Oxygen is a highly reactive gas, meaning that it likes to combine with other molecules, causing food to spoil or lose its quality. By using nitrogen to flush out the oxygen in the chips bags, the shelf life is extended, and the integrity and quality of chips and snacks are maintained. Why is nitrogen gas filled in potato chips packages? · Chips packages are filled with nitrogen because it is an inert gas, so it acts as an antioxidant and prevents oils and fats in potato chips from oxidizing. It gives potato chips a longer shelf life. Bacteria need oxygen to grow, and if all the oxygen were removed, they would not be able to grow. This means that there is no chance of mold, mildew, or other substances developing on the chips. Maintains Moisture Moisture is the enemy of potato chips. By filling every ounce of space with nitrogen, no water vapor can enter the bag, and the chips will stay crunchy until you're ready to eat them. Is inhaling nitrogen harmful? Nitrogen is an inert gas - meaning it does not react chemically with other gases - and it is not toxic. But breathing pure nitrogen is deadly. That's because the gas displaces oxygen in the lungs. Loss of consciousness can happen in one or two breaths, according to the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. How much air is in a bag of potato chips? In 2015 visual artist Henry Hargreaves conducted a similar experiment. His discovery found that air made up about 70% of the bag, compared with the group's finding that the average amount of air was 43%. This means a 27% increase in the amount of chips in the bag over the past two to three years. Is nitrogen toxic to the body? High concentrations of nitrogen gas can be particularly harmful to human health. Nitrogen can displace oxygen from the surrounding air within an enclosed space resulting in a dangerous buildup of an inert gas. Do we need to inhale nitrogen? Nitrogen makes up nearly four-fifths of the air we breathe, but the unreaction is not used in respiration at all—we simply breathe the nitrogen back in, unchanged. However, nitrogen is essential for the growth of most organisms, and is found as a vital component of proteins. What are the dangers of nitrogen? Being odorless, colourless, tasteless and non-irritating, nitrogen does not have properties that could warn people of its presence. Inhaling excessive amounts of nitrogen can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, unconsciousness, and death Why are potato chip bags so noisy? There's a scientific reason why the sundae bag is so loud: The new polymers used in the biodegradable bag have a high glass transition temperature (the temperature when polymers transition from a solid to a rubbery state). Which means a very fragile bag)
