CN1041920A - The absorbing structure that is used for absorbing food product liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

This specification sheets discloses an absorbing structure that is used for collecting and keeping exuded fluid from meat poultry food.But the absorbent cores that constitutes by paper pulp coforming material that this structure has the last lamella of permeate fluid, fluid-tight down lamella and is situated between.In a preferred embodiment, bag of peripheral sealed formation of last lamella and following lamella, paper pulp coforming material is divided into the top ground floor and the following second layer.The superabsorbent material that can add carboxymethyl cellulose and so in the coforming material is to help keeping fluid.In preferred embodiment, superabsorbent material places the lower floor of paper pulp coforming material, and superabsorbent material is not contained on the upper strata of paper pulp coforming material in fact.

Description

The absorbing structure that is used for absorbing food product liquids

The present invention relates to be used for from food, absorbing a kind of new and improved structure of liquid.More specifically say, the present invention relates to be used for the absorption pad of meat and poultry product.

For many years, food, particularly putrefactive food, as meat, fowl, fish and vegetables, it has had noticeable variation in the method for selling on the market and selling the shop.Custom for a long time is to show these products with the single-piece form always, so just makes the buyer can individually select one or more commodity of desiring to buy.All the more so for meat products and poultry product, be that these commodity are placed showcase the most frequently, sell by the people who sells meat.At present, many these class commodity have been come prepackaged food general store.This packing particularly for meat and bird, comprises the pallet that uses semihard, is used for this product of splendid attire, uses the plastics overhead guard, is used for product is sealed in the pallet, keeps the freshness of content over a period to come.

Certainly contain liquid and juice as meat and this based article of fowl, also have the water that adds sometimes, along with the process of time, these liquid can be discharged from goods.When meat safes cabinet platform on sale is sold these goods, these liquid will flow to the bottom of showcase.Yet when same product was packaged in the close packing of airtight relatively and liquid, these liquid finally accumulated in the pallet, in the process of transportation and loading and unloading Vent took place then and leaked.Market analysis shows that the customer is once seeing this not very willing having bought of packing that contains liquid.So many such packings have all been used absorbing material in the tray bottom at present, when liquid discharges from food, it are sponged.

The material of normal use is cotton paper and/or wood pulp fluff for this purpose and, generally it is contained within the material as plastic film or thin paper and so on.Also develop many other design plans, generally be used for packaging for foodstuff.Match with specific package design and to have developed many other designs of absorbing structure specially.

Disclose a kind of device that absorbs and hide liquid in the US Patent 3,156,402 of Du Puis, it has comprised the bag and the pallet that absorb liquid.The bag that absorbs liquid is made up of two overlapping materials, in its edge with hot weld or bonding the sealing.This sheet material can be made by following various materials, as paraffin paper, the fen of match fine jade, polyethylene or other themoplasticity or thermoset plastic material.A series of openings or hole are all arranged on each sheet, make by gravity and capillarity, make liquid from the top or the bottom enter in the bag.

In an opposite application, the US Patent 3,940,062 of Rainey discloses one in being sealed in plastics and the humidity pad that uses when supplying water of the consumed vegetables that are frozen.This pad comprises a moisture catch basin, and it is enclosed in the shell that is made of moisture barrier films, has opening to make steam to overflow from catch basin on the film.This pad is by being formed by water saturated sponge or other absorption pad or porous pad, and they are all as catch basin.The sponge that will be filled water then installs in the soft fluid-tight strip of paper used for sealing, be leak free on the periphery of strip of paper used for sealing, or makes its closure with other method.Beat some holes to strip of paper used for sealing then, make moisture from the absorption sponge that it comprised, to overflow.

At Mc Cabe, the device of another kind of absorption liquid is disclosed in the US Patent 4,124,116 of Jr, in the case, this absorbs in the liquid every the multicell bag.This bag is made up of adjacent a upper strata filter and lower floor's filter, and is bonding mutually at the edge that their outermosts are adjacent, formed one and enclosed thing.This inclosure thing itself is divided into many spaced cells, and they are separated by the middle partition of solubility each other, and this mainly is to be made of water-soluble carboxymethyl cellulose cmpd.Each cell at interval contains the absorbing particles of scheduled volume, and the effect of middle partition is when particle has absorbed the moisture content of predetermined quantity, and it is dissolving just, and the space that has comprised wet granular is increased.

In the US Patent 4,321,997 and 4,410,578 of Miller, narrated the container that a kind of sepage food is used.Pack and show that those ooze out the food of juice easily with this container, it comprises a supporting member such as pallet or sack and an absorption pad that links with supporting member.Absorption pad comprises a thin layer of being made by absorption fluent material such as wood pulp fluff, also comprises being layered on this liquid-tight plastic sheet and following plastic sheet in its lower section gone up above absorbed layer.Have at least one deck plastic sheet to punch, hard baffle thing is arranged guaranteeing that two synusia also keep separately under pressure load in the middle of two synusia, this just makes that ability of its absorption liquid is without prejudice when pad is subjected to placed thereon the pressure load of food etc.In this structure, preferably only in sheet perforation down, like this when food is placed on absorption pad last slice above the time, any exudation will flow to pad around, and enter absorbed layer by the perforate on the following sheet through capillarity, so just make liquid not with Food Contact, reduced pollution to food, kept its outward appearance, improved its pot-life.

In the US Patent 4,275,811 and 4,382,507 of Miller, a kind of container and absorption pad that oozes out the food of juice with exhibition that be used for packing disclosed.This pad comprises that material, one deck of one deck absorption liquid are layered on impenetrable liquid sheet material and one deck lining sheet material under the punching of absorbed layer bottom above the absorbed layer.When food is placed on the last lamella of absorption pad, the liquid that oozes out flow to pad around, and enter absorbed layer by the hole of beating on the sheet material down, because lamella disengages liquid and food on liquid-tight by capillarity.In preferred embodiment, absorbed layer is made up of one deck thicker wood pulp fluff and the thin tissue paper lining of one deck, can they be lumped together by embossing.In addition, can add various additives and increase liquid-absorbent.

The another kind of absorption pad that is used for packaging of meat is disclosed in people's such as Elves US Patent 4,451,377.Absorption pad is by nonwoven fabric material, as viscose rayon, super viscose rayon or the polyvinyl alcohol formation of absorbing.The one side of pad has one deck jointing material, makes this simultaneously than the remainder of the pad of no jointing material less absorptivity be arranged.In addition, the hole of opening on pad makes liquid enter the remainder of non-woven medium by bonding coat.The fiber of non-woven medium is by needle point method, and the most handy high-pressure water jet makes it to tangle.Then with the meshwork drying, after drying in the one side coated with adhesive of pad.

In the US Patent 4,576,278 of Laiewski, disclose a kind of be used for holding, pack and show the food disc that oozes out or remove the food of juice tendency is arranged.This dish has the false end of an energy as the exudation holder, and the false end is made of as polyethylene the impenetrable liquid thermoplastic film of punching.

The premiere feature of every kind of above-mentioned device is to absorb the liquid that oozes out from packaged food.The packing that Vent leaks is the managers' of food supply retail shop main complaint.Therefore, use these devices will increase the total cost result of product in this based food, the main propelling thrust of developing this series products is to constitute the absorbing structure that provides enough absorption powers when suitable in price one effect.And this design should produce the product with good wet strength, rebound resilience and liquid holdup.To damage when making moist as this series products of tissue paper.These materials also discharge the liquid that it absorbed under they are in pressure load the time easily.When packing by this phenomenon of the easiest appearance when getting up of sign indicating number one by one.

Therefore, first purpose of the present invention provides a kind of absorbing structure that is used for collecting the liquid that oozes out with retaining food product, it provides good saturation can for the liquid that oozes out, and when being in compressive state or break under wet condition, is not easy again these liquid are released.Second purpose of the present invention provides a kind of like this absorbing structure, though it has the ability that absorbs liquid, it is sucking-off fluid from food on one's own initiative not.Further reading following specification sheets, readily understand these two purposes of the present invention and other purpose and advantage of the present invention on the basis of accompanying drawing and claim.

The present invention relates to be used for absorb from food, particularly a kind of novel the and improved structure of the liquid in meat and the bird.This absorbing structure comprises the last lamella that one deck is made by fluent material (as the spunbond or molten material that blows of nonwoven) thoroughly.By another kind of scheme, last lamella can be made of the not saturating fluent material as plastics and so on, has at least a hole to make therein and can pass through fluid.Following lamella is made of fluid-tight material.By paper pulp altogether the absorption inner core made of shaped material up and down between the lamella and be attached thereto.Paper pulp altogether shaped material contains 50～90% weight) wood pulp fluff (based on the weight that absorbs inner core) and 10～50%(weight) syntheticfibres.Among absorbent cores, can place superabsorbent material such as carboxymethyl cellulose.

In preferred embodiment of the present invention, seal at the periphery place of last lamella and following lamella, just constituted the pouch of a dress liquid, it has the inner room that can adorn the layering absorbent cores.The absorbent cores of layering comprises the ground floor paper pulp adjacent with the upper strata of the bag shaped material and the second layer adjacent with the lower floor of bag altogether.Ground floor does not have superabsorbent material substantially, and the second layer contains the superabsorbent material such just like carboxymethyl cellulose, and to absorb the inner core total weight, its addition is about 5～100%(weight).

Fig. 1 is used for collecting and keeps absorbing structure transparent view by the fluid of emitting in the food according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is used for collecting and keeps the transparent view with local section by the another kind of absorbing structure of the fluid of emitting in the food according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is used for collecting and keeps absorbing structure section drawing by the fluid of emitting in the food according to the present invention.

Hygroscopic character figure when Fig. 4 is independent use inner core material of the present invention and the superabsorbent material that is used varying number.

The present invention relates to collect and keep from food the absorption pad of the fluid of particularly discharging in meat and the fowl. Most of meat poultries of selling in the shop at present all are packaged in the foamed polystyrene dish in advance, above coated with transparent thin polymer film. Now, putting into absorbing material in packing is used for absorbing the water of emitting from food and has become very common way. Because the restriction of space and refrigeration, these packings often are one and are stacked in above another, therefore, just increased the compression load on each packing and content and absorption pad. In addition, when gathering into folds, these packings are difficult to be on the plane of complete level. As a result, the juice that is absorbed by pad generally will be forced out, and be that part extrudes outside the pad at least, form a Wang Shui in the minimum point of packing. Therefore, still there is very big possibility that packing is leaked.

Referring to Fig. 1, shown the absorbing structure (10) of a fluid that is used for collecting and keeps from food, to emit at figure. Structure (10) has an overcoat, and it comprises the upper lamella (12) of saturating fluid and with the saturating lower lamella (14) made of fluent material such as polyethylene film and so on. Be positioned between upper strata (12) and the lower floor (14) and what link to each other with them is the inner core (16) of absorption fluids, by suitable method such as bonding or embossing it and outer (12) and (14) connected together. For the liquid that oozes out in the food can be entered in the absorbing structure (10), on upper (12), provide at least an opening (18), opening can be taked such as the funnelform form of hole, slit or capillary. In example shown in Figure 1, many holes (18) have been beaten so that liquid is easy to be transferred to absorbent core (16) at upper lamella (12). In other situation, upper lamella (12) can be made by spunbond or molten fiber non-woven material combustion of blowing, and makes the liquid can be by entering absorbent core (16).

The integrality that the design of absorbent core of the present invention (16) can provide good absorbent properties that structure can be provided again, the latter can stop fluid to be emitted when placing when core (16) is under the pressure. For finishing this point, absorb paper pulp that core (16) is made of the mixture of wood pulp fluff and extruded thermoplastic synthetic fibers altogether moulding material form. A method making this material can be total to forming process referring to disclosed paper pulp in the people's such as Anderson the United States Patent (USP) 4,100,324, and this patent is commonly assigned to Kimberly-Clark company, and is hereby incorporated by reference document. For necessary wet resilience degree and absorbability is provided, paper pulp altogether moulding material contains 50～90%(weight) wood pulp fluff and 10～50%(weight) synthetic fibers. (based on the gross weight of wood pulp fluff and synthetic fibers). Wood pulp is as absorbent, and makes compound at hygrometric state with the common synthetic fibers that exist of whole wood pulp or dry state all has preferably resilience. Wood pulp fluff is 100% soft wood pulp or contains the soft wood pulp that reaches as high as 30% hardwood fiber. It is 35～45 microns that softwood pulp fibers generally shows fibre diameter, and length is 3～5 millimeters. After being processed into common shaped structure, fibre length has shortened, average about 2 millimeters. Hardwood fiber shows fibre diameter and is about 14～32 microns, and length is about 1～2 millimeter. Synthetic fibers are the most typical to be to be below 10 microns by fiber diameter, and the extruding as polypropylene or polyethylene fibre that is preferably 2～6 microns moltenly blown thermoplastic material and made. These fibers are not continuous, and result, its length generally surpass short fiber wood pulp fluff material. The used paper pulp of the present invention is moulding material altogether, when testing as absorption fluids with deionized water, has various absorbability, and its density range is about 0.03～0.20 gram per centimeter³(seeing the absorbability figure of Fig. 4).

In order further to increase the capacity of absorbent cores (16), can add superabsorbent material (20) in the shaped material altogether at the paper pulp of core (16).A kind of method that adds this material is disclosed in the US Patent 4,604,313 that transfers Kimberly-Clark company, this patent at this by document incorporated by reference.Absorbing structure (10) can use any amount of superabsorbents, yet because absorbing structure (10) is used for putting together with food, this superabsorbents should be through U.S. food and the approval of medicine office.A kind of like this superabsorbents preferably is carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), the A-250 that sells as the Aqualon company of Delaware (Delaware) state Wilmington.Can be in making the process of shaped material altogether, also can be after this, the superabsorbents of Powdered or other shape is joined paper pulp altogether in the shaped material.The recruitment of absorbent cores (16) absorption fluids performance depends on the amount that paper pulp is total to the superabsorbents (18) in the shaped material that is added to.To absorb the total weight of core (16), the superabsorbents (20) that is added in the absorbent cores (16) is preferably 5～100%(weight).

In use, absorbing structure (10) is placed between food (not shown) and pallet or other packing (not shown), the last lamella (12) and the Food Contact of punching.When juice etc. discharged from food, they just by hole (18) or non-woven medium on the last lamella (12), were collected and are kept in the absorbent cores (16).Different with simple wood pulp fluff, paper pulp of the present invention is shaped material altogether, owing to used syntheticfibres, more can resist compression under hygrometric state.As a result, when compression, particularly used under the situation of superabsorbents (20), absorbing structure (10) may not emitted fluid wherein so.

In Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, represented a better example of complete sum (30) more of the present invention.Just as the example of Fig. 1, absorbing structure (30) has the last lamella (32) and the following lamella (34) of same material as previously mentioned, and paper pulp is total to the absorbent cores (36) of shaped material.Do not make if last lamella is not a non-woven medium, one or more perforation (38) are just arranged on last lamella (32), and as previously discussed, can use superabsorbents (40) in the shaped material altogether at paper pulp.

Different with example shown in Figure 1, last lamella (32) and following lamella (34) its periphery (35) locate be by bonding, be heated into other method leak free.As shown in Figure 2, absorbing structure (30) can be made of two lamellas (32) that separate and (34), and they locate all sealed in all peripheral (35).In another kind of scheme, shown in Fig. 3 section, last lamella and following lamella (32) and (34) can be made of an independent sheet material, and it is stacked on self, so only need three limits of sealing.Also note that absorbing structure (10) and (30), be not limited to square or rectangular, can be designed to any other shape to adapt to special application.

At the example shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, also has the absorbent cores (36) that important characteristic is layering.In this example, absorbent cores (36) is made up of the ground floor (36a) and the close second layer (36b) of lamella (34) down near last lamella (32).Be the ground floor (36a) or the second layer (36b) all by with Fig. 1 example in the same paper pulp narrated altogether shaped material form.In addition, paper pulp altogether shaped material contain 50～90%(weight) wood pulp fluff and 10～50%(weight) syntheticfibres.If desired, layer (36a) can have identical or different wood pulp fluff/syntheticfibres ratio with (36b).

In the example of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, superabsorbents (40) (override is selected carboxymethyl cellulose for use) only exists in the second layer (36b).As a result, we wish that higher syntheticfibres content is arranged in the second layer (36b), so that bigger space to be provided, prevent to occur gel blockage when having absorbed fluid when the second layer (36b) and superabsorbents (40).In addition, based on the total weight of wood pulp fluff and syntheticfibres, the content of superabsorbents should be 5～100%.

By absorbent cores (36) being divided into two-layer (36a) and (36b), and in the second layer (36b), place superabsorbent material, can realize two tangible advantages.The first, superabsorbent material (40) but be in away from and the status of separating with the last lamella (32) of permeate fluid.As a result, superabsorbents (40) is with regard to unlikely hole (38) and and Food Contact of passing on the lamella (32).The second, no matter when in absorbing material, use superabsorbents, it all can increase capillarity or " drawing ability " of absorbent.Concerning food, this can cause the too early dehydration of food.By allowing superabsorbents and food keep a segment distance, this " drawing ability " reduced, but still can make full use of the fluid retention performance of superabsorbents.

At last, the absorbing structure of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 (30) can provide a fluid storage district (42) in absorbing structure (30) being between absorbent cores (36) and the seal perimeter (35).So, the overflow area of a content fluid is provided just for absorbing structure (30), when structure (30) is in serious compressive state or during when amount more fluid that structure (30) has been accepted to hold than absorbent cores (36), it is storing fluid temporarily.As a result, the fluid that absorbing structure of the present invention is more acceptant and the depositary places the food of packaging for foodstuff (not shown) to receive there.And then, by a with holes and total system direct and Food Contact, the phenomenon of concentrating with regard to unlikely generation fluid in this food service tray, the also final leakage from container of not conference generation are provided.

Example

For the paper pulp that uses superabsorbents and the different unit weight that does not the use superabsorbents inner core material that is shaped altogether, carry out representative absorbefacient evaluation.With following program the absorptivity that every kind of paper pulp is total to shaped material is estimated:

1. the common shaped material sample of the paper pulp of one 4 inches (10.2 centimetres) * 6 inches (15.2 centimetres) is weighed, immersed the deionization water-bath then 20 minutes.

2. in the middle of putting into sample with a glass bar sample is mentioned, so sample is taken out water-bath, sample is hung on the rod.

3. the rod that hangs with sample above inciting somebody to action is then hung up, and makes superabsorbents or does not speckle with free water on the shaped material altogether, allows water flow down from sample, reaches one minute.

4. then sample is placed on the balance, writes down weight in wet base.

5. from the weight in wet base of sample, deduct dry weight basis and calculate water absorption rate, and the curve that in Fig. 4, draws.

Example 1a:

The paper pulp that does not contain carboxymethyl cellulose is total to shaped material to be tested as stated above.The unit weight of sample is 75 gram/rice ², contain 80%(weight) paper pulp and 20%(weight) mekralon.Thick 1.02 millimeters of sample, global density 0.073 gram per centimeter ³Water absorption rate is 1.05 grams/6.45 sq cm face areies as shown in Figure 4.

Example 1b:

With the sample of example 1a same material in add 5.0 gram/rice ²Carboxymethyl cellulose.Water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 1.98 grams as shown in Figure 4 ²

Example 1c

With the sample of example 1a same material in add 10.0 gram/rice ²Carboxymethyl cellulose.As shown in Figure 4, water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 2.51 grams ²

Example 1d

With the sample of example 1a same material in add 15.0 gram/rice ²Carboxymethyl cellulose.As shown in Figure 4, water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 3.17 grams ²

Example II a

With the method that proposes above the paper pulp that does not the contain carboxymethyl cellulose sample that is shaped is altogether tested again.The unit weight of sample is 200 gram/rice ², contain 80%(weight) paper pulp and 20%(weight) mekralon.Thick 4.04 millimeters of sample, bulk density is 0.050 gram per centimeter ³As shown in Figure 4, water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 2.93 grams ²Face area.

Example II b

With the sample of example II a same material in add 5.0 gram/rice ²Carboxymethyl cellulose.As shown in Figure 4, water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 4.47 grams ²

Example II c

With the sample of example II a same material in add 10.0 gram/rice ²Carboxymethyl cellulose.As shown in Figure 4, water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 4.54 grams ²

Example II d

With the sample of example II a same material in add 15.0 gram/rice ²Carboxymethyl cellulose.As shown in Figure 4, water absorption rate is/6.45 centimetres of 5.20 grams ²

As what seen from the fwd data, adding superabsorbent material can increase the paper pulp water absorption rate of shaped material altogether.The water absorption rate of comparative example I d and II a can see, thin contain superabsorbents paper pulp altogether shaped material can be used for replacing the thicker superabsorbents paper pulp shaped material altogether that do not contain.As a result, the water absorption rate that just can obtain being equal to if desired with thin goods.

So at length narrated the present invention, should be appreciated that, only otherwise depart from the spirit and scope of following claim, can do different improvement and variation the present invention.

Claims (6)

1, a kind of absorbing structure that is used for collecting and keeping the liquid of emitting by food, it comprises:

But the last lamella of a permeate fluid,

The following lamella of fluid thoroughly, and

On described between lamella and the following lamella and link to each other with them by the paper pulp absorbent inner core that constitutes of shaped material altogether, described absorption inner core contains the syntheticfibres (based on the total weight of wood pulp fluff and syntheticfibres) of the wood pulp fluff and 10～50% (weight) of 50%～90% (weight).

2, the absorbing structure of claim 1, wherein said absorption inner core further comprises superabsorbent material.

3, the absorbing structure of claim 2, wherein said superabsorbent material is a carboxymethyl cellulose, the content in described absorption inner core is the 5-100%(weight of described wood pulp fluff and described syntheticfibres total weight).

4, a kind of absorbing structure that is used for collecting and keeping the liquid of emitting by food, it comprises:

But fluid collection pouch that has the last lamella and the liquid-tight lamella down of permeate fluid and determined a cell therein, and in described chamber, be total to the absorption inner core that shaped material constitutes by paper pulp, it contains 50～90%(weight) wood pulp fluff and 10～50%(weight) syntheticfibres (based on the total weight of described wood pulp fluff and described syntheticfibres), described absorption inner core be divided into described bag described go up the lamella adjacency ground floor and with the described second layer of lamella adjacency down of described bag, described ground floor does not contain superabsorbent material substantially, and the described second layer contains 5～100%(weight) superabsorbents (based on the total weight of described wood pulp fluff and described syntheticfibres).

5, the absorbing structure of claim 4, the described superabsorbents in the wherein said second layer is a carboxymethyl cellulose.

6, the absorbing structure of claim 4, wherein said fluid collection pouch and described absorption inner core have marked a zone that holds fluid between described absorption inner core and described leak free periphery, be used for replenishing the described fluid of storage.

Images