related applications are ‘volatile’ agents. Each food gas has to be produced by authorised companies which should be registered as food business operator in the European Union. As a result, gases intended for food-related applications need to be specifically traceable, similarly to food components. Moreover, the safe use (and related health consequences) of gaseous products and mixtures have to be shared between the final user and all other interested ‘stakeholders’ of the food chain (also with reference to possible food fraud episodes). In addition, the possible mixing of different food gases does not constitute reason for diminishing regulatory and legal responsibilities. With concern to physical and chemical features, and according to the main regulatory document ruling food gases in the European Union, food gases may be subdivided as foaming agents, packaging gases, propellants, or raising substances, although another classification may consider their physical and chemical features when used. This chapter discusses chemical and physical features of commonly used food gases in the food and food packing industries.

Food gases are used in the food industry as ‘ingredients’, ‘technological aids’, or ‘food additives’. Anyway, these substances are in contact with foods and beverages. As a result, food security has to be assured with reference to food gases. On these bases, and because of the evident identification of gases used for food applications as ‘food’, each food gas producer is certainly a food business operator, similar to all players in the food supply chain. The hygienic approach imposes to consider food gases as a single component for food and/or beverage productions. The hazard analysis and critical control points strategy is needed and mandatory in this situation. However, food technologists, biologists, chemists, hygiene experts, and other experienced professionals can have their own opinion in the ambit of safety evaluation and assessment. Consequently, this chapter would give readers some idea in relation to risk assessment of food gases in connection with their European classification as foaming agents, packaging gases, propellants, or raising substances.