EP4163223B1 - Packaging for packaging fresh food products tending to exud liquids - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is located in the field of packaging and preservation mainly of food products which produce exudates, such as meat, marine and similar products which are known to have a natural propensity to exude liquids, or even soft fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, etc.

This type of packaging must therefore include means of treating, or even separating the product from the liquids which escape from it, as much for health and conservation reasons as for aesthetic reasons linked to the appearance of the product. Thus, for example for meat, the sight of a piece placed on a blood-stained background, or bathed in exudates, makes the appearance of the product unattractive for the consumer. At least the surface of the part in contact with the exuded liquid may also change color, making the food less appetizing because the contrast with the rest of the part is perceived very negatively in terms of freshness.

Even more importantly, the liquids that exude from protein animal products are likely to promote the proliferation of bacteria inside the packaging, and it is therefore imperative to treat the exudates of said products as much as possible to avoid any contamination that could be harmful to the consumer. As the problem is old, many options have been considered.

In existing solutions, there are thus packaging in which the product is placed in contact with a material having absorbent properties, for example of the blotting type, such as for example the container described in the document EP 1 741 634 . But these configurations do not resolve the issue of the rapidly degraded appearance of the pad which directly absorbs exudates. The humidity quickly imparted to the blotter, which remains constantly in contact with the product, no longer solves the problems linked to the conservation of the product.

To overcome these drawbacks, trays with non-absorbent bottoms have been provided, comprising a support which raises the product, in particular via reliefs distributed on the bottom, between which the liquid can in principle flow. This is the case for the solutions, for example, described in the documents EP 3 770 075 And EP 3 643 641 . Given that the packaging, when transported, is often tilted, these configurations offer no guarantee as to the absence of contact between the product and the exuded liquids. This is also often true when it is presented on the shelf, where it can frequently find itself tilted, either due to the nature of the presentation supports, or due to the disorderly handling of customers who leave the packaging disturbed by their care in the state.

Still other solutions present an additional support element for the product, distinct from the packaging container itself, and which includes means for ensuring the flow of exudates, for example orifices - opening where appropriate onto an absorbent material of the same type as before (blotter) placed under the support. The blotter itself rests on the bottom of the tray, so that there are three successive layers forming a complex bottom for the packaging device. Such a conception results for example from the document FR 2 546 138 . In this case, the absorbent layer occupies the volume placed under the support, and the problem of bacterial flora appearing there after a certain duration of humidity continues to arise acutely due to the nature of the blotter.

The document FROM 20 2021 101659 U1 presents a packaging solution according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising a false bottom whose lower face is provided with a dense network of studs making the connection with the bottom, and the upper face is provided with two protrusions which are in reality recesses, seen from the underside, intended to be fixed on blocks of equivalent size protruding from the bottom. Said excrescences therefore only have a function of fixing the false bottom to the bottom. The product to be packaged, which therefore rests directly on the false bottom in the absence of any other relief protruding from the false bottom, is hardly protected because, depending on the quantity of liquid released, it is likely to rest directly in or in contact with it. of said liquids, especially since no blotting material is provided.

Even in the absence of a blotting element, in the previous configurations, the product rests directly on the support, and the flow of protective gas (in the case of controlled atmosphere packaging) or air which circulates around the piece of protein is limited by the existence of the contact surface of the piece on said support, a limitation which actually results in degrading the conservation power of the packaging.

When used, some of the current absorbent blotters also pose a problem in terms of recyclability, because they are composed of cellulose fibers in the internal layer, super absorbent polymers such as SAP or SAF (acrylic or methacrylic acids and their salts). alkaline) intended to absorb large quantities of liquid, and one or two surface layers of PE or cellulose. They are also often stuck to the tray with glue, which can pose a recyclability problem.

In some packaging, blotters are replaced by bubble mats, for example in cases where the packaging is used for fruit, which are also stuck to the bottoms of containers and pose more or less the same environmental and recyclability issues as the absorbent materials which have been mentioned previously.

The time has indeed come for eco-design, which involves additional notions linked to the recyclability of packaging, and which must not degrade the characteristics purely functional of said packaging, nor encumber the costs necessary for their production. The equation becomes complex because end-of-life parameters of the packaging must also be taken into consideration. Recycling must therefore be able to be carried out under the best conditions, without any restrictive separation or sorting operation, for example, which is synonymous with an economically devaluing loss of time and above all provides little incentive and is therefore not carried out in most cases, which results in depriving meaning of the initial ecodesign approach.

The present invention presents an innovative packaging design both for the technical characteristics of the packaging and with regard to the environmental aspects. The proposed configuration improves on the one hand the gas flows around the packaged products, thus improving the conservation of the packaged products, and on the other hand facilitates recycling by allowing easy collection of packaging, as well as their easy recycling in sorting centers then at regenerators/recyclers.

• la face supérieure comporte un réseau d'excroissances séparées réparties sur la totalité de ladite face, formant un support plan fractionné ; et
• la face inférieure est munie de plots de soutènement reposant sur le fond et définissant un espace entre le faux-fond et le fond.

For these purposes, the packaging for packaging fresh food products according to the invention conventionally comprises a container comprising a bottom and a peripheral wall, said bottom being covered by a false bottom consisting of a wall arranged parallel to the bottom and supporting the product, the wall of the false bottom comprising an upper face on which the product rests and a lower face facing the bottom of the packaging. The packaging of the invention is also such that:

• the upper face comprises a network of separate protrusions distributed over the entirety of said face, forming a split planar support; And
• the lower face is provided with retaining pads resting on the bottom and defining a space between the false bottom and the bottom.

The false bottom of the invention results in practice in separating the juices from the food, which can no longer bathe in it, due to the existence of the growths distributed on the upper face of the wall forming the false bottom, and the natural channels formed between said growths and through which liquids can escape. The exudate of the product can in fact flow between said growths, and eliminates any contact with the food which is supported by the split "floor" formed by the free ends of said growths. The juice also becomes invisible quite quickly since it ends up flowing into the space defined between the false bottom and the bottom of the container. The circulation of air (or gas) which is also possible around almost the entire packaged part, as well as the absence of contact of the latter with the liquid, also makes it possible to increase the shelf life. and better preserve the color of food on both sides. The proposed configuration also limits bacteriological development thanks to the separation of juice and food, and finally reduces odors when opening the packaging.

The false bottom can be placed inside the container, sealed, or even glued, but preferably, the bottom and the wall of the false bottom can include at least one means of connection ensuring removability of the connection of the wall of the false bottom at the bottom of the container. The false bottom is in fact a component which can be seen as easily integrated into the container, in an automated or manual manner, and also easily dismantled if this is necessary for recycling, for example in a selective sorting process. As will be developed in more detail later, it is also designed to preserve good stackability and good destackability before placing it in the container.

According to one possibility, the outgrowths protruding from the upper face of the wall of the false bottom may be frustoconical in appearance with a flat top. Together, they constitute a support which is planar, if they all have the same height, although divided and therefore favorable to the flow of liquids from the food and gases circulating in the container. Said protrusions projecting from the upper face of the wall of the false bottom may also have a decreasing height from the edges of said wall towards its center.

According to a possible configuration, the retaining pads can be arranged in several parallel rows, the pads of at least one central row being of greater volume than the pads of lateral rows. These blocks of the central row can also be slightly higher than the others so that when they are in contact with the bottom, they generate a double slope on either side of a central axis of the wall of the false bottom, thus optimizing the flow of exudates towards the sides so that they flow, at the level of the side edges of the wall, towards the bottom.

The retaining pads have, according to a possible configuration, a frustoconical or hollow cylindrical body closed by a flat or convex wall at its free end distal to the lower face of the wall of the false bottom. If necessary, this flexible curved wall can make it possible to adjust the positioning of the false bottom on the bottom or to absorb shocks by axial crushing of limited amplitude. Their height also makes it possible to define, in the depth of the container, the volume allocated to the lower space devoted to receiving the exuded liquids.

We have mentioned the fact that the false bottom can include removable means of securing to the bottom: these can, according to one possibility, include at least one clipping buttonhole projecting from the upper face of the wall of the false bottom and cooperating with one or more corresponding protrusions from the bottom. The false bottom can somehow be clipped in place by one or more “pawn/buttonhole” systems, the joining operation being able to be manual or automated.

One of the major aspects of the invention's packaging is its ecological signature, environmentally conscious, that is to say respecting as much as possible a circular economy prioritizing recyclable materials, ease of recycling and, of course, the reuse of materials for the manufacture of the same packaging. In these perspectives, the mono-material of the container and the material of the wall of the false bottom can for example be selected from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polylactic acid plastic (PLA) or any other bio-sourced material.

Preferably, the material of the container and the material of the false bottom wall are identical, so that it is not necessary to dismantle the packaging to carry out recycling sorting. This packaging considerably facilitates not only its own collection, but also recycling in a sorting center and then at regenerators/recyclers. More preferably, the material of the container and the material of the wall of the false bottom can contain at least a recycled fraction of said material, such that the circularity mentioned can be exercised.

The invention must in fact allow recycling of all the materials making up the packaging in the same recycling circuit. From this perspective, the materials of the container and the false bottom can be different, provided that they can be recycled in the same recycling stream, for example being made of polypropylene for one and polyethylene terephthalate for the other. other. The container and the false bottom according to the invention must be able to be recovered and washed after crushing in the recyclers' installations. The return to the characteristics necessary for the food sector is carried out in approved processes in the same way as for plastic bottles, processes which therefore comply with approved standards.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'une configuration possible de paroi de faux-fond d'allure rectangulaire selon la présente invention, par conséquent insérable dans un récipient de forme correspondante ;
• La figure 2 montre, en vue perspective du côté de la face supérieure de la paroi formant le faux-fond, un détail agrandi d'une portion de faux-fond munie d'excroissances de support du produit alimentaire ;
• La figure 3 illustre un détail agrandi de la face inférieure d'une portion de ladite paroi avec les plots de soutènement en dépassant ;
• La figure 4 représente en perspective une portion agrandie d'une boutonnière de clipsage dépassant de la face supérieure de la paroi formant faux-fond ; et
• La figure 5 montre, toujours en vue perspective, un détail agrandi d'un plot à contredépouille dépassant également de la face supérieure de la paroi formant faux-fond.

Other aims and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the description which follows, relating to an embodiment which is given only by way of indicative example. The understanding of this description will be made easier in particular with reference to the drawings attached in the appendix and in which:

• There figure 1 represents a perspective view of a possible configuration of false bottom wall of rectangular appearance according to the present invention, therefore insertable in a container of corresponding shape;
• There figure 2 shows, in perspective view from the side of the upper face of the wall forming the false bottom, an enlarged detail of a portion of false bottom provided with protrusions supporting the food product;
• There Figure 3 illustrates an enlarged detail of the lower face of a portion of said wall with the retaining blocks protruding from it;
• There figure 4 represents in perspective an enlarged portion of a buttonhole clipping protruding from the upper face of the wall forming a false bottom; And
• There figure 5 shows, still in perspective view, an enlarged detail of an undercut stud also protruding from the upper face of the wall forming a false bottom.

There figure 1 contains all the elements of figures 2 to 5 , since it illustrates a false bottom according to the invention as a whole. The false bottom takes the form of a thin and flat wall 1, shown transparent to facilitate its description, generally rectangular with rounded corners, to be inserted into a container with a prismatic appearance of section according to a plane parallel to the bottom of the same shape than the exterior cutout of the false bottom, at least at the level where the latter is placed.

Wall 1 is rigid, provided with a certain number of reliefs belonging to different categories distinguished according to their function. Thus, the upper face of wall 1, visible in the foreground in the figures 1, 2 , 4 and 5 , firstly comprises, in decreasing order in number of individuals, frustoconical protrusions 2 with a flat closed end in this configuration. Together they form a raised split “floor” for food products, for example a piece of meat or fish. Their number is sufficient for the food to be well supported, and the lacunar structure that they form allows the flow of liquids and the circulation of gaseous fluids, air or gas provided in a controlled atmosphere.

The retaining blocks 3, 3' have, in this configuration, a frustoconical shape which resembles that of the protrusions 2, with slightly larger dimensions and a closed free end which is also flat or slightly convex, which can be seen in Figure 3 that it can be crushed under pressure, for example to make adjustments in the container. These studs 3, 3' are supported on the bottom of the container (not shown) and in practice give its height to the space contained between the bottom and the false bottom, a space intended to collect the liquids exuded by the packaged products. This space effectively serves as a juice reservoir.

These retaining blocks are in this case (see in figure 1 ) arranged in several parallel rows. In the configuration shown, the studs 3' of the central row are of greater height than the studs 3 of the side rows, in fact creating a double slope like a roof, making it possible to constrain the flow of exudates towards the sides so that They flow into the space between the wall 1 of the false bottom and the bottom of the container.

The wall 1 forming the false bottom can be sealed, glued, or simply placed on the bottom of the container, or even removably fixed to it, for example by means of one or more clipping buttonholes 4 appearing in figure 4 . This(s) present(s) a volume protruding from the upper face of the wall 1 provided with a rectangular prismatic base surmounted by a rectangular truncated pyramid, the free end being closed and flat. It is designed to cooperate with corresponding reliefs at the bottom of the container, projecting towards the interior of the latter, and of corresponding shape so that elastic clipping can occur. Referring again to the figure 1 , two of these clipping buttonholes appear in this configuration on the wall 1 of the false bottom, arranged substantially on a diagonal of the wall 1. The low height of these buttonholes makes it possible to optimize the stackability of the false bottoms before removal in the container, the space lost between each false bottom being small.

Other studs protrude from the upper face of said wall 1: these are undercut studs 5, the undercut surfaces of which are in this case visible at the two longitudinal ends of the rectangular studs 5 (in the illustrated example). Given these undercut surfaces, the destackability of the containers is correctly ensured. Their geometric shape can be round, oval, square, rectangular or other, as long as they have undercut surfaces.

The example of configuration which is the subject of the figures should not be considered as exhaustive of the invention, which on the contrary encompasses multiple variants of form included within the scope of the claims:
shapes and location of studs 2, 3, 4 and 5, exterior layout of wall 1 of the false bottom, number of outgrowths from the moment when the split raised “floor” fulfills its support function, etc.

Claims (10)

1. A packaging for packing fresh food products comprising a container comprising a bottom and a peripheral wall, said bottom being covered by a false bottom consisting of a wall (1) arranged parallel to the bottom and supporting the product, the wall (1) of the false bottom comprising an upper face on which the product rests and a lower face opposite the bottom of the packaging, characterized in that:

   - the upper face comprises an array of separate protuberances (2) distributed over the entirety of said face, forming a compartmentalized flat support; and

   - the lower face is provided with retaining studs (3, 3') resting on the bottom and defining a space between the false bottom and the bottom.
2. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bottom and the wall (1) of the false bottom comprise at least one rigid connection means (4), ensuring that the rigid connection of the wall (1) of the false bottom to the bottom of the container is detachable.
3. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protuberances (2) protruding from the upper face of the wall (1) of the false bottom are of frustoconical shape with a planar apex.
4. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protuberances (2) protruding from the upper face of the wall (1) of the false bottom have a height that decreases from the edges of said wall (1) towards its center.
5. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining studs (3) are arranged in a plurality of parallel rows, the studs (3') of at least one central row being of greater volume than the side-row studs.
6. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining studs (3, 3') have a frustoconical or hollow cylindrical body closed by a flat or curved wall at its distal free end of the lower face of the wall (1) of the false bottom.
7. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the securing means comprise at least one clipping button (4) protruding from the upper face of the wall (1) of the false bottom and cooperating with one or more corresponding protuberances of the bottom.
8. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material of the container and the material of the wall (1) of the false bottom are selected from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polylactic acid (PLA) plastic, or any other biobased material.
9. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material of the container and the material of the wall (1) of the false bottom are identical.
10. The packaging for packing fresh food products according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the material of the container and the material of the wall (1) of the false bottom contain at least one recycled fraction of said material.

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