FOST 6004

FOOD PROCESSING LABORATORIES 2014/2015

CANNED FOODS - VACUUM AND HEADSPACE

GROUP NUMBER 2

DATE OF SESSION 11-February-2015

DUE DATE 25-February-2015

GROUP MEMBERS

NAMES ID NUMBERS
Devatie Ramjattan 809000565
Samanta Ramnarine 809000612
Salihah Budall 814002570
Liana Burke 807003198
Hershael Ramesar 810001557
Khaleel Mohammed 806004854

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

DATE SUBMITTED SCORE /60

Table of Contents
Abstract

Introduction...

Materials...

Method.

Results...

Calculations...

Pictures.

Discussion

Conclusion...

References

Introduction:
 Canning is the preservation of food by packing it in hermetically sealed containers and

heating before or after it is packed. The term canning comes from the metal can, which is the

characteristic form of container used in this process. Other materials can also be used for making

the containers such as plastics, glass, laminates or combinations of these. The purpose of canning

is to preserve the food product and maintain its nutritional value whilst facilitating its transport

and storage (FAO 1986, 1).

Initially, canned food products were used to meet the needs of the military and for

expeditions of discovery and shipping. The main canned products were sardines, green peas,

salmon, tomatoes and condensed milk (FAO 1986, 1). As time passed, canned foods were used in

mass catering and long-term preservation, but beyond these uses they were considered a luxury

product for private consumption. Canned food production established itself as an important

element in the world economy. Canning was able to provide for domestic needs consumption by

making seasonal food products available throughout the year, promote the development of

agricultural resources and increase the income of agricultural population (FAO 1986, 2).

The canning process consists of four basic operations; food preparation, can filling, air

exhaustion from the can, sealing and thermal process such as heating and cooling. Although

canning is very efficient and can increase shelf life of foods, processing of foods must be

carefully controlled. If there are delays in excess of 20 minutes between filling and sealing or

before processing, microbial growth can occur. Although subsequent heat processes can

inactivate the microorganisms, gas or other metabolites can be present in the can (Sinha 2007,

228).

The headspace in cans is the space between the top of the can and the top of the contents

(Canadian Food Inspection Agency 2013, 15) as seen in the diagram below:
Headspace in a Can Headspace in a Jar

(MS 2004) (MS 2004)

. The amount of headspace required depends on the type of food being canned. For example,

starchy foods tend to expand when heated and therefore require more headspace (MS

2004). Control of the headspace is important for both economic and technical reasons. If cans are

under filled it may cause rusting in the headspace and can contravene weights and measures

legislation. If cans are overfilled it can severely affect the efficiency of the canning operations

such as reduced adequacy of exhausting particularly if steam injection is employed which can

lead to straining or permanent distortion of can ends during heat processing. In agitating cookers,

the movement of headspace gas is necessary to provide disturbance of the contents and assist

with heat transfer in the can. For acid products which produce hydrogen by corrosion of the can

during storage, the headspace serves as the reservoir for hydrogen to fill the can before it

becomes blown (Ranken, Baker and Kill 1997, 517).

Control of headspace in cans of sweetened condensed milk is an exception as it is not

heat sterilized but relies on its high osmotic pressure to prevent microbial growth. Therefore, a

completely filled container is aimed for since the presence of enclosed air atmosphere can be

conducive to mould growth and buttons of osmophilic moulds may grow on the surface at air

bubbles (Ranken, Baker and Kill 1997, 517). [CAN BE USED IN DISCUSSION]
 In sound cans, the composition of headspace gases varies considerably and changes

during storage. In canned fruits, the oxygen disappears rapidly in plain cans, generally within

one week, whilst in lacquered cans the oxygen disappears usually after four to six weeks of

storage. At this stage, the gases consist mostly of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. After the oxygen

almost disappears, hydrogen may begin to form and can cause hydrogen swell in the can over

time. In canned vegetables, the oxygen content falls slowly when the cans are stored. The carbon

dioxide depends on the pretreatment of the vegetables such as blanching and exhausting.

Hydrogen swells rarely forms but hydrogen in the headspace gases can often be detected by

analysis to be present in small amounts. In canned milk, cream and most meats, the carbon

dioxide content depends on the pretreatment and in most cases, the content is small. Hydrogen

develops very slowly and hydrogen swells are practically unknown in these canned foods

(Ranken, Baker and Kill 1997, 517).

The headspace in cans is measured by opening the can and removing the lid. It must be

ensured that the contents of the container are level before the headspace is measured. If the

product is not level, the contents can be leveled by tapping the can gently on a solid surface. The

headspace gauge is then placed on the rim of the container and the point is lowered until it just

touches the surface of the product. The headspace measurement is then recorded (Canadian Food

Inspection Agency 2013, 14).

The presence of an adequate internal vacuum in cans is a sign of good canning practice.

Exceptions to these are carbonated beverages which have an internal pressure naturally and milk

products which have little to no vacuum. The presence of even a low internal vacuum ensures

that can ends remain concave during possible fluctuations of temperature during storage. This

ensures that there is no confusion with cans that have spoiled and have their ends distorted by the
pressure of carbon dioxide produced by fermentation or bacterial spoilage (Ranken, Baker and

Kill 1997, 517).

There are two factors which contribute to the level of vacuum required, the corrosive

nature of the product and its susceptibility to oxidative deterioration. Fruits are generally highly

corrosive and thus require a high vacuum such as 250 N m-2 or higher so that there is a reservoir

for the hydrogen eventually formed during corrosion. Other products do not usually need such

high vacuum despite it being beneficial in terms of product quality such as colour, and

minimizing certain corrosive effects such as headspace rusting and black discolouration (Ranken,

Baker and Kill 1997, 518).

Within ths food industry a vacuum is generally produced by the following methods:

Thermal exhaust

Steam displacement

Mechanical action

Exhausting is the process of allowing air and/or similar gases to escape from the food product

being produced. Inside a sealed container, oxygen gas is undesirable due to its ability to react

with the food and the interior of the can which could adversely affect the quality and nutritional

value for the caned product (MS 2015). Thermal exhaust is typically a home production method

and required the container to be heated to 170 F and as the content cools contraction takes place

and a vacuum is produced inside.

Within a commercial setting, exhausting is accomplished by a method called Steam

Displacement; this is where steam is introduced into a headspace, thus forcing air out as seen in
the diagram below (MS 2004). Once the air is forced out, the can is immediately sealed and

when the steam condenses, a vacuum is formed.

The last method mentioned is Mechanical; this is accomplished by removing a portion of the air

in the container using a pump. This method is commonly used in commercial setting due to ease

of procedure and cost compared to steam displacement.

Vacuum in canned foods can be created by mechanical removal of air or by heating the

product before it is closed. The temperature of the contents at the time which the can is closed is

important as it affects the final vacuum of the can and may influence shelf life of the product and

thus it must be controlled carefully. The closing temperature depends on the type of product and

its preparation techniques (Ranken, Baker and Kill 1997, 517).

The vacuum in cans is usually measured using a Bourdon-type gauge. This is fitted with a

sharp, tapering, hollow needle which projects through a rubber bung. The gauge is calibrated to

zero before measuring the vacuum of each container. The gauge is held firmly against the lid of

the can to create a seal between the rubber of the gauge and the surface of the lid. The container

is tilted slightly to avoid product interference and the hand is used to apply pressure which

causes the needle to pierce the metal and the vacuum level is read off the dial (Canadian Food

Inspection Agency 2013, 9). Cans which have very small headspaces may have readings which
are several centimeters below the true reading. This is due to the diluting effect of air within the

gauge tubing. A FIRA gauge can be used for more accurate readings if necessary, as it

compensates for this effect and allows a true reading by use of a specially designed simple to

operate calculator (Ranken, Baker and Kill 1997, 518). The vacuum gauge is a pressure

differential gauge and thus measures the difference between the pressure within the container and

the external atmosphere. Thus, as atmospheric pressure changes different readings would be

obtained (Ranken, Baker and Kill 1997, 518).

Metal packaging for food products must be suitable so that it reaches the

consumer in a safe and wholesome manner. It must be able to protect and preserve the product,

resist any chemical reactions of the product, withstand the handling and processing conditions,

hold up to external environmental conditions, must have the correct dimensions so that it can be

practically interchangeable with similar products from other supply sources if necessary, should

have the required shelf display properties at the point of sale and should be easy to open for

simple and safe product removal (Coles, Mc Dowell and Kirwan 2003, 120).

The two types of metal cans which are usually used for packaging include three piece and

two piece cans. The three-piece can is the most economical, reliable and widely accepted form of

tinplate container. The three-piece consists of a cylindrical body and two ends. Two-piece cans

may be made from either tinplate or aluminum and these are popular in the beverage industry.

This can consists of a can complete with a base from a single disc of metal. Two-piece cans

allow for better stack stability and lower shelf profiles unlike three piece cans (Hui et al. 2003,

72).

According IFTPS (2004) in cans the vacuum is recommended to fall between 35-70 kPa (10-20

in-Hg) measured at room temperature. Vacuum is affected by many variables which include:
headspace, product temperature, entrapped air, and vacuum efficiency of the closing equipment.

In some products such as vegetables vacuum packed in cans may have a minimum vacuum as a

critical control point.

Pascal et al. (2002) explored the effects of the differential pressure on strength of seal and

package-wall sensitivity to the various changes in headspace volume. But predictions of

pressures inside the package that raised concerns of seal strength and package wall sensitivity

were not made.

Ghai et al. (2011) attempted to produce a mathematical model to predict internal pressure in the

headspace of a rigid pressure tight module during thermal processing. This model predicted

internal headspace pressure in response to the temperature of the product under specified initial

and final conditions. The International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam

(IAPWS) equation was used to calculate approximately vapor pressure of water. The Ideal Gas

Law served as basis for estimating headspace pressure caused by expansion of non-condensable

gases as a function of temperature and specified initial and boundary condition.

Figure : Comparison of measured and predicted internal pressure profiles for distilled water by

Ghai et al. (2011).

A finished can vacuum between 10 and 20 inch per mercury (in.Hg) or 70140 kilopascal (kPa)

is common for canned foods (Coles et al. 2003, 134). Alternative levels, however, of between 0

and 6 in.Hg (040 kPa) may be seen for containers with low headspace, or 26 in.Hg (180 kPa)

for high vacuum packs such as sweet-corn in a little brine (Coles et al. 2003, 134).

The canning process of food products depends on several factors; these include pH,

thickness/viscosity, food particle size, container dimension and the cooking temperature. Food

products can fall into two general pH groups; low acid and high acid.
 (McGlynn

2010).

As seen in the diagram above, low acid food is defined as having a pH of more than 4.6, and

high acid ad 4.6 and lower.

For low-acid foods with a pH value greater than 4.6, spores in particular Clostridium botulinum

is of major concern. Poorly processed can of food provides an ideal environment for Clostridium

botulinum spores, since the bacteria can survive in the absence of oxygen. Clostridium botulinum

creates an extremely potent neurotoxin, even small amounts of this toxin can causes food-borne

illness; referred to as botulism (McGlynn 2010).

Fortunately, the spores of Clostridium botulinum will not grow if the pH of a food is 4.6 or less,

thus for low acid food potential spores or environment welcoming for the growth of spores must

reduced by heating during the canning process. Because these spores are very heat resistant,

canned low-acid foods must be pressure-cooked at high temperatures for long periods of time.

Temperatures of 240F (115.6C) or greater are commonly used and process times may range
from 20 minutes to several hours (McGlynn 2010). Most vegetables, meat and poultry foods fall

into the low-acid range category..

In high acid foods, fear of Clostridium botulinum growth is lower, thus these foods require much

less heating than low-acid foods. For foods with a pH value of 3.5 or less, 175F (79.5C) is a

sufficient pasteurization temperature (McGlynn 2010). Those foods with a pH range between 3.5

and 4 have a recommended pasteurization temperature of 185F (85C). For foods with a pH

range of 4 to 4.3, the recommended pasteurization temperature rises to 195F (90.5C). Foods

with a pH value of 4.3 to 4.5 have a recommended pasteurization temperature of 210F (99C)

(McGlynn 2010).

In this lab, different methods used to produce a partial vacuum in canned food products

will be examined. The effect of filling temperature and headspace on vacuum will be determined

and the degree of vacuum in some commercial canned food products will be assessed.
Materials:

A2 cans, Can seamer, digital thermometer, mercury in glass thermometer, vacuum gauge (figure

1), head space gauge (figure 2) and commercially canned products.

Figure 1 (above) showing the vacuum gauges, which may be measured in inches mercury or psi.

Figure 2 (above) showing the headspace gauges of varying measurements.

 Figure 3 (above) showing Commercially Canned items examined.

Method:

Water was heated, filled and sealed in metal cans, at a constant headspace of 3/8 inch to

the following temperatures: ambient, 40C to 100 C at intervals of 10C. The results were

recorded in triplicates for each closing temperature.

Water was heated to constant temperatures of: i) 70C and ii) 85C each with varying

headspace measurements of: 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 and 1. The results were recorded in

triplicates for each closing temperature and headspace.

All the labelled cans were cooled to room temperature by immersion in a water bath for

30 minutes; after which the vacuum of each can was recorded.

The vacuum was also determined for four commercially canned items provided. These

were Libbys Pineapple Slices, Trinidad Orange Juice, Eve Green Pigeon Peas and Eve

Sweetened Condense Filled milk seen in figure 3.

Results:

Table 1: Vacuum Pressure when Cans were filled with product of varying Temperature but with a

Constant 3/8 Headspace

CAN 1 CAN 2 CAN 3

(inHg) (inHg) (inHg)

PRODUCT POURED

AT
ROOM 1.0 1.0 1.0

TEMPERATURE
400C 1.0 1.0 1.0
500C 1.o 1.0 2.0
600C 4.0 3.5 4.0
700C 7.0 8.0 1.0
800C 13.5 14.0 14.0
900C 17.0 18.0 15.5
1000C 19.0 20.0 16.5
 Table 2: Vacuum Pressure when Cans were filled with product at 700C but with varying

Headspaces

HEADSPACE (inches) TEMPERATURE (0C) VACUUM(inHg)

1 2.0
0
70 C
2 3.0

3 2.0

3/8 1 0.0

700C 2 3.0

3 2.0

1 2.0

700C
2 3.5

3 3.5
1 4.0
5/8
700C 2 4.5

3 4.5
1 1 3.5

700C
2 5.0

3 4.5
 Table 3: Vacuum Pressure when Cans were filled with product at 850C but with varying

Headspaces

HEADSPACE (inches) TEMPERATURE (0C) VACUUM(inHg)

1 0.0
0
85 C
2 0.0

3 0.0

3/8 1 6.0

850C 2 6.0

3 6.0

1 10.0

850C
2 6.0

3 8.5
1 8.0
5/8
850C 2 6.0

3 9.0
1 1 9.0

850C
2 10.0

3 8.0
References:

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2015. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-food-aliments/STAGING/text- texte/

processed _manual_chapter5_1386787438167_eng.pdf

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=vacuum+and+headspace+in+cans&source=gbs_navlinks_s

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in+cans&source=gbs_navlinks_s

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penetration studies. Accessed February 22nd, 2015.

http://www.iftps.org/pdf/heat_pen_6_04.pdf

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http://www.meatsandsausages.com/canning/food/exhausting-vacuum

Pascal MA. 2002. Evaluation of a laboratory-scale pressure differential (force/decay) system for

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Technology and Science 15: 197-208.

Ranken, M.D., Christopher G J Baker and R.C. Kill. 1997. Food Industries Manual. Springer

Science & Business Media. Accessed February 16, 2015. https://books.google.tt/books?id

=iG3wx9Wh5N4C&dq=vacuum+and+headspace+in+cans&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Sinha, Nirmal. 2007. Handbook of Food Products Manufacturing. John Wiley & Sons. Accessed

February 16, 2015. https://books.google.tt/books?id=dZdhkaR9NzoC&dq=vacuum+and+

headspace+in+cans&source=gbs_navlinks_s

William McGlynn. 2010. FAPC- 118 The Imprtance of Food pH in Commercial Canning

Operations. Accessed February 20th, 2015. http://fapc.biz/files/factsheets/fapc118.pdf