Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is AGELESS safe even if it is accidentally ingested?

AGELESS is not a food and should not be eaten on purpose. If the contents of a sachet are accidentally ingested by either you or a pet please rest assured. Our AGELESS product is made from safe ingredients which all comply with FDA regulations. Through acute toxicity tests conducted by public institutions the contents of AGELESS are non-toxic.

If you have further concerns, please contact the Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center, Phone: 1866-269-7972

2. Can AGELESS be used in frozen conditions?

Any type of AGELESS can be used in freezing temperatures of -13°F (-25°C) but the speed of the oxygen absorption becomes extremely slow. If freezing your product with AGELESS is a necessity we do have several suggestions to avoid a very long absorbing period. 

The first being to use our SS type which works in temperatures as low as -4°F (-20°C).  The second is to place AGELESS into the package, seal the package and leave it at room temperature for about half a day before freezingto allow the oxygen to be absorbed at ambient temperatures.

3. Can AGELESS be used with vacuum packaging?

Yes, AGELESS can be used with some vacuum packaging. With a decreased air volume in the package a smaller sized AGELESS can be used. However, placement is very important.  The AGELESS sachet should be placed in a high air flow area within the package. If the sachet is placed under a tray or in a corner of a bag we cannot guarantee that the oxygen will be properly absorbed from the package.

4. Can AGELESS be used with gas flushed packaging?

AGELESS can be used with nitrogen gas flushing. While nitrogen gas flushing reduces the amount of oxygen in a package, it does not take all the oxygen out of the package. A smaller sized AGELESS may be used to absorb the left over oxygen.

Carbon dioxide gas replacement and mixed carbon dioxide-nitrogen gas replacement are NOT recommended for use with AGELESS, as carbon dioxide will inhibit oxygen absorption.

5. Can AGELESS be used in combination with a desiccant (moisture absorber)?

Yes, it can. Use our AGELESS Z-PK type which works well in dry conditions. However, using both together may degrade the performance of AGELESS if they come in contact with each other. If there is a way to avoid contact of the desiccant and AGELESS, there should be no problems.

6. Can AGELESS be used with high-temperature sterilization methods?

If AGELESS is being used with high-moisture products in a boiling or retort sterilization situation, the AGELESS sachet may rupture depending on a number of factors. Please run tests with the actual packaging material to judge the applicability of use.

7. Will the deoxygenation rate be affected by the location in which AGELESS is placed in the packaging?

Yes it will. Generally speaking, AGELESS will eliminate oxygen more quickly when placed directly on the product. Even with our self-reacting absorbers, deoxygenation will take longer when placed under a food tray that if placed on the product. Tests should be conducted under actual conditions in regards to AGELESS placement.

8. I only use a few oxygen absorbers at a time. Will opening and closing the master bag affect the performance of AGELESS?

Repeated opening and closing of the master bag is not advised as it will cause the AGELESS to come into contact with air as many times as the bag has been opened. If only small quantities are going to be used, we recommend that you divide them into small quantities and place them into high gas barrier bags as to reduce the frequency of exposure to air.

9. How long of a shelf life do the oxygen absorbers themselves have?

If left sealed in the original master bag they came in, we can guarantee the effectiveness of AGELESS will last until 6 months after shipment. 

10. Sometimes AGELESS heats up during production packaging; is this normal?

If the master bag containing a self-reacting type of AGELESS is left open, or if the individual sachets are taken one by one from the master bag, heat generated from the reactions of AGELESS may accumulate in the bag, causing the bag to feel hot. Always spread out the sachets on a tray to avoid decreased performance. The roll and belt types may become hot during use, but this will not affect performance as long as they are used within the specified handling time.

11. We had no problems in winter, but food spoilage occurred sooner when it became warmer.

In winter, the air temperature is low and the air is dry; consequently, the ability of microorganisms to propagate is reduced. The amount of microorganisms in the production environment and the initial number of viable bacteria are reduced, and microorganism growth during storage is suppressed; thus, food can be stored efficiently.  However, when the weather is warm, microorganisms such as yeast and facultative anaerobes, which can grow in anaerobic conditions, will grow rapidly and may cause food to spoil earlier.

When AGELESS is used with food susceptible to the growth of mold and food spoilage, storage testing in winter alone is not sufficient. Please conduct storage testing of the actual packaging material again during seasons with higher temperatures, reevaluate the type and size of AGELESS used, and set the expire date accordingly.

Please note that AGELESS and other oxygen absorbers are not effective in preventing spoilage due to anaerobic microorganisms. You should always carefully test your product to determine whether you have a problem with these organisms or not.

12. When AGELESS is used, products seem to become drier. Is this because AGELESS absorbs the moisture content of foods?

AGELESS is not a desiccant (moisture absorber). Self-reacting AGELESS contains the moisture in itself and does not absorb the product moisture content. Water-dependent AGELESS utilizes the moisture content in the atmosphere for reactions but not to an extent that may affect the food composition.

13. AGELESS of an appropriate size results in excessive shrinkage of the product. Is it possible to reduce the size of AGELESS?

Even if the size of AGELESS is reduced, the amount of oxygen in air which AGELESS absorbs does not change. AGELESS is designed to exhibit its effect by keeping the container inside in a deoxidized state within an appropriate time. Using AGELESS of a smaller than appropriate size may delay the time for reaching a deoxidized state or cause oxygen to remain in containers and prevent AGELESS from successfully creating a deoxidized state.

14. The AGELESS packed food bag gradually swells within the sell-by date.

This may be attributed to carbon dioxide generated by food fermentation.  Fermentation occurs in yeasts that can proliferate even under deoxidized conditions and cannot be prevented by AGELESS.

15. Can AGELESS be used with liquid products?

Liquid in an oxygen-permeable container can be stored with AGELESS in an oxygen-barrier outer package.  Even dissolved oxygen can be absorbed by AGELESS through the container material after a while.

AGELESS is not designed to be in direct contact with liquid.

16. What is Water Activity (AW)?

Water activity or AW can be described as the intensity with which water associates with various constituents and solids. In simpler terms it is a measure of the energy status of the water in a system.

If you don’t know the water activity of your product, please take a look at the chart below for a general idea. 

It can also be calculated.  AW is the ratio water vapor pressure (P) generated by the product itself, to the maximum vapor pressure (Po) at a given temperature.  It is also shown by the balanced relative humidity (RH%) generated by moisture transpired from the product when it is packed in a closed container.