CAFRE provides Systech Illinois gas headspace and oxygen permeation analysis instruments as part of packaging technology education and training

OXFORDSHIRE, UK, June 22, 2011 (Press-News.org) Systech Illinois is delighted to announce that CAFRE, the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, has installed Systech's gas analysis equipment in its Loughry campus food technology centre. The purpose built food technology centre and laboratories are used in educational and training programmes for all elements of food management including food packaging technology. For more information call +44 (0) 1844 216838 or go to http://www.systechillinois.com.

"The food technology centre offers an impressive learning environment for students, and we are very proud that the Systech gas headspace analysis and oxygen permeation analysis equipment has been chosen by CAFRE," said Andy Hazlewood, UK Technical Sales Manager for Systech Illinois. "The Packaging Centre is equipped with advanced, high-tech testing equipment, which allows the evaluation of a wide range of properties important to technologists in the food and packaging industries including; strength evaluation, permeability measurement and evaluating packaging materials and distribution packaging systems," Andy continued. "As well as offering assurance to small and medium sized start-up businesses using the services offered by the food packaging centre, the quality system is used to demonstrate best practice principles to students, hence CAFRE's decision to use Systech Illinois gas analysis equipment."

When asked how the analysis equipment will be used and which models have been selected, Andy replied; "To analyse gas headspace and oxygen permeation of packaging, Loughry have chosen two of Systech Illinois' leading instruments; the Gaspace Advance oxygen and carbon dioxide headspace analyser and the 8700 Oxygen Permeation Analyser, with an additional 20 adaptors. The 8701 Oxygen Permeation Analyser is extremely versatile," Andy explained, "capable of measuring wide ranges of oxygen permeability in almost any type of food packaging. It can complete up to 11 sample tests simultaneously and provide data in a very short time of between 3-12 hours."

"As food companies strive to meet consumer expectations by the use of innovative packaging, the Loughry food technology centre is in a prime position to ensure that tomorrow's graduates have a thorough understanding of the properties of packaging. This allows them to make informed packaging choices in their future careers. We're glad to be part of their training and to play a critical role in the education and training CAFRE provides," Andy concluded.

About Systech Illinois

Systech Illinois specialises in online, portable and laboratory gas analysis equipment. With 25 years as one of the leading experts in gas and moisture measurement, Systech Illinois' application and technology knowledge provides efficient gas analysis solutions in many industry sectors worldwide. Systech Illinois' range of oxygen permeation analysers and water vapour permeation analysers offer precise, accurate measurements for all packaging film, finished package and PET bottles. Systech also provides ATEX-approved analysers for measuring both ppm and percentage levels of oxygen in hazardous areas.

Systech Illinois is a multinational company with offices and gas analysis equipment manufacturing facilities in the UK and the U.S. The company prides itself on having a well developed and well trained workforce, with established and effective procedures, whi