Snacks and crisps packaging quality assurance: Next-generation technology

A packaged snacks brand’s success relies not just on the quality and taste of their products, but also on effective packaging. Crisps, for instance, need to reach the consumer, tasting fresh and feeling crunchy. For this reason, packaging testing for quality assurance (QA) is crucial. 

Performing precise leak and gas tests on crisps and packaged snacks packaging ensures:

• Product freshness - Snacks maintain the desired texture and mouthfeel 
• Shelf life extension - Packaging slows spoilage by reducing oxygen exposure and microbial growth, keeping the product safe and appealing for longer
• Standards compliance - The product meets food safety adherence, as there’s no risk of contamination.

These three factors are essential to a successful packaged snacks brand, as they boost manufacturer-retailer relationships and foster customer trust. 

How snacks and crisps-specific packaging testing technology can boost your business

Until recently, packaging quality assurance tests have been performed on multiple instruments - a gas analyser, a leak detector, and a burst tester. This method is time-consuming and slows the packaging process, leading to lower productivity. Additionally, traditional leak detection machines, such as water baths, don’t produce objective and repeatable measurements. 

Operators using a water bath need to interpret the results using visual observation. They need to count the bubbles that escape from a package and track their origin. But can they see the smallest bubbles? Can they accurately spot where they came from? Probably not. And even if the operator has 20/20 vision, the measurement is an approximation, especially because holes below 30 microns do not produce any visible bubbles. In any case, a single randomised test doesn’t provide enough information to justify amending the packaging process.

Fortunately, packaging testing technology has evolved over recent years. Companies like EMCO have developed precise machines that run multiple tests (gas, leak, and burst) in a single sequence.

Our instruments are the most accurate on the market: they can measure leaks down to 10 microns. Moreover, they record test data, which you can use to develop a statistical analysis to streamline the packaging process. Making strategic long-term decisions about changing packaging machine parameters or selecting film types becomes easy.

By refining your snacks or crisps packaging quality control using next-generation technology, you can achieve:

• A boost in packaging line operation time
• Reduced leak instances 
• Fewer human error occurrences
• Decreased health and safety concerns
• Lower volume of rejected goods and product recalls
• Savings on gas, packaging materials, energy, and logistics costs due to product returns or discards.

All these points can give you an edge in the snacks market.

The TPC Industrial: A semi-automatic package leak detector, gas analyser, and burst tester

The TPC Industrial tests modified atmosphere packaging for integrity, gas composition, and burst pressure.

We specifically designed and optimised this machine for the packaged snacks market. Here’s why:

• It runs a semi-automatic sequential gas, leak, and burst test - just press “start” 
• It fits all snacks and crisps packaging sizes -  there is also a version for tubular or canister crisps packaging
• It can measure leaks down to 10 microns, which is 1/10 the thickness of a human hair 
• It records test data you can use to generate a statistical analysis to optimise your packaging process.

The TPC Industrial features a large touchscreen with an intuitive interface. Start and stop tests with on/off buttons and interpret colour-coded red and green results instantly. Production line operators can run tests quickly and easily.

The unit consists of:

• A large touchscreen
• A semi-automatic sampling tray featuring a needle and bellow with integrated laser light.

The laser light helps the operator choose the piercing spot with accuracy. Once they start the test, the machine immobilises the package and automatically drives the needle into it. The silicone bellow, which creates a seal around the needle, ensures there are no leaks. This means the operator doesn’t need to apply septas (self-adhesive foam pads) to each package, as they would with a standard gas analyser.

The TPC Industrial possesses an automatic back-flush system. After each series of tests, the machine purges the needle with compressed air, ensuring no food debris, salt, or powdered flavourings get trapped in the system and block the needle. The automatic filtration reduces maintenance requirements and eliminates needle blockages.

Let’s look at the TPC Industrial’s functions in detail.

Precise snacks and crisps packaging gas analyser

The TPC Industrial measures O2 and or CO2 in modified atmosphere packaging, producing a gas reading within 15 seconds. The results are precise 100% of the time, thanks to the semi-automatic needle and bellow.

Unmatched snacks and crisps package leak detector

To detect leaks, the machine inflates the package to 30 millibars. When the pressure is reached, the gas flow needed to maintain the target pressure is measured. The machine determines how much air escapes from a leak by doing this.

The gas flow measurement is then converted into a hole size down to 10 microns, which is displayed on the screen.

We designed our leak test specifically for crisps packaging. Soft pouches often move and flex under pressure. By continuously measuring gas flow while simultaneously maintaining a constant pressure, the machine produces a more accurate reading than traditional pressure decay instruments.

The leak detection test takes between 1 and 2 minutes, depending on the pack size.

Accurate snacks and crisps package burst tester

If activated, the burst tester function inflates the package until it bursts to evaluate its strength and durability. This function is especially important as the world moves toward eco-friendly, recyclable, and compostable packaging, as companies need to evaluate and optimise new, greener packaging films.

The screen shows the pressure at which the package bursts in millibars. 

What makes the TPC Industrial the best testing instrument for snacks and crisps packaging

The TPC Industrial isn’t simply a combination of existing machines linked to each other. It’s a custom-built, state-of-the-art modified atmosphere packaging testing machine with integrated leak & burst testing. 

Start sequential gas, leak, and burst tests with a single tap. Select any combination of tests, or the TPC will perform all 3 automatically. Press the “start” button and leave the machine to run the tests independently. 

In addition, the TPC Industrial collects all results in a file, which you can download via a USB stick or hard drive. The data is automatically shared if you link the machine to the company’s wifi network.

Managers can use the empirical data to develop a statistical analysis to reduce leak instances and optimise the packaging process. Assessing whether there’s an operator error or an issue with a new type of film becomes easy. 

Finally, you can set custom thresholds and parameters, such as the pressure applied during a burst test. 

Here’s what makes the TPC Industrial unique in a nutshell:

• It runs gas, leak, and burst tests in a single sequence
• Once you press “start,” it runs tests independently
• It fits most snacks and crisps packaging shapes and sizes
• It can be equipped with a sampling tray that fits tubular packaging
• The laser light helps aim the needle and bellow 
• The leak detector uses continuous gas flow for ultra-precise measurements
• Leak readings are converted into hole sizes down to 10 microns
• Results are fast and easy to read thanks to the red and green results
• You can set custom thresholds and parameters
• Each test is opt-in
• It records precise data you can use to streamline the snacks packaging process
• It requires little maintenance thanks to the dual-filtration system
• It features a silicone bellow integrated into the needle assembly, so you don’t need to change septa for each test.

If you think your products won’t fit inside the TPC Industrial, take a look at the TPC Desktop. We can build this machine to feature either an articulated arm with a free-moving needle and tube or multiple articulated arms and product lanes. The TPC Desktop can perform sequential tests on flexible or semi-rigid packages of almost any size. 

Why choose EMCO

EMCO researches and develops innovative techniques to mix, analyse, and optimise all food gases. With core competencies in controlling technical gas flow, pressure, and density, EMCO is a leader in leak detection and seal integrity for flexible packages. 

We installed the TPC Industrial throughout every continent (except for Oceania) for big and small brands, including one of the world’s largest crisps manufacturers. The TPC is widely used across North America, Europe, and the UK. It gives our clients an edge on the crisps market.

If you’re looking to take your snacks or crisps packaging process to the next level, give us a call. 

All our instruments can be custom-built to satisfy your company’s unique needs.