the linde group&rsquos division linde gases has introduced a new technology called mapax ld that claims to improve food packaging process by detecting faults in modified atmosphere packaging map.faulty food packaging, such as poor sealing, food caught in between packaging seals, tears or pinsized holes, often lead to increased production costs for food packager and reduced shelf life, spoilage and customer complaints for the food retailer as the entire batch has to be recalled and repackaged.sometimes, large batches of faulty packaging also attract penalties from food regulators and seriously jeopardises consumer safety.mapax ld technology will eliminate the randomness in sampling when products are being tested as majority of food packaging, which is hermetically sealed using map technology, is traditionally sample tested rather than each individual package being evaluated.elaborating on this, linde global strategic marketing & development, food & beverages, mark ewig said "mapax® ld is unique in that it allows for the identification of defective packaging to be undertaken as part of the overall production process with a 100 percent validation rate so that each and every item is analysed, with up to a hundred checked per minute."by using hydrogen gas to detect any faults in the packaging, the analysis is nondestructive versus the waterbased method where the food item is likely to be destroyed once immersed. the nondestructive method allows for the food item to be taken off the production line, defective packaging removed and then repackaged, thereby reducing food wastage."mapax ld technology uses foodgrade hydrogen gas instead of visual or manual waterbased testing to identify faulty map packaging.the gas is added at the packaging sealing stage, which when detected by the mapax ld sensor, activates an alarm, allowing the defective items to be removed from the production line with minimal interruption to the packaging process.faulty settings on the packaging machine can also be identified earlier using the technology, as production can be paused and settings corrected upon discovery of several leaks, reducing the risk of further defective packaging during that production run.the mapax ld unit is manufactured from stainless steel, to stringent specifications and conforms to all international food hygiene standards. the food grade hydrogen used is iso 22000 certified.a patented technology, mapax ld can be used on modified atmosphere production lines for a wide range of packaged foodstuffs, ranging from meat, poultry and fish to prepackaged salads, nuts, dried fruits and coffee. 
