THE BENEFITS OF IRON POWDER IN FOOD INDUSTRIES

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THE BENEFITS OF IRON POWDER IN FOOD INDUSTRIES

IRON POWDER - Direct reduced iron, sponge iron

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Iron powder, also known as direct reduced iron (DRI), is a highly pure form of iron that is produced by reducing iron ore in the form of pellets or lumps using a reducing gas derived from natural gas or coal. The reduction process removes oxygen from the iron ore, resulting in a product that is rich in metallic iron content.

The iron powder has various applications across different industries:

Steelmaking:

One of the primary uses of iron powder is in the steelmaking industry. It serves as a source of metallic iron for the production of steel. Iron powder is added to the steelmaking process as a supplement or alternative to scrap metal. It helps enhance the efficiency of steelmaking and can be used to produce high-quality steel with specific properties.


Powder Metallurgy:

Iron powder is widely used in powder metallurgy, a manufacturing process that produces metal parts and components from metal powders. It can be compacted and sintered to create a wide range of products, including automotive parts, machinery components, tools, and electrical contacts.


Chemical Industry:

Iron powder is utilized in various chemical reactions and processes. It can serve as a reducing agent, catalyst, or precursor for the production of different chemicals and compounds. Iron powder can be used in the production of pigments, magnetic materials, and pharmaceuticals.


Welding and Brazing:

Iron powder is sometimes added to welding and brazing processes to improve the quality of the weld joint. It helps enhance the fluidity of the molten metal, promotes better fusion, and provides strength to the weld.


Soil Remediation:

Iron powder is used in soil remediation processes to remove contaminants, such as chlorinated solvents and heavy metals, from polluted soils. It acts as a reducing agent, helping to transform or immobilize the contaminants, making the soil cleaner and safer.
It's worth noting that the specific applications and uses of iron powder can vary depending on its purity, particle size, and other characteristics. Different industries and applications may require specific types of iron powder with tailored properties.


More about Ferrous sulfate can be found on Wikipedia

Applications of Iron Powder



Our knowledge about metals was developed very early when we attempted the metallurgical processes to get the demanded derivates. The benefits of Iron Powder In food Industries among the earliest metals that were discovered and derived in near pure forms for the manufacture of tools/implements and weapons of course. Now we have very refined techniques to make iron in high-grade purity. Electrolytic iron powder is one such form of iron that assures 99.5% purity and is therefore in high demand in different sectors including the food, nutrition and pharmacy manufacture.
The benefits of iron powder in the food industry are phenomenal. The devotion towards iron and its refined derivatives are on account of it being one of the most fundamental components in our body. Upon iron depends the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood where this element forms the core of the RBCs. Ironically, this element is also prone to depletion and we call the condition as anemia. We have therefore developed various techniques of using elemental iron in pure forms (like the electrolytic iron powder) in food products so that the deficiencies are negated and health is achieved. Iron powder manufacturers in India offer high purity customized derivatives to suit the requirements of the food and nutrition industry.

Use of iron powder for fortification

The fortification was developed as a nutrition concept whereby processed or semi-processed foods and also cereals were added with pure iron compounds (of proven and certified bioavailability) with the objective of increasing the nutritional value and more particularly to combat the anemic conditions. It should be stated that anemia was identified as a major deficiency disease, especially among the females and therefore governments funded subsidized fortification schemes to counter this problem on a mass scale. These programs still continue in many developed and developing nations including India. Pure iron powder supplier in India today caters to the fortification requirements of the food processing sector in a major way!

The customized offering

It should be stated that fortification is a complex concept rather than crude! The parameter of bioavailability is very important and it also depends on the food to which iron powder is being added! Hence the producers of iron powder for food in India have developed capacities to offer products with different physical attributes and RBV (relative bioavailability). Some commonly requisitioned types of iron powder are –

Carbonyl Iron Powder MS – microspheres type

H-Reduced Super fine dust type

Free flow Spherical Iron low dust

H-Reduced iron powder – easy flow

Atomized Steel – easy flow

Ferrous sulfate – 7H20 (RBV -100, very high bioavailability)

The use of iron powder as an oxygen absorber

Akin to a calcium oxide based desiccant that absorbs moisture, the electrolytic iron powder absorbs oxygen and hence it is used in food packaging. The manufacturers of semi-processed or wholly processed foods make use of the iron powder bags that are permeable and eat up the oxygen in the sealed bag to negate the oxidative processes. This helps to retain the original and fresh smell and characteristics of the packaged food for a longer time; decay is also negated!