EP2576354A1 - Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same - Google Patents

Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same

Info

Publication number
EP2576354A1
EP2576354A1 EP11723927.7A EP11723927A EP2576354A1 EP 2576354 A1 EP2576354 A1 EP 2576354A1 EP 11723927 A EP11723927 A EP 11723927A EP 2576354 A1 EP2576354 A1 EP 2576354A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
package
scavenger
oxygen
packaging material
carbon dioxide
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Withdrawn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
EP11723927.7A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Wouter Bernardus Cornelius De Heij
Bastiaan Rinke Antony Groeneweg
Joyce Henrika Schroot
Martijn Willem De Bruin
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.)
PERFO KNOWLEDGY BV
Original Assignee
PERFO KNOWLEDGY BV
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
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=43031531&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP2576354(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by PERFO KNOWLEDGY BV filed Critical PERFO KNOWLEDGY BV
Priority to EP11723927.7A priority Critical patent/EP2576354A1/en
Publication of EP2576354A1 publication Critical patent/EP2576354A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/08—Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
    • B23K26/083—Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
    • B23K26/0838—Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction by using an endless conveyor belt
    • B23K26/0846—Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction by using an endless conveyor belt for moving elongated workpieces longitudinally, e.g. wire or strip material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
    • B23K26/36—Removing material
    • B23K26/38—Removing material by boring or cutting
    • B23K26/382—Removing material by boring or cutting by boring
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
    • B31D1/00—Multiple-step processes for making flat articles ; Making flat articles
    • B31D1/02—Multiple-step processes for making flat articles ; Making flat articles the articles being labels or tags
    • B31D1/021—Making adhesive labels having a multilayered structure, e.g. provided on carrier webs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B31—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER
    • B31D—MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C
    • B31D1/00—Multiple-step processes for making flat articles ; Making flat articles
    • B31D1/02—Multiple-step processes for making flat articles ; Making flat articles the articles being labels or tags
    • B31D1/026—Cutting or perforating
    • 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
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
    • 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
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/02—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for perforating, scoring, slitting, or applying code or date marks on material prior to packaging
    • 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
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/20—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents
    • 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
    • B65D81/2084—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 a flexible container
    • 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
    • B65D81/266—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 absorbing gases, e.g. oxygen absorbers or desiccants
    • B65D81/267—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 absorbing gases, e.g. oxygen absorbers or desiccants the absorber being in sheet form
    • 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
    • B65D81/266—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 absorbing gases, e.g. oxygen absorbers or desiccants
    • B65D81/268—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 absorbing gases, e.g. oxygen absorbers or desiccants the absorber being enclosed in a small pack, e.g. bag, included in the package

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a package for preserving respiring produce contained in the package, in particular vegetables, fruit, and herbs, comprising a packaging material, in particular a polymer film, provided with at least one opening enabling gas exchange, in particular the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, with the outside atmosphere surrounding the package.
  • a packaging material in particular a polymer film
  • the invention further relates to an apparatus for making such a package.
  • MAP/CAP preserves produce quality by reducing the aerobic respiration rate but avoiding anaerobic processes that lead to adverse changes in texture, flavor, and aroma, as well as an increased public health concern. It is mentioned in US 7,083,837 that sometimes the package is gas-flushed with N2 or a combination of C0 2 and N 2 , or 0 2 , C0 2 , and N 2 before sealing to rapidly establish the desired gas composition inside the package.
  • Flushing packages with a gas slows down the packaging process significantly, e.g. by 50% when compare to a process without flushing, and thus raises the costs of the packages obtained.
  • the package according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises, preferably contains a scavenger.
  • the package comprises one or more scavengers for oxygen, carbon dioxide and/or ethylene.
  • the scavenger is or includes a scavenger for oxygen and the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to remove only part of the oxygen contained in the package after sealing the package during production, i.e. the scavenger is depleted before all oxygen is removed.
  • the amount of the scavenger is adjusted to the desired composition of the atmosphere inside the package.
  • the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to reduce, preferably within 24 hours, the
  • concentration of oxygen to within a range of from 0,2 to 10%, preferably from 0,5 to 7%.
  • the scavenger can be included prior to packaging, e.g. be integrated in or adhered to the packaging material in the form of a sachet, strip or label, or during
  • packaging e.g. be inserted in the package while it is formed in a flow pack process, avoiding or at least reducing slowing down the packaging process.
  • the at least one opening is a micro-perforation, e.g. having a diameter in a range from 25 to 250 ⁇ for packages containing average amounts, e.g. two to four portions, of produce.
  • the at least one opening is larger, e.g. in a range from 0,5 to 3 cm, and covered by a membrane that is permeable to oxygen and/or carbon dioxide.
  • the invention further relates to an apparatus for making a package according to the present invention
  • a beam generator such as a laser device, for making perforations in the packaging material, in particular a polymer film and characterised by a supply reel for tape comprising adhesive elements containing a scavenger, which elements are to be applied to the packaging material.
  • the elements include sachets, strips or labels to be adhered to the inner wall of the package.
  • thermoplastic re-closable bag (1) and perforations (6) in the bag between the exterior patch and the interior of the bag allow the free flow of gasses and moisture between the contents of the exterior patch and the headspace of the bag.
  • WO 01/66436 relates to a packaging system (10) which is comprised of a tray (12), a perishable (non- respiring) good or goods (15), e.g., red meat (veal, beef, pork, etc.), pasta, cooked food, and the like, disposed within the tray.
  • a gas permeable film material (18) which may include slits or perforations (20), covers the perishable goods.
  • a barrier bag (22) surrounds the tray (12) and film (18) and is preferably made of a substantially impermeable material. This barrier bag is provided with a one-way (pressure relief) valve (24) .
  • an oxygen absorber is present between the tray and the bag.
  • scavenger is synonymous to "gas scrubber” and refers to any substance that reacts with specific gaseous
  • Oxygen scavenging technologies are generally based on one of the following concepts: iron powder oxidation, ascorbic acid oxidation, photosensitive dye oxidation, and enzymatic oxidation.
  • Carbon dioxide scavengers include calcium oxide.
  • Ethylene scavengers are also known in the art and include potassium permanganate-impregnated alumina pellets,
  • Figure 1 is a graph showing how the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide changes with time in a prior art package and in a package according to the present invention .
  • Figure 2 shows a cross-section through package according to the present invention.
  • Figure 3 apparatus for making a package according to the present invention.
  • MAP/CAP is used to preserve produce quality by reducing the aerobic respiration rate but avoiding anaerobic processes that lead to adverse changes in texture, flavor, and aroma, as well as an increased public health concern.
  • Aerobic respiration can be defined by the following equation: (CH 2 0)n + n0 2 -> nC0 2 + nH 2 0 + heat where oxygen from the air is used to metabolize carbohydrate reserves and in the process, carbon dioxide, and water are produced and heat is generated. For each respiring item, there is an optimum oxygen and carbon dioxide level that will reduce its respiration rate and thereby, slow aging and degradative processes.
  • iceberg lettuce is considered a low respiration vegetable and is best stored at 0,5 to 1% oxygen, whereas broccoli florets are best stored at 5 to 7% oxygen.
  • Figure 1 is a graph showing inter alia how the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide change with time in a modified atmosphere package comprising one or more micro-perforations.
  • the size and number of the perforations have been selected, in a manner known in itself, to obtain after a few days (indicated on the horizontal line) an optimum or near optimum concentration of carbon dioxide
  • Figure 2 shows a package 1 according to the present invention made from a packaging material, in this example a polymer film 1A.
  • Suitable polymers include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, and cellophane, in monolayers and laminates.
  • the package was obtained by means of flow pack wrapping.
  • the package 1 contains produce 2, e.g. cabbage, lettuce, or broccoli, and is provided with a single micro- perforation 3 adjusted in size to the specific produce, in particular having a diameter enabling a gas exchange that results in suitable concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide within a few days.
  • the package 1 further contains a label 4 adhered to the inner wall of the package 1. On the side adhered to the inner wall, the label is provided with information, such as a brand or information relating to the produce or its origin. The other side of the label
  • a scavenger for oxygen e.g. iron powder
  • a scavenger for carbon dioxide e.g. calcium oxide
  • the amount of the scavenger for oxygen was selected to remove only part of the oxygen contained inside the package, i.e. the scavenger is depleted before all oxygen is removed. This is illustrated in Figure 1 (solid and falling line), which shows how the concentration of oxygen falls, in less than a day, from about 20% to about 1%, appropriate for low respiring produce, such as iceberg lettuce. By that time, the scavenger for oxygen has been depleted and is no longer efficacious. A concentration of about 1% is
  • the amount of the scavenger depends on the amount of air contained in the package and can be calculated in a straightforward manner. E.g., for a package containing 200 ml air, the scavenger should have a capacity of 38 ml 0 2 to reduce the concentration of oxygen to 1%.
  • Figure 1 also illustrates (dotted line) the reduction of the concentration of oxygen if only the scavenger and no micro-perforation is present. In that case, oxygen is depleted after approximately one day and decay resulting from anaerobic processes ensues.
  • the amount of the scavenger for carbon dioxide is selected to remain efficacious beyond the shelf life of the produce. For most produce, to avoid anaerobic defects such as off smell and tissue breakdown, it is preferred that the concentration of carbon dioxide does not exceed 15-20%.
  • FIG. 3 schematically shows an apparatus 5 for making a package as described above.
  • the apparatus 5 comprises a supply reel 6 and a take-up reel 7 for a packaging film 1A, and a beam generator, such as a laser device 8, for making openings, in particular micro- perforations, in the packaging material.
  • the apparatus 5 further comprises a supply reel 9 for tape 10 comprising adhesive elements containing a scavenger to be applied to the packaging material. To prevent the tape from closing off the perforations, the supply reel 9 for the tape 10 is offset relative to the beam generator 8.
  • the apparatus can comprise yet a further supply reel for a strip-like membrane that is permeable to oxygen and/or carbon dioxide to cover the openings, in particular bigger openings.
  • the invention provides a modified atmosphere package which reaches the desired gas composition inside the package relatively quickly, e.g. within one day, without having to flush the package with the desired gas composition and thus without substantially slowing down the packaging process.

Abstract

The invention relates to a package (1) for preserving respiring produce (2), in particular vegetables, fruit, and herbs, comprising a packaging material, in particular a polymer film (1A), provided with at least one opening (3) enabling gas exchange with the atmosphere surrounding the package (1). The package (1) contains a scavenger (4).

Description

Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same
The invention relates to a package for preserving respiring produce contained in the package, in particular vegetables, fruit, and herbs, comprising a packaging material, in particular a polymer film, provided with at least one opening enabling gas exchange, in particular the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, with the outside atmosphere surrounding the package. The invention further relates to an apparatus for making such a package.
As explained in US 7,083,837, the quality and shelf life of many food products is enhanced by enclosing them in packaging that modifies or controls the atmosphere
surrounding the product. Increased quality and longer shelf life result in fresher products for the consumer, less waste from spoiled produce, better inventory control, and
appreciable overall savings for the food industry at both the retail and wholesale levels.
Modified and controlled atmosphere packaging
(MAP/CAP) preserves produce quality by reducing the aerobic respiration rate but avoiding anaerobic processes that lead to adverse changes in texture, flavor, and aroma, as well as an increased public health concern. It is mentioned in US 7,083,837 that sometimes the package is gas-flushed with N2 or a combination of C02 and N2, or 02, C02, and N2 before sealing to rapidly establish the desired gas composition inside the package.
Flushing packages with a gas slows down the packaging process significantly, e.g. by 50% when compare to a process without flushing, and thus raises the costs of the packages obtained.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modified atmosphere package which reaches the desired gas composition inside the package relatively quickly, e.g. within one day, substantially without slowing down the packaging process.
To this end, the package according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises, preferably contains a scavenger. In an embodiment, the package comprises one or more scavengers for oxygen, carbon dioxide and/or ethylene. In a further embodiment, the scavenger is or includes a scavenger for oxygen and the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to remove only part of the oxygen contained in the package after sealing the package during production, i.e. the scavenger is depleted before all oxygen is removed. In other words, the amount of the scavenger is adjusted to the desired composition of the atmosphere inside the package. E.g., the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to reduce, preferably within 24 hours, the
concentration of oxygen to within a range of from 0,2 to 10%, preferably from 0,5 to 7%.
It is observed that to date the purpose of scavengers is to remove specific gases from the contents of hermetic packages and to permanently keep the contents free of these gases. Combining a scavenger with an opening, e.g. a micro-perforation, for gas exchange is counter-intuitive and yet provides an effective solution to the problem underlying the present invention.
The scavenger can be included prior to packaging, e.g. be integrated in or adhered to the packaging material in the form of a sachet, strip or label, or during
packaging, e.g. be inserted in the package while it is formed in a flow pack process, avoiding or at least reducing slowing down the packaging process.
In a embodiment, the at least one opening is a micro-perforation, e.g. having a diameter in a range from 25 to 250 μιτι for packages containing average amounts, e.g. two to four portions, of produce. In an alternative embodiment, the at least one opening is larger, e.g. in a range from 0,5 to 3 cm, and covered by a membrane that is permeable to oxygen and/or carbon dioxide.
The invention further relates to an apparatus for making a package according to the present invention
comprising a supply reel and a take-up reel for a packaging material, a beam generator, such as a laser device, for making perforations in the packaging material, in particular a polymer film and characterised by a supply reel for tape comprising adhesive elements containing a scavenger, which elements are to be applied to the packaging material.
In an embodiment, the elements include sachets, strips or labels to be adhered to the inner wall of the package.
For the sake of completeness, attention is drawn to US 7,387,205, which relates to a active packaging wherein reactive chemicals, including scavengers, are "sequestered" outside the main body of the food storage bag or container. It allows the free exchange of gasses and moisture between the bag contents and the sequestered chemical. This
eliminates the two major concerns with the use of sachets in active packaging: that sachets may be accidentally eaten by the consumer or their contents may spill into the package. In the embodiment shown in the drawings of US 7,387,205, an exterior patch (2) is attached to the exterior of a
thermoplastic re-closable bag (1) and perforations (6) in the bag between the exterior patch and the interior of the bag allow the free flow of gasses and moisture between the contents of the exterior patch and the headspace of the bag.
WO 01/66436 relates to a packaging system (10) which is comprised of a tray (12), a perishable (non- respiring) good or goods (15), e.g., red meat (veal, beef, pork, etc.), pasta, cooked food, and the like, disposed within the tray. A gas permeable film material (18), which may include slits or perforations (20), covers the perishable goods. A barrier bag (22) surrounds the tray (12) and film (18) and is preferably made of a substantially impermeable material. This barrier bag is provided with a one-way (pressure relief) valve (24) . In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, an oxygen absorber is present between the tray and the bag.
Within the framework of the present invention the term "scavenger" is synonymous to "gas scrubber" and refers to any substance that reacts with specific gaseous
components, in particular oxygen, carbon dioxide and/or ethylene, of the atmosphere inside the package. Oxygen scavenging technologies are generally based on one of the following concepts: iron powder oxidation, ascorbic acid oxidation, photosensitive dye oxidation, and enzymatic oxidation. Carbon dioxide scavengers include calcium oxide. Ethylene scavengers are also known in the art and include potassium permanganate-impregnated alumina pellets,
potassium permanganate, activated carbon, activated carbon- Pd-catalyst, activated carbon and bromine type inorganic compounds, and zeolites.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 1 is a graph showing how the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide changes with time in a prior art package and in a package according to the present invention .
Figure 2 shows a cross-section through package according to the present invention.
Figure 3 apparatus for making a package according to the present invention.
In the packaging of vegetables, fruit, and herbs, MAP/CAP is used to preserve produce quality by reducing the aerobic respiration rate but avoiding anaerobic processes that lead to adverse changes in texture, flavor, and aroma, as well as an increased public health concern. Aerobic respiration can be defined by the following equation: (CH20)n + n02-> nC02 + nH20 + heat where oxygen from the air is used to metabolize carbohydrate reserves and in the process, carbon dioxide, and water are produced and heat is generated. For each respiring item, there is an optimum oxygen and carbon dioxide level that will reduce its respiration rate and thereby, slow aging and degradative processes.
Different fresh produce items have different respiration rates and different optimum atmospheres for extending quality and shelf life. E.g., iceberg lettuce is considered a low respiration vegetable and is best stored at 0,5 to 1% oxygen, whereas broccoli florets are best stored at 5 to 7% oxygen.
Figure 1 is a graph showing inter alia how the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide change with time in a modified atmosphere package comprising one or more micro-perforations. The size and number of the perforations have been selected, in a manner known in itself, to obtain after a few days (indicated on the horizontal line) an optimum or near optimum concentration of carbon dioxide
(indicated by the solid and rising line) and oxygen (dashed and falling line) .
Figure 2 shows a package 1 according to the present invention made from a packaging material, in this example a polymer film 1A. Suitable polymers include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, and cellophane, in monolayers and laminates. In this example, the package was obtained by means of flow pack wrapping.
The package 1 contains produce 2, e.g. cabbage, lettuce, or broccoli, and is provided with a single micro- perforation 3 adjusted in size to the specific produce, in particular having a diameter enabling a gas exchange that results in suitable concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide within a few days. The package 1 further contains a label 4 adhered to the inner wall of the package 1. On the side adhered to the inner wall, the label is provided with information, such as a brand or information relating to the produce or its origin. The other side of the label
comprises, in a compartment or dispersed in the material of the label, a scavenger for oxygen, e.g. iron powder, and a scavenger for carbon dioxide, e.g. calcium oxide.
The amount of the scavenger for oxygen was selected to remove only part of the oxygen contained inside the package, i.e. the scavenger is depleted before all oxygen is removed. This is illustrated in Figure 1 (solid and falling line), which shows how the concentration of oxygen falls, in less than a day, from about 20% to about 1%, appropriate for low respiring produce, such as iceberg lettuce. By that time, the scavenger for oxygen has been depleted and is no longer efficacious. A concentration of about 1% is
subsequently maintained by means of the micro-perforation.
The amount of the scavenger depends on the amount of air contained in the package and can be calculated in a straightforward manner. E.g., for a package containing 200 ml air, the scavenger should have a capacity of 38 ml 02 to reduce the concentration of oxygen to 1%.
As a comparison, Figure 1 also illustrates (dotted line) the reduction of the concentration of oxygen if only the scavenger and no micro-perforation is present. In that case, oxygen is depleted after approximately one day and decay resulting from anaerobic processes ensues.
The amount of the scavenger for carbon dioxide is selected to remain efficacious beyond the shelf life of the produce. For most produce, to avoid anaerobic defects such as off smell and tissue breakdown, it is preferred that the concentration of carbon dioxide does not exceed 15-20%.
Figure 3 schematically shows an apparatus 5 for making a package as described above. The apparatus 5 comprises a supply reel 6 and a take-up reel 7 for a packaging film 1A, and a beam generator, such as a laser device 8, for making openings, in particular micro- perforations, in the packaging material. The apparatus 5 further comprises a supply reel 9 for tape 10 comprising adhesive elements containing a scavenger to be applied to the packaging material. To prevent the tape from closing off the perforations, the supply reel 9 for the tape 10 is offset relative to the beam generator 8. The apparatus can comprise yet a further supply reel for a strip-like membrane that is permeable to oxygen and/or carbon dioxide to cover the openings, in particular bigger openings.
From the example above, it will be clear that the invention provides a modified atmosphere package which reaches the desired gas composition inside the package relatively quickly, e.g. within one day, without having to flush the package with the desired gas composition and thus without substantially slowing down the packaging process.
The invention is not restricted to the above- described embodiments which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. Package (1) for preserving respiring produce (2) contained in the package (1), in particular vegetables, fruit, and herbs, the package (1) comprising a packaging material, in particular a polymer film (1A), provided with at least one opening (3) enabling gas exchange with the atmosphere surrounding the package (1), characterised in that the package (1) comprises a scavenger (4) .
2. Package (1) according to claim 1, wherein the package (1) comprises one or more scavengers (4) for oxygen, carbon dioxide and/or ethylene.
3. Package (1) according to claim 2, wherein the scavenger (4) is or includes a scavenger (4) for oxygen and wherein the amount of the scavenger (4) for oxygen is selected to remove only part of the oxygen contained the package (1) .
4. Package (1) according to claim 3, wherein the amount of the scavenger (4) for oxygen is selected to reduce the concentration of oxygen to within a range of from 0,2 to 10%, preferably from 0,5 to 7%.
5. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the scavenger (4) is integrated in the packaging material (1A) or contained in a sachet, strip or label (4) adhered to the packaging material (1A) .
6. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one opening is a micro-perforation (3).
7. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one opening (3) is covered by a membrane that is permeable to oxygen and/or carbon dioxide.
8. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims containing produce, in particular
vegetables, fruit, and herbs.
9. Package (1) according to any one of the
preceding claims, wherein the scavenger (4) is contained inside the package (1) .
10. Apparatus (5) for making a package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a supply reel (6) and a take-up reel (7) for a packaging material (1A), a beam generator (8) for making openings, in particular micro-perforations (3), in the packaging
material, in particular a polymer film (1A), characterised by a supply reel (9) for tape (10) comprising adhesive elements (4) containing a scavenger to be applied to the packaging material (1A) .
11. Apparatus (5) according to claim 10, wherein the elements include sachets, strips or labels (4) to be adhered to the inner wall of the package (1) .
12. Apparatus (5) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the supply reel (9) for tape (10) is offset relative to the beam generator (8).
EP11723927.7A 2010-06-01 2011-05-31 Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same Withdrawn EP2576354A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

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EP11723927.7A EP2576354A1 (en) 2010-06-01 2011-05-31 Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP10164619 2010-06-01
PCT/EP2011/058894 WO2011151305A1 (en) 2010-06-01 2011-05-31 Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same
EP11723927.7A EP2576354A1 (en) 2010-06-01 2011-05-31 Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same

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EP (1) EP2576354A1 (en)
JP (1) JP2013530890A (en)
CN (1) CN103068682A (en)
AU (1) AU2011260356A1 (en)
BR (1) BR112012030436A2 (en)
CA (1) CA2801034A1 (en)
CL (1) CL2012003362A1 (en)
IL (1) IL223291A0 (en)
MA (1) MA34320B1 (en)
PE (1) PE20130909A1 (en)
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AU2011260356A1 (en) 2013-01-10
CN103068682A (en) 2013-04-24
JP2013530890A (en) 2013-08-01
PE20130909A1 (en) 2013-08-26
BR112012030436A2 (en) 2017-06-13
CA2801034A1 (en) 2011-12-08
CL2012003362A1 (en) 2013-07-19
WO2011151305A1 (en) 2011-12-08
IL223291A0 (en) 2013-02-03
ZA201209734B (en) 2013-09-25
MA34320B1 (en) 2013-06-01
US20130062242A1 (en) 2013-03-14

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