EP3022128A1 - Système de préparation d'un produit alimentaire, emballage et procédé d'emballage de produits alimentaires - Google Patents

Système de préparation d'un produit alimentaire, emballage et procédé d'emballage de produits alimentaires

Info

Publication number
EP3022128A1
EP3022128A1 EP14818272.8A EP14818272A EP3022128A1 EP 3022128 A1 EP3022128 A1 EP 3022128A1 EP 14818272 A EP14818272 A EP 14818272A EP 3022128 A1 EP3022128 A1 EP 3022128A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
package
opening
cover film
food product
overpressure
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Withdrawn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
EP14818272.8A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3022128A4 (fr
Inventor
Henrik JACOBSON
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.)
Micvac AB
Original Assignee
Micvac AB
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 Micvac AB filed Critical Micvac AB
Publication of EP3022128A1 publication Critical patent/EP3022128A1/fr
Publication of EP3022128A4 publication Critical patent/EP3022128A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • B65D81/34—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 for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within the package
    • B65D81/3446—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 for packaging foodstuffs or other articles intended to be cooked or heated within the package specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
    • B65D81/3453—Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L5/00—Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
    • A23L5/10—General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
    • A23L5/17—General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L5/00—Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
    • A23L5/30—Physical treatment, e.g. electrical or magnetic means, wave energy or irradiation
    • A23L5/34—Physical treatment, e.g. electrical or magnetic means, wave energy or irradiation using microwaves
    • 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
    • B65D2205/00—Venting means
    • B65D2205/02—Venting holes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for preparing a food product, a package for food products and a method for packaging food products.
  • the one-way valve is a separate component attached to the cover film and which, at a certain combination of parameters in the form of heat and pressure, opens and closes the package respectively.
  • the one-way valve is associated with several problems in that it makes the package more expensive and complicated, and further it is also sensitive to variations in processing parameters. A certain amount of packages with a one-way valve suffers from valve failure, which results in that the packaged food product must be discarded. Further, the one-way valve is sensitive for choice of material in, for example, the cover film, whereby heating of the cooked and packaged food product in a later stage is limited to microwave heating.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a system for preparing a food product, a package and a method for simple and inexpensive packaging of food products.
  • a further object is to reduce the abovementioned shortcomings with a oneway valve of food product packages.
  • the invention therefore relates to a system for preparing a food product comprising a microwave source for heating a food product, and a package for the food product.
  • the package comprises a tray and a cover film comprising an opening for venting of gas at overpressure that is produced when cooking a food product contained in the package during supply of microwaves at a power P.
  • the opening has an opening area A adapted so that the ratio between the opening area A and the supplied power P is in the range of 0,005 and 0,06 mm 2 /W, preferably between 0,01 and 0,03 mm 2 /W, and more preferably between 0,015 and 0,025 mm 2 /W.
  • the opening thus has a sufficiently large opening area A so that it allows a sufficient flow of gas during cooking to avoid that the package breaks due to overpressure. Further, the opening area A is sufficiently small to maintain an overpressure in the package during a time period after the supply of microwave energy has ceased, which time period allows the package to be sealed in a subsequent processing step.
  • the opening area A may be adapted such that the time period is greater than 2 seconds, preferably more than 5 seconds, or more than 10 seconds. Thereby the time period is sufficiently long to allow the package to be sealed in a subsequent processing step.
  • the opening may be formed with a smooth edge to minimize points of fracture, which could entail that the package breaks due to overpressure during cooking.
  • the opening may be circular. Thereby the edge of the opening is smooth essentially without points of fracture.
  • a circular opening is also strong since it provides a large opening area for a minimized perimeter of the edge.
  • the opening may be formed in the cover film by perforation of the cover film with a sharp and smooth tool, preferably needle-shaped. Thereby material in the cover film is moved radially outward relative to the extension of the tool and strengthens the edge around the opening. No material is removed from the cover film when using this technology.
  • Another advantage with this technology is that openings may be formed in the cover film in a later processing step, when the cover film already is sealed to the tray. Since no material is removed from the cover film, there is no risk that material from the cover film is brought into the packaged food product.
  • the opening may be formed in the cover film by perforation of the cover film by means of laser cutting, punching or melting. Since these technologies entail a removal of material from the cover film (evaporation when laser cutting, mechanical removal when punching, and removal when melting), openings should be pre-formed in the cover film with these technologies, before it is sealed to the tray. Laser cutting has the advantage of very precisely being able to define the form and shape of the opening.
  • the microwave power may be in the range 200-800 W, preferably 300-600 W, more preferably 400-500W.
  • the opening area A may be between 3-8 mm 2 .
  • the plastic film may comprise a ductile material, preferably polyamide. Thereby it is achieved a mechanical stability in the cover film, to withstand the overpressure that occurs during cooking.
  • the plastic film may also comprise a barrier material, such as polypropylene and/or polyamide, which works as barrier material for diffusion of oxygen into the food product.
  • the plastic film may further comprise a material which is suitable for being attached to the tray by heating or welding. Examples of such materials may be polypropylene or polyethylene, depending on the material used in the tray.
  • the package may further comprise an adhesive label intended for sealing the opening and which comprises a barrier material.
  • an adhesive label intended for sealing the opening and which comprises a barrier material.
  • the number of openings in the cover film may be several, which jointly form the opening area A so that they allow a sufficient flow of gas during cooking to avoid that the package breaks due to overpressure. Thereby it is achieved a further strengthening of the opening, since forces that arise around the edges of the opening during the influence of the overpressure in the package are distributed over a larger edge length for a given opening area.
  • Each opening is preferably formed with a smooth edge, such as circular openings.
  • a package is achieved, which is cooked during supply of microwave power where the risk of the package breaking during cooking is small, and where the package, when cooking is completed, in an easy way and during a sufficiently long time period may be sealed in a separate subsequent processing step.
  • the sealing of the opening may occur during a time period of more than 2 seconds, preferably more than 5 seconds, or more than 10 seconds after the supply of microwave power has ceased and while an overpressure is being maintained in the package during this time window. Thereby the time period is sufficiently long to allow that the package is sealed in a subsequent processing step.
  • the sealing of the opening may occur during a time period in the range of 2- 60 seconds, preferably 5-30 seconds, more preferably 10-20 seconds after the supply of microwave energy has ceased and while an overpressure is maintained in the package during this time window.
  • the opening may be formed in the cover film by perforation of the cover film with a sharp and smooth tool, preferably needle-shaped, in such a way that the opening gets a smooth edge. Thereby it is achieved an opening with a smooth edge which minimizes breaking points, which could mean that the package breaks due to overpressure during cooking.
  • the opening may be formed by perforation of the cover film after a food product is packaged in the tray and the cover film is sealed to the tray. Thereby the packaged and non-cooked food product is kept sealed until the perforation step.
  • Fig. 1 shows a cross section of a package for food products, at a number of steps (a)-(f) of a method for packaging of food products according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 shows one (a) and several (b) openings in the cover film.
  • Fig. 3 shows a method according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 4 shows a diagram of time t to sealing for different opening areas A.
  • Fig. 1 shows a cross section of a package for food products, at a number of method steps (a)-(f).
  • Fig. 1 a shows a package 101 comprising a tray 103 with a food product 102 to be packaged and cooked.
  • the tray is made in a material that withstands microwave heating and that has a low permeability to oxygen, for example polypropylene.
  • the package further comprises a cover film 104 of a material that withstands microwave heating.
  • the cover film comprises several layers of different materials, such as a polyamide layer which brings mechanical stability and a barrier function, i.e. a low permeability of oxygen, and a layer, such as polypropylene, for heat welding to the tray.
  • the cover film comprises an opening 105, which is located centrally on the cover film relative to the tray. According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a, the opening is formed in the cover film before sealing to the tray. If the cover film is provided on a roll, openings may be pre-formed in the cover film on the roll.
  • the openings may be formed in the cover film in a perforation step which is performed before the cover film is sealed to the tray.
  • the opening area A may be formed by a single opening 205 in the cover film 204 (Fig. 2a), or by several sub-openings 215 in the cover film 204 (Fig. 2b).
  • the sub-openings 215 thus jointly and together form the opening area A.
  • the cover film is sealed to the tray at a joint 106 around the edge of the tray. This may be done for example by applying heat or by welding, such as ultrasonic welding. In the tray there is thereby formed a space 107 which contains said food product and a certain amount of gas (air). The gas in the space 107 may be vented through the opening 105 in the cover film.
  • the food product in the package is heated by supply of microwaves 108.
  • a typical microwave power is 400-500W.
  • the whole absorbed microwave power generates water vapor in the space 107 that holds gas.
  • the pressure in this space increases, and the gas is vented out through the opening 105.
  • the opening has a sufficiently large opening area A and is formed with a smooth edge so that it allows a sufficient flow of gas during cooking to avoid that the package breaks due to overpressure. Thereby it is avoided that the cover film breaks up due to tension in the film, and that the sealing between cover film and tray is maintained.
  • the sealing takes place while there is still an overpressure in the package.
  • the opening 105 is sealed, Fig. 1 e, with an adhesive label 1 10 in order to seal the space 107 in the package.
  • the adhesive label comprises a layer with barrier properties such as polypropylene, for limiting transportation of oxygen from the surroundings into the space 107 and the food product 102 in the package.
  • Fig. 4 shows a graph of measured time period (seconds) to sealing for a package, for different opening areas A (mm 2 ).
  • the package was cooked at a microwave power of 440 W.
  • the ratio between the opening area and supplied power is 0,009 mm 2 /W.
  • a time period of 24 s is reached before the package should be sealed.
  • the ratio between the opening area and supplied power is 0,012 mm 2 /W. At this opening area, a time period of 16 s is reached before the package should be sealed.
  • the ratio between the opening area and supplied power is 0,014 mm 2 /W. At this opening area, a time period of 14 s is reached before the package should be sealed.
  • the ratio between opening area and supplied effect is 0,005 mm 2 /W, and at an opening area of 10 mm 2 the ratio is 0,023 mm 2 /W.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Package Specialized In Special Use (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un système et un emballage pour des produits alimentaires qui comprend un plateau et un film de recouvrement ayant une ouverture destinée à mettre à l'air libre le gaz lors de surpression qui se produit lors de la cuisson d'un produit alimentaire contenu dans l'emballage pendant l'alimentation en micro-ondes à une puissance P, l'ouverture ayant une zone d'ouverture A conçue de telle sorte que le rapport entre la zone d'ouverture et l'effet appliqué se situe dans une plage comprise entre 0,005 mm²/W et 0,06 mm2/W, de préférence entre 0,01 mm²/W et 0,03 mm2/W, de préférence encore entre 0,015 mm²/W et 0,025 mm2/W, pour que l'ouverture présente une zone A d'ouverture suffisamment grande pour lui permettre un débit suffisant de gaz pendant la cuisson afin d'éviter que l'emballage ne se rompe en raison de la surpression, et pour que la zone A d'ouverture soit suffisamment petite pour maintenir une surpression dans l'emballage pendant une durée après que l'alimentation en puissance de micro-onde a cessé, ladite durée permettant de rendre étanche l'emballage dans une étape de traitement subséquente. La présente invention concerne en outre un procédé d'emballage de produits alimentaires.
EP14818272.8A 2013-06-28 2014-06-27 Système de préparation d'un produit alimentaire, emballage et procédé d'emballage de produits alimentaires Withdrawn EP3022128A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE1350794A SE1350794A1 (sv) 2013-06-28 2013-06-28 Förpackning för livsmedel och metod för förpackning av livsmedel
PCT/SE2014/050805 WO2014209218A1 (fr) 2013-06-28 2014-06-27 Système de préparation d'un produit alimentaire, emballage et procédé d'emballage de produits alimentaires

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3022128A1 true EP3022128A1 (fr) 2016-05-25
EP3022128A4 EP3022128A4 (fr) 2017-01-18

Family

ID=52142386

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP14818272.8A Withdrawn EP3022128A4 (fr) 2013-06-28 2014-06-27 Système de préparation d'un produit alimentaire, emballage et procédé d'emballage de produits alimentaires

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3022128A4 (fr)
SE (1) SE1350794A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2014209218A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
PL424485A1 (pl) * 2018-02-02 2019-08-12 Grzegorz Stopa Opakowanie do gotowania produktów spożywczych
EP4371415A1 (fr) * 2022-11-21 2024-05-22 MicVac AB Procédé et système de préparation d'un produit alimentaire

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3133193B2 (ja) * 1993-05-21 2001-02-05 株式会社デューシステム 圧力調整弁、該圧力調整弁を有する自動調理用パッケージ、及び該自動調理用パッケージで包装された飲食品
SE511353C2 (sv) * 1998-06-23 1999-09-20 Joel Haamer Metod och anordning för kokning och vakuumpackning av musslor med mikrovågor
US6844534B2 (en) * 1998-06-23 2005-01-18 Micvac Ab Process for microwave cooking and vacuum packing of food
DE59808070D1 (de) * 1998-06-24 2003-05-28 Alcan Tech & Man Ag Verschlussmembrane mit Überdruckventil
DE60201375T2 (de) * 2001-02-16 2005-12-01 Vanda Janka Verfahren zur wärmebehandlung und konservierung unter kontrolliertem gasdruck
SE521684C2 (sv) * 2001-04-30 2003-11-25 Micvac Ab Återförslutningsbar envägsventil för livsmedelsförpackning
SE520986C2 (sv) * 2002-11-20 2003-09-16 Micvac Ab Förpackning och metod för pastörisering och vacuumförpackning av livsmedel
NL1029353C2 (nl) * 2005-06-28 2007-01-02 Greencore Convenience Foods Li Werkwijze en inrichting voor het aan een warmtebehandeling onderwerpen van een voedselproduct.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3022128A4 (fr) 2017-01-18
SE1350794A1 (sv) 2014-12-29
WO2014209218A1 (fr) 2014-12-31

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