Efficient iron powders for food applications

Iron powder is used in many different areas in the food processing industry. Höganäs produces iron powders engineered to be used mainly for food preservation, food packaging and food processing applications. Oxygen absorbers (or scavengers) contain iron powder to extend shelf life of food products by removing the oxygen contained in a sealed package. High-purity iron powder is used in food processing equipment as a filler to increase the strength and modify properties of polymers.

Iron powder is the primary ingredient in oxygen absorbers, which are used for food preservation. Chemically, they react with oxygen to form iron oxides, preventing the food from undergoing undesirable reactions that cause oxidation, changes in flavour, colour and odour, and the growth of aerobic bacteria due to the presence of oxygen in the package. The performance of iron powder depends greatly on the iron’s particle morphology, porosity, particle size and surface area. Höganäs has a broad assortment of iron powder grades with the material characteristics needed for creating efficient oxygen absorbers, such as controlled particle size and morphology.

Iron powders are also important as additive for parts used in food processing. It is vital that these parts must be made with low levels of toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and mercury as they come in contact with food. Our product is a high-purity sponge iron powder, which is metal detectable and with significantly low traces of arsenic, lead and mercury. The iron powder is engineered to have the right morphology to work as a filler in materials such as polymer systems. It also complies with key materials requirements of food processing material regulations and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).

Another food application where iron powder is commonly used is food heater packs. A flameless ration heater (FRH) is a form of self-heating food packaging, used by the U.S. military and known as Meal, Ready-to-Eat rations, or MRE heaters. Such heaters contain iron powder, magnesium powder or its alloys, salt and water as active ingredients by utilising the exothermic chemical reaction between the metals and oxygen in air. The self-heating food packaging work similarly to hand and body warmers, where the main ingredient also is iron powder functioning as the same kind of heating mechanism.