EP1792846A1 - A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit. - Google Patents

A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit. Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1792846A1
EP1792846A1 EP05111601A EP05111601A EP1792846A1 EP 1792846 A1 EP1792846 A1 EP 1792846A1 EP 05111601 A EP05111601 A EP 05111601A EP 05111601 A EP05111601 A EP 05111601A EP 1792846 A1 EP1792846 A1 EP 1792846A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
basket part
punnet
coverlid
volume
foil
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP05111601A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Lars Olaf Mattsson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SWEDEPONIC NV
Original Assignee
SWEDEPONIC NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SWEDEPONIC NV filed Critical SWEDEPONIC NV
Priority to EP05111601A priority Critical patent/EP1792846A1/en
Publication of EP1792846A1 publication Critical patent/EP1792846A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/18—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient
    • B65D81/20—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure, or in a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas
    • B65D81/2069—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure, or in a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas in a special atmosphere
    • B65D81/2076—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure, or in a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas in a special atmosphere in an at least partially rigid container
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
    • B65B25/02—Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
    • B65B25/04—Packaging fruit or vegetables
    • B65B25/041—Packaging fruit or vegetables combined with their conservation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants
    • B65D81/26—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
    • B65D81/263—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators for ventilating the contents

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit, in particular herbs, in a punnet made of plastic material and comprising a basket part and a foil shaped coverlid, wherein said items are placed into said basket part, which is thereafter sealed by adhering said coverlid on said basket part.
  • Such a method is known and used for storing for example herbs.
  • the use of a punnet made of transparent plastic material has the advantage to keep the herbs in an isolated bag while still presenting them in an attractive manner to the persons who want to buy them.
  • the herbs are so pre-packed and the client can simply take such a punnet from the shelf at the store.
  • a drawback of the known method is that, although the items are packed in a hygienic manner, their conservation is limited in particular when it concerns vegetables, fruit and herbs. As the latter are living products they need to breathe in order to conserve well. The sealed package seriously limits this possibility to breathe and therefore reduces the conservation time of the item.
  • a method according to the present invention is characterised in that before sealing said basket part a predetermined quantity of gas is injected into said basket part, said gas comprising 2 to 8 % by volume, in particular 3 to 6 % by volume, of oxygen, 10 to 30 % by volume, in particular 20 to 30 % by volume, of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
  • Tests have shown that by injecting the gas with the present composition, the lifetime of the conserved items has been considerably extended.
  • the presence of the oxygen prevents the proliferation of anaerobe bacteria whereas the presence of carbon dioxide substantially reduces the probability that the leaves turn yellow under the effects of ethylene.
  • a first preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention is characterised in that at least one hole, having a diameter of 50 micron, is applied into said punnet.
  • the presence of at least one hole in the punnet enables the product to breathe after being packed in the punnet.
  • the presence of a hole will allow a gas exchange between the environment and the inner volume of the punnet, thereby enabling the stored items to breathe.
  • a second preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention is characterised in that the holes are applied before said sealing. In such a manner production costs are reduced because it is more cumbersome to apply the hole(s) after that the items have been stored. Moreover, when the hole(s) are already present in the punnet the breathing process of the stored items is not disturbed by packing them.
  • a third preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention is characterised in that for forming said basket part a foil is used on which a profile formed by protrusions is applied.
  • the presence of protrusions makes the punnet uneven what avoids that the stored items could be damaged by condensation.
  • said coverlid is re-sealably adhered to said basket part.
  • the use of a re-sealable coverlid enables to seal the punnet again after having opened it and to preserve the remaining items longer.
  • the punnet 1 shown in figure 1 comprises a basket part 2 and a foil shaped coverlid 3.
  • the basket part and the coverlid are preferably made of transparent plastic material, as this allows to see the stored items, preferably formed by vegetables or fruit and in particular herbs, through the punnet in which they are stored.
  • the plastic material used for the basket part has preferably a thickness of 350 - 450 micron, whereas the one used for the coverlid has a foil thickness of 70 - 130 micron and is of the anti-fog type.
  • the material of the punnet is for example polyethylene or polylactic acid.
  • the basket part 2 of the punnet has a non-flat bottom, since the latter is provided with a profile formed by protrusions.
  • the protrusions applied on the bottom of the basket part form a matrix of rectangles.
  • the protrusions have a depth d situated between 10 and 50 mm.
  • the depth of the protrusions will depend on the type of items which will be packed inside the punnet. So, for example for chive a protrusion depth of 20 mm will be used, whereas for bush crop a depth of 35 mm is preferred.
  • the use of a basket part having a bottom provided with protrusions has the advantage that the risk that the leaves of the crop come in contact with a moistened surface is substantially reduced. In such a manner, a longer conservation time can be obtained as the risk that the leaves will rotten due to the contact with water is considerably reduced.
  • the items into the punnet they are placed into the basket part of the punnet. After that and just before sealing the basket part with the coverlid, a predetermined quantity of gas is injected into the basket part. This quantity is dependent on the volume of the basket and could also be dependent on the type of item stored.
  • the gas comprises 2 to 8 % by volume, in particular 3 to 6 % by volume of oxygen, 10 to 30 % by volume, in particular 20 to 30 % by volume of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
  • the coverlid is preferably re-sealably adhered to the basket part.
  • the presence of the gas inside the punnet will extend the shelf lifetime of the stored item.
  • the use of oxygen in the gas mix avoids the development of anaerobe bacteria, whereas the carbon dioxide reduces the effect of ethylene, thereby delaying considerably the process of turning yellow of the leaves of the stored crop. Injecting gas into the punnet thus enables to keep the crop in good condition inside the punnet.
  • the possibilities to keep the stored items in good condition are even improved by applying at least one hole, having a diameter of 50 micron into the punnet.
  • the hole or holes are applied on the coverlid by means of a laser.
  • other techniques such as needle punch could be used for applying the hole(s).
  • the latter could also be applied in the wall of the basket part.
  • the presence of this at least one hole provides for the punnet the ability to breathe. Indeed, since vegetables, fruit and herbs are natural living products, there is a necessity for them to continue to get in contact with the air so that they can breathe even after having been packed.
  • the presence of the hole(s) will allow a gas exchange in such a manner that the gas mix inside the punnet remains balanced.
  • the number of holes will vary according to the type of crop and with the breathing rate of the stored crop.

Abstract

A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit, in particular herbs, in a punnet (1) made of plastic material and comprising a basket part (2) and a foil shaped coverlid (3), wherein said items are placed into said basket part, and wherein a predetermined quantity of gas is injected into said basket part, said gas comprising 2 to 8 % by volume, in particular 3 to 6 % by volume, of oxygen, 10 to 30 % by volume, in particular 20 to 30 % by volume, of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, said basket part being thereafter sealed by adhering said coverlid (3) on said basket part (2).

Description

  • The present invention relates to a method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit, in particular herbs, in a punnet made of plastic material and comprising a basket part and a foil shaped coverlid, wherein said items are placed into said basket part, which is thereafter sealed by adhering said coverlid on said basket part.
  • Such a method is known and used for storing for example herbs. The use of a punnet made of transparent plastic material has the advantage to keep the herbs in an isolated bag while still presenting them in an attractive manner to the persons who want to buy them. The herbs are so pre-packed and the client can simply take such a punnet from the shelf at the store.
  • A drawback of the known method is that, although the items are packed in a hygienic manner, their conservation is limited in particular when it concerns vegetables, fruit and herbs. As the latter are living products they need to breathe in order to conserve well. The sealed package seriously limits this possibility to breathe and therefore reduces the conservation time of the item.
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit, in particular herbs, whereby the stored item conserves well and for a longer time period.
  • For this purpose, a method according to the present invention is characterised in that before sealing said basket part a predetermined quantity of gas is injected into said basket part, said gas comprising 2 to 8 % by volume, in particular 3 to 6 % by volume, of oxygen, 10 to 30 % by volume, in particular 20 to 30 % by volume, of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Tests have shown that by injecting the gas with the present composition, the lifetime of the conserved items has been considerably extended. The presence of the oxygen prevents the proliferation of anaerobe bacteria whereas the presence of carbon dioxide substantially reduces the probability that the leaves turn yellow under the effects of ethylene.
  • A first preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention is characterised in that at least one hole, having a diameter of 50 micron, is applied into said punnet. The presence of at least one hole in the punnet enables the product to breathe after being packed in the punnet. The presence of a hole will allow a gas exchange between the environment and the inner volume of the punnet, thereby enabling the stored items to breathe.
  • A second preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention is characterised in that the holes are applied before said sealing. In such a manner production costs are reduced because it is more cumbersome to apply the hole(s) after that the items have been stored. Moreover, when the hole(s) are already present in the punnet the breathing process of the stored items is not disturbed by packing them.
  • A third preferred embodiment of a method according to the present invention is characterised in that for forming said basket part a foil is used on which a profile formed by protrusions is applied. The presence of protrusions makes the punnet uneven what avoids that the stored items could be damaged by condensation.
  • Preferably said coverlid is re-sealably adhered to said basket part. The use of a re-sealable coverlid enables to seal the punnet again after having opened it and to preserve the remaining items longer.
  • The invention will now be described in more details in the below description and with reference to the annexed drawings. In the drawings :
    • fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view in longitudinal direction of a punnet used in the method according to the present invention; and
    • fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view in transversal direction of a punnet used in the method according to the present invention.
  • In the drawings a same reference sign has been allocated to a same or analogous element.
  • The punnet 1 shown in figure 1 comprises a basket part 2 and a foil shaped coverlid 3. The basket part and the coverlid are preferably made of transparent plastic material, as this allows to see the stored items, preferably formed by vegetables or fruit and in particular herbs, through the punnet in which they are stored. The plastic material used for the basket part has preferably a thickness of 350 - 450 micron, whereas the one used for the coverlid has a foil thickness of 70 - 130 micron and is of the anti-fog type. The material of the punnet is for example polyethylene or polylactic acid.
  • As illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the basket part 2 of the punnet has a non-flat bottom, since the latter is provided with a profile formed by protrusions. Preferably, the protrusions applied on the bottom of the basket part form a matrix of rectangles. The protrusions have a depth d situated between 10 and 50 mm. The depth of the protrusions will depend on the type of items which will be packed inside the punnet. So, for example for chive a protrusion depth of 20 mm will be used, whereas for bush crop a depth of 35 mm is preferred. The use of a basket part having a bottom provided with protrusions has the advantage that the risk that the leaves of the crop come in contact with a moistened surface is substantially reduced. In such a manner, a longer conservation time can be obtained as the risk that the leaves will rotten due to the contact with water is considerably reduced.
  • In order to store the items into the punnet they are placed into the basket part of the punnet. After that and just before sealing the basket part with the coverlid, a predetermined quantity of gas is injected into the basket part. This quantity is dependent on the volume of the basket and could also be dependent on the type of item stored. The gas comprises 2 to 8 % by volume, in particular 3 to 6 % by volume of oxygen, 10 to 30 % by volume, in particular 20 to 30 % by volume of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. After having injected the gas into the punnet, the latter is sealed by adhering the coverlid on the basket part. For this purpose the basket part has preferably a circumferential border 4 on which the coverlid 3 is adhered. In order to close the punnet after opening, the coverlid is preferably re-sealably adhered to the basket part.
  • The presence of the gas inside the punnet will extend the shelf lifetime of the stored item. The use of oxygen in the gas mix avoids the development of anaerobe bacteria, whereas the carbon dioxide reduces the effect of ethylene, thereby delaying considerably the process of turning yellow of the leaves of the stored crop. Injecting gas into the punnet thus enables to keep the crop in good condition inside the punnet.
  • The possibilities to keep the stored items in good condition are even improved by applying at least one hole, having a diameter of 50 micron into the punnet. Preferably, the hole or holes are applied on the coverlid by means of a laser. Of course, other techniques such as needle punch could be used for applying the hole(s). The latter could also be applied in the wall of the basket part. The presence of this at least one hole provides for the punnet the ability to breathe. Indeed, since vegetables, fruit and herbs are natural living products, there is a necessity for them to continue to get in contact with the air so that they can breathe even after having been packed. The presence of the hole(s) will allow a gas exchange in such a manner that the gas mix inside the punnet remains balanced. The number of holes will vary according to the type of crop and with the breathing rate of the stored crop.

Claims (11)

  1. A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit, in particular herbs, in a punnet made of plastic material and comprising a basket part and a foil shaped coverlid, wherein said items are placed into said basket part, which is thereafter sealed by adhering said coverlid on said basket part, characterised in that before sealing said basket part a predetermined quantity of gas is injected into said basket part, said gas comprising 2 to 8 % by volume, in particular 3 to 6 % by volume, of oxygen, 10 to 30 % by volume, in particular 20 to 30 % by volume, of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
  2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that at least one hole having a diameter of 50 micron is applied into said punnet.
  3. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said hole(s) is (are) applied on said coverlid.
  4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterised in that said holes are applied by means of a laser.
  5. A method as claimed in any one of the claims 2 to 4, characterised in that said holes are applied before said sealing.
  6. A method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that for forming said coverlid a foil is used, in particular a foil having a thickness of 70 to 130 micron.
  7. A method as claimed in anyone of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that for forming said basket part a foil is used on which a profile formed by protrusions is applied.
  8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that for said foil a foil having a thickness of 350 to 450 micron is used.
  9. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that said protrusions have a depth situated between 10 to 50 mm.
  10. A method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 9, characterised in that said punnet is made either of polyethylene or polylactic acid.
  11. A method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterised in that said coverlid is re-sealably adhered to said basket part.
EP05111601A 2005-12-01 2005-12-01 A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit. Withdrawn EP1792846A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP05111601A EP1792846A1 (en) 2005-12-01 2005-12-01 A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP05111601A EP1792846A1 (en) 2005-12-01 2005-12-01 A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit.

Publications (1)

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EP1792846A1 true EP1792846A1 (en) 2007-06-06

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EP05111601A Withdrawn EP1792846A1 (en) 2005-12-01 2005-12-01 A method for storing items formed by vegetables or fruit.

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015070385A1 (en) * 2013-11-13 2015-05-21 彭宇宏 Packaging method for ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables and package therefor

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1985000339A1 (en) * 1983-07-12 1985-01-31 Atmosphere Packaging Pty. Ltd. Packaging foodstuffs
US4943440A (en) * 1986-10-22 1990-07-24 General Mills, Inc. Controlled atmosphere cut vegetable produce package and method
US5115624A (en) * 1985-11-14 1992-05-26 Seawell Corporation N.V. Thermoplastic skin packing means
US6248380B1 (en) * 1995-06-06 2001-06-19 Cryovac, Inc. Package having a dual-film lid comprising a gas-impermeable film and a delaminatable, gas-permeable film
WO2003029100A1 (en) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-10 Redbridge Holdings Ltd Container provided with a resealable cover adhered to the container by an adhesive

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1985000339A1 (en) * 1983-07-12 1985-01-31 Atmosphere Packaging Pty. Ltd. Packaging foodstuffs
US5115624A (en) * 1985-11-14 1992-05-26 Seawell Corporation N.V. Thermoplastic skin packing means
US4943440A (en) * 1986-10-22 1990-07-24 General Mills, Inc. Controlled atmosphere cut vegetable produce package and method
US6248380B1 (en) * 1995-06-06 2001-06-19 Cryovac, Inc. Package having a dual-film lid comprising a gas-impermeable film and a delaminatable, gas-permeable film
WO2003029100A1 (en) * 2001-09-28 2003-04-10 Redbridge Holdings Ltd Container provided with a resealable cover adhered to the container by an adhesive

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015070385A1 (en) * 2013-11-13 2015-05-21 彭宇宏 Packaging method for ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables and package therefor

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