The food and beverage industry is one of the biggest industries in the world with a 2022 value of more than $1 trillion dollars in the US alone.

Many of our favourite companies and brands operate within this industry, but so do many of our least favourite toxic gases.

Gas is used in this industry in a multitude of manners, let's take a look at a number of gases we could be exposed to and how:

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is used to brew and carbonate our drinks and is a by-product of this manufacturing
• Nitrogen (N2) is used to preserve and store products
• Ethanol (C₂H₆O) can preserve food and enhance flavour and is a by-product of distilling
• Ammonia (NH3) works to stop harmful bacteria and pathogens during food production, additionally it is found in refrigeration, the risk being that it could leak

A lack of gas can also pose a serious risk, Oxygen (O2) should be monitored when accessing confined spaces such as a cellar in a pub.

When safely contained, these gases help to create the products we see on the shelves every time we walk into a supermarket or shop.

However, if not contained or handled properly, these gases can create a number of health problems for personnel on site, with risk of explosions and fatalities.