FR2481672A1

FR2481672A1 - Preservation of foodstuffs esp. meat - in package charged with gas contg. carbon mon:oxide

Info

Publication number: FR2481672A1
Application number: FR8009815A
Authority: FR
Inventors: Suzanne Hermann
Original assignee: Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Multivac Sepp Haggenmueller GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1980-04-30
Filing date: 1980-04-30
Publication date: 1981-11-06
Also published as: FR2481672B3

Abstract

Foodstuffs are packaged by placing them in a container, sealing the container, evacuating air from the container, and introducing a CO-contg. gas. The gas pref. contains 0.5-10 (esp. 0.5-5)% CO and opt. 10-15% or 15-45% CO2, the balance being N2O or N2. The packaged foodstuff can be stored at -4 to +4(pref. -1 to +1) deg.C. The relative humidity in the contain is pref. 90-95%. The process is esp. applicable to meat. The CO forms a complex with myoglobin on the surface of the meat, which inhibits wt. loss and pH variation.

Description

L'invention concerne un procédé d'emballage de denrées alimentaires dans lequel on introduit les denrées dans un récipient, on ferme le récipient, on aspire dans une large mesure l'air contenu dans le récipient et ensuite on introduit du gaz à l'intérieur du récipient. L'invention concerne en outre un emballage comportant un récipient en feuille souple ou rigide au moins approximativement étanche aux gaz, contenant une denrée alimentaire à conserver, de préférence de la viande, et un gaz protecteur entourant au moins partiellement la denrée alimentaire. The invention relates to a method of packaging foodstuffs in which the foodstuffs are introduced into a container, the container is closed, the air contained in the container is sucked in to a large extent and then gas is introduced inside. of the container. The invention further relates to a package comprising a flexible or rigid sheet container at least approximately gas tight, containing a foodstuff to be preserved, preferably meat, and a protective gas at least partially surrounding the foodstuff.

On a déjà fait de nombreux essais pour emballer les denrées alimentaires et en particulier la viande fraîche. Many attempts have already been made to package food and especially fresh meat.

On citera comme exemple le travail de Partmann et al.,
Fleischwirtschaft, 50, 1205, 1970. Il est question d'améliorer la durabilité de denrées alimentaires de la viande en particulier, en atmosphère contrôlée, en mettant la denrée à l'abri de l'oxygène et d'utiliser comme gaz protec tur différentes compositions d'anhydride carbonique et d'azote.An example is the work of Partmann et al.,
Fleischwirtschaft, 50, 1205, 1970. It is a question of improving the durability of meat food in particular, in a controlled atmosphere, by protecting the food from oxygen and by using as different protective gases. carbon dioxide and nitrogen compositions.

L'invention a pour but de fournir un procédé du genre défini plus haut qui permette de conserver des denrées alimentaires et en particulier de la viande de façon telle qu'elles restent aussi franches que possible En particulier, il faut autant que possible qu'il ne se produise aucune perte de poids, aucune variation du pH ni de la teneur en eau libre. En outre, il faut que la couleur, en particulier de la viande, ne soit pas modifiée ou m8me soit améliorée. The object of the invention is to provide a method of the kind defined above which makes it possible to preserve foodstuffs and in particular meat so that they remain as frank as possible. In particular, it is necessary as much as possible that no weight loss, no change in pH or free water content occurs. In addition, the color, in particular of the meat, must not be changed or even improved.

Ce problème est résolu par un procédé du genre défini plus haut qui, selon l'invention, est caractérisé par le fait que le gaz introduit est un mélange contenant du CO. This problem is solved by a method of the kind defined above which, according to the invention, is characterized in that the gas introduced is a mixture containing CO.

Selon un mode d'exécution, la proportion de CO est d'au moins O,50A environ; en particulier elle est au maximum de 10 % environ, plus spécialement au maximum de 5 % . Selon un autre mode d'exécution, le mélange gazeux contient en outre du N2O ou du N2. Il peut aussi contenir en outre 10 à 15 % de CO2 ; selon un autre mode d'exécution, il contient environ 15 à 45 % de C02 ; en particulier, le reste du mélange est alors formé de N20 ou N2. According to one embodiment, the proportion of CO is at least about 0.50A; in particular it is at most around 10%, more especially at most 5%. According to another embodiment, the gas mixture also contains N2O or N2. It can also contain 10 to 15% of CO2; according to another embodiment, it contains approximately 15 to 45% of CO 2; in particular, the rest of the mixture is then formed of N20 or N2.

L'emballage selon l'invention est également caractérisé par le fait que le gaz protecteur présente la composition indiquée ci-dessuse
Des modes d'exécution de l'invention seront décrits ci-après, à titre d'exemples non limitatifs.The packaging according to the invention is also characterized in that the protective gas has the composition indicated above.
Embodiments of the invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting examples.

On place la denrée alimentaire en particulier la viande, dans un récipient embouti formé d'une feuille de matière synthétique. Ensuite, on établit un vide dans le récipient, puis on introduit dans celui-ci un gaz protecteur. The foodstuff, in particular the meat, is placed in a deep-drawn container formed from a sheet of synthetic material. Next, a vacuum is established in the container, then a protective gas is introduced into it.

On ferme alors le récipient de manière à ce qu'il soit de préférence étanche aux gaz.The container is then closed so that it is preferably gas tight.

Le stockage de l'emballage contenant ce mélange de gaz s'effectue à une température voisine du point de congélation, de préférence entre -4 et +4 C. Il est particulie- rement avantageux d'effectuer le stockage entre -1 et +1 C. The packaging containing this gas mixture is stored at a temperature close to the freezing point, preferably between -4 and +4 C. It is particularly advantageous to store between -1 and +1 vs.

L'humidité relative, dans les récipients, est de préférence de 90 à 95%.The relative humidity in the containers is preferably 90 to 95%.

Des essais ont montré qu'avec un emballage de ce genre il se produit des pertes de poids extrêmement faibles et que le pH est à peine modifié. Visiblement, le CO se combine à la myoglobine, forme à la surface une oxycarbomyoglobine et empêche la conversion de l'oxymyoglobine en metmyoglobine jusque dans les couches les plus profondes parce que le CO a une action notablement plus grande sur la myoglobine que l'oxygène. Tests have shown that with packaging of this kind there is extremely low weight loss and that the pH is barely changed. Obviously, CO combines with myoglobin, forms an oxycarbomyoglobin on the surface and prevents the conversion of oxymyoglobin into metmyoglobin even in the deepest layers because CO has a significantly greater effect on myoglobin than oxygen .

Claims

1.- Process for packaging foodstuffs in which the food is introduced into a container, the container is closed, the air contained in the container is largely sucked up and gas is then introduced inside the container , process characterized in that the gas introduced is a mixture containing CO.

2.- Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the proportion of CO is at least 0.5% eaviron.

3.- Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the proportion of CO is at most about 10%.

4.- Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the proportion of CO is at most 5%.

5.- Method according to one of claims l to 4, characterized in that the gas mixture contiont on addition of N2O or N2.

6.- Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the gas mixture also contains 10 to 15% of CO2.

7.- Method according to one of claims l to 5, characterized in that the gas mixture contains about 15 to 45% of CO2.

8.- Method according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the rest of the gazenx mixture is formed of N2O or N2.

9.- Packaging comprising a flexible or rigid sheet container at least approximately gas tight, containing a foodstuff to be preserved, preferably meat and a protective gas surrounding at least partially the food denzée, packaging characterized in that the protective gas has the composition defined in one of claims 1 to 8.