Contaminants flying through the air in repacking facilities can jeopardize the security and freshness of food items and ultimately endanger the health of consumers when they’re left unaddressed. However, with the proper air filtration system in place, food manufacturers can significantly minimize these risks.
If a repacking plant uses an air filtration device scored at MERV 11, it can filter out almost everything that floats in the air. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is a scale for scoring air filtration efficiency.
How MERV 11 air filtration works
Without proper filtration, food repacking plants can be full of pathogens, microbes and other impurities that pollute the air. These contaminants are spread by the airflow in these food processing facilities, which cling to the packing boxes and ultimately end up in repacked food products. MERV 11-rated filters provide the necessary air protection.
Air taken in passes through a continuous matrix of fibers that capture the particles suspended in the air. Since many of these particles are much smaller than the filter’s individual fibers, filters like this capture a significant fraction of all particles smaller than 1 micron, including dust, pollen, mold spores, and even some bacteria – all smaller than the pores cut in lower-MERV-rated filters.
Although filters with a lower MERV score are also capable of providing filtration within certain limits, they do not have strong implications for capturing viruses with smaller spikes and most other fine contaminants.
Benefits of MERV 11 filters in food repacking facilities
Repacking is a process of dividing bulk food into smaller portions, which are meant to match consumer demands, such as single serving sizes. It requires various processes like precisely separating portioned food, accurately labeling it, and packing it into containers meant for shipping and selling.
The role of air quality is imperative throughout the repacking process, as it helps to keep food products free of contaminants while maintaining food safety.
Here are four key benefits of using MERV 11 filters in repacking facilities:
- Improves food safety: Contaminated air can introduce harmful pathogens to repacked food products, potentially putting consumers at risk. MERV 11 filters filter out a high proportion of these contaminants, such as dust and allergens, as well as microorganisms.
- Reduces contamination incidents: Implementing MERV 11 air filtration significantly decreases product contamination incidents and ensures integrity of the food product.
- Minimizes environmental impact: MERV 11 filters help our HVAC system require less power to circulate the same amount of air, which means greater efficiency and less environmental impact.
- Guarantees quality: MERV 11 air filtration systems align with food safety standards prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and many other regulatory bodies that govern compliance and certification.
MERV 11 filtration helps ensure that repacked food products stay safe by eliminating hazards, minimizing the risk of contamination, and inspiring confidence and reliability.
Work with repacking experts
Econo-Pak has offered contract food packaging and manufacturing services for more than 40 years. Our 200,000-square-foot facility has more than 200 packaging machines to ensure efficient and precise repacking. With MERV 11 filters, our facility remains free from airborne particles and contaminants to keep all our clients’ food products safe.
We prioritize customization, quality assurance and scalability to meet the needs of our clients. Request a quote to learn how we can scale your food packaging operations today.
