Argon

Argon is a naturally occurring noble gas that makes up approximately 0.93% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the third most abundant atmospheric gas. In food it functions as a packaging gas and inerting agent, used in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to displace oxygen and thereby prevent oxidative spoilage in fresh produce, pre-packaged meat, ready meals, and bulk dry goods. It is also used in the wine industry as an inert blanket gas to protect wine in open bottles and storage tanks from oxygen contact after the container has been opened.

No JECFA numerical ADI is applicable to argon as a food additive. As a chemically inert noble gas, argon does not react with food components, is not metabolised in the body, and has no toxicological profile of concern. Residual argon in packaged foods is negligible relative to its natural atmospheric abundance and is harmlessly expelled from the body in exhaled air.

Argon is approved in the EU as E938 for use as a packaging and processing gas across a broad range of food categories. It is essentially indistinguishable in function from nitrogen (E941) in most packaging applications, but argon may be preferred in some applications because its greater density relative to nitrogen provides more effective oxygen displacement per volume. For consumers, the presence of E938 in packaging information indicates that the product is packed under modified atmosphere conditions — a quality-preservation technology that has no bearing on the safety or nutritional content of the food itself. It is one of several inert gases (along with nitrogen, helium, and carbon dioxide) used in food packaging.