The Fatory, a private label manufacturer of pet nutrition products and a member of the Bioriginal Group of Companies, has added nitrogen filling capabilities to its liquid bottling line to protect oil-based formulations from oxidation and extend shelf life.
According to the company, oils are among the most nutritionally valuable ingredients in pet nutrition formulations but are highly susceptible to oxidation. When oxygen interacts with these compounds during filling, storage or transit, the result is rancidity, reduced bioavailability and shortened shelf life. Packaging approaches such as antioxidants, opaque containers and refrigeration help manage the risk but address oxidation after exposure has occurred rather than preventing it at the source, noted The Fatory.
The Fatory's nitrogen filling line is designed to displace oxygen throughout the bottling process. Oils are stored under a nitrogen blanket prior to filling, bottles are pre-flushed with nitrogen, filling occurs under nitrogen-assisted conditions to displace residual air, and a final nitrogen purge is applied before sealing. The process reduces headspace oxygen, the primary driver of post-packaging oxidation.
"Oxidation is one of the most important factors impacting the quality and performance of oil-based products over time," said Bjorn de Bruijn, managing director of The Fatory. "By integrating nitrogen throughout the filling process, we're able to significantly reduce oxygen exposure and deliver products that maintain their freshness, stability, and nutritional integrity from the moment of filling to the moment of use."
The addition extends The Fatory's private label offerings, which span formulation through finished product.
The Fatory, based in Bodegraven, the Netherlands, operates one of Europe's largest private label production lines for pet supplement products, specializing in sheep fat treats and nutritional oils. As part of the Bioriginal Group of Companies, the company offers services from formulation to bottling, supported by a vertically integrated supply of ingredients.
