FR2860217A1 - Package for thin slices of a food product laid out with overlapping edges is made from two opaque layers of a non-absorbent plastic material - Google Patents

Abstract

Package (12) for a number of thin slices of a food product (1) such as fish or meat laid out in a pattern with overlapping edges is made from two plastic film layers (5, 7) metallized on at least one surface, non-absorbent in relation to the packaged product and preferably opaque. Package (12) for a number of thin slices of a food product (1) such as fish or meat laid out in a pattern with overlapping edges is made from two plastic film layers (5, 7) metallized on at least one surface, non-absorbent in relation to the packaged product and preferably opaque. The packaged product can be fresh or frozen, and the film materials of the package can be welded together around the central zone containing the product, the weld (9) being continuous and enclosing a zone where there is a lack of oxygen. The line of the weld is made with one or more points (13) directed towards the corners (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) of the pack for easy opening.

Description

1 2860217

  ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CARPACCIO AND ITS PACKAGING, AND

CONDITIONING METHOD

  The invention relates to the packaging of thin slices of a raw food product presented as a carpaccio (in particular a carpaccio of meat, in particular beef or even fish (s), in particular smoked fish and / or salmon-type fatty fish , or others, such as fruits or vegetables).

  According to the current denomination, carpaccio is called very thin slices of a raw food product.

  This carpaccio is packaged between sheets forming the package.

  In FR-A-2 794 107 is described a packaged assembly in which a carpaccio of beef in particular is packaged between two sheets, with interposition between the food product and the leaves of a preparation also food, liquid, having the triple function of detachment of the carpaccio from the leaves of the packaging, holding a decor set up on carpaccio and microbiological preservation of slices.

  An object of the present invention is to avoid having to place in the package, between the sheets, and therefore in contact with carpaccio, this additional food preparation.

  Another goal is to obtain a product that can be 100% pure in the package.

  Yet another goal is to ensure proper preservation of the conditioned carpaccio.

  2 2860217 Yet another purpose is to allow an appropriate presentation of this carpaccio, both in the package and when it comes out: we must have been able to place the slices between the sheets so that when deconditioning the carpaccio, it is sufficient if it is desired to present it as such in a plate, whatever the form thereof (the slices are "predisposed" with respect to each other and do not adhere significantly between them nor vis-à-vis leaves).

  To achieve at least some of these objects, the invention has some or all of the following features.

  the flexible sheets between which the carpaccio is packaged, without adding any additional food preparation (the oil, water, brine added between the sheets at the time of packaging, as in FR-A-2 794 107) are plastic sheets, metallized on at least one side, said sheets being non-absorbent with respect to the packaged product, a priori not extensible and preferably (very substantially or completely) opaque. Using sheets of parchment paper, or any sheet or plate such as cardboard that may create a mark, if it is folded, is not suitable. The type of sheet provided here decreases / cancels the "chimney" effect caused by the folds, for example paper or certain other materials which are typically too wrinkle-free. The sheets used are advantageously here flexible core, with a coating metallized only on one side. The nature of the plastic of the sheets promotes the peelability of the sheets with respect to each other, the "surfactant" effect when in contact with them and the air-tightness of the package, around the central area where the carpaccio is located. The packaging is closed in a natural way, by self-plating, the detachment itself operating easily. The metallized coating of the sheets of the packaging also promotes their flexibility; - Advantageously, the sheets of the package are OPP metallized on one side, the metallized face being located towards the outside of the package. The opacity of the leaves also protects carpaccio against ambient light. The preferential nature of the leaves also means that they are then completely printable, for any decor or appropriate information; an anti-fog type treatment may be added to further promote the peelability of the sheets together and / or with respect to the product; - The conditioned carpaccio is a priori distributed as a frozen. Before or after conditioning it, we advise to freeze it; - The sheets of the package are advantageously welded together around the central zone of the package where the slices are arranged; In particular, this weld is typically continuous, thereby defining internally a confined space in which may be an air gap (oxygen deficiency in particular). Welding is possible considering the nature of the leaves. This protects the carpaccio especially against freeze drying.

  A vacuum in the packaging is furthermore a guarantee of preservation; The package advantageously has corners and the weld bead has at least one point near and towards one of these corners; - If the carpaccio presented is a fatty fish, a fruit or vegetable, or a meat (typically pure beef) thawed, the two sheets of the package then adhere favorably to one another through the exudate produced by the thawed slices, after they have been frozen; - Advantageously, the packaged carpaccio slices overlap partially and substantially regularly, from one slice to the next, so that the product thickness in the package is substantially constant. Thus, there will be a minimum of overlapping slices, especially in a typical rosette shape, with a free central part. This facilitates rapid and uniform thawing of carpaccio. In addition, such a presentation makes it possible to implement the product in the consumer's plate, according to a presentation usually accepted by the latter and without prior direct manipulation of the slices.

  In order to obtain a derogation from the currently accepted conservation rules (September 2003), in particular to extend the shelf-life period prior to consumption from thawing, it is also expected that, preferably by individual portion (s), the slices of carpaccio packaged between said sheets (it is recommended that the opaque sheets, with a metallized outer face, of the invention) are placed inside an airtight flexible outer pocket 2860217, in which oxygen deficiency (relative to ambient air).

  In this respect, it may in particular reign in the pocket a partial air vacuum, preferably with a residual pressure of about 20mb, or more, or above.

  An oxygen absorber may be contained in the pocket.

  In addition to the set comprising a carpaccio conditioned, the invention also relates to a method for conditioning this carpaccio, this method being characterized in that it has the series of slices on the first of said sheets without input, on the sheet of any additional food product intended to promote detachment of the carpaccio from said first sheet and / or its preservation, and said slices are covered with the second sheet, still without input, between the slices and this second sheet, any additional food product to promote the separation of the slices from the leaves of the packaging and / or their preservation.

  It will also be possible, next, to weld the two sheets together, towards their periphery, by heat-sealing or, preferably, after having locally interposed a cold sealant, by pressure, and / or freeze so the carpaccio slices so packaged .

  An additional description of the invention will

  now be presented with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 attached which show a packaged product (Figure 1), a partial section of one of the conditioning sheets (Figure 2) and a packaging in an additional pocket (Fig.3) .

  Figure 1, we see slices of beef carpaccio (raw product, here pure beef) 1 arranged rosette, with a center (central portion) 3 uncovered (free), the slices partially overlapping to a substantially constant thickness.

  The slices are packaged between two thin sheets, 5.7, soft, opaque, non-extensible, non-absorbent with respect to the carpaccio (they do not absorb fat or moisture) and plastic metallized externally (layer 5b , 2) on their opposite side to that, 5a, in contact with either the slices 1, or with the other sheet, particularly at the periphery, around the slices.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each sheet may therefore have a first plastic layer 5a covered, a priori only on one side, by a metallized and opaque continuous layer 5b. In particular, it is possible to use a plastic film 5a made of polypropylene, such as coextruded OPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene), for example 20 microns thick, metallized by a supply of aluminum, for the layer 5b.

  At the periphery, a weld bead 9 seals the two sheets together, on the side of their metallized face. In particular, it is possible to provide a bead consisting of 2 to 4 tracks, parallel to each other and continuous, to prevent leakage.

  An "annular" space 10a exists between the slices 30 1 and the bead 9 and another space 10b exists between the bead and the periphery of the sheets 5, 7.

  Here, at least one of the sheets has been advantageously coated, locally, on the plastic layer (5a) with several tracks of a cold sealant, making it possible to seal the sheets together, by simple pressure, without heat above room temperature. The product may be cold seal.

  The welding performed here is continuous all around the slices.

  The leaves also have corners, here four, lla, lib, 11c, ild.

  The weld bead 9 has a point 13 in the direction and near, here, each of these corners. A very small tangential surface at the corners facilitates the subsequent opening of the package 12.

  Once the leaves have been sealed, the carpaccio slices are prepared to be advantageously frozen (frozen).

  As already noted, no additional food product (oil, water, brine) has been added between the sheets, during the conditioning of the carpaccio, either to facilitate the detachment of the product from the packaging, or to an outfit of scenery or any effect of conservation.

  The type of frozen or frozen product, especially if it is beef, or even fatty fish, (salmon type) or for example pineapple, conjugated with the nature of the leaves 5.7 of the package allows here an appropriate separation of the slices vis-à-vis the leaves, at the time of opening.

  At airtight sealing of the sheets 5,7 may be associated oxygen deficiency 8 2860217 (typically depression of air inside the package, with a lower pressure than the ambient, but higher a priori at 20mb), increasing the duration of conservation and / or promoting the conditions of this conservation.

  In particular in this case, the opening of the package will be all the easier with the opening points 13 and as far as the carpaccio has been frozen. Indeed, the packaging being intended to be preferably opened once the thawed product, the exudate produced by the thawed slices will avoid all the more they adhere (excessively) to each other or to the leaves. The homogeneous thickness in the arrangement of the slices also favors a rapid and homogeneous thawing.

  If the carpaccio is fresh and sold as such, the nature of the leaves is considered appropriate to allow proper opening of the package, without excessive adhesion, the sheets 5, 7 may even not be welded together, but simply maintained. one against the other, by capillarity and / or by a surfactant effect related to the type of carpaccio conditioned (beef, salmon :) and / or the nature of the leaves used, as already indicated.

  In such a case, it may be considered useful to place the sheets surrounding the carpaccio slices inside a kind of flexible pouch, preferably transparent food plastic, this pouch being closed by welding or any other means.

  Especially in the case where the carpaccio is frozen, it may be desirable to dispense the package already presented in series of individual packages. It is thus possible to condition one (each) individual portion of several slices 1 between two said sheets 5, 7 (FIG. 3). For optimized conservation and in order to obtain a derogation from the current conservation rules (September 2003), in particular shelf life before consumption from defrosting, it is envisaged as illustrated fig.3 to place the (each) individual portion 15,17,19 in a flexible outer pocket, airtight, 21 (the series of sheets 5,7 were deliberately shown apart, for the readability of the drawing, although they are contiguous one to the other). The pocket 21 is thin plastic food, ordinary (economic), can be transparent (opaque sheets 5.7) or opaque, and is sealed at the periphery for oxygen deficiency prevails in this bag. A partial air vacuum (residual pressure of about 20mb, approximately) has been established in the pocket 21. An oxygen absorber (bag 23) may be provided in the pocket 21.

  Optionally, in this pocket, the sheets 5.7 could be replaced by thin sheets of common food plastic, non-metallized, possibly transparent, with then adding between these sheets of brine or water or lipid film added (e) , presented in FR-A-2 794 107.

  To condition the carpaccio between the leaves 5.7, it is advisable to proceed as follows: - in direct contact with a first leaf (of the nature of course leaves 5.7) which can be unwound from a reel, we come arrange one after the other several series of slices of 2860217 carpaccio, each series being able to be aligned or wound on itself (FIG 1), with the aforementioned favorable overlap, - around each series, the cord is placed if necessary 9, then is placed directly on each series of slices, the second sheet (still of course of the same nature as the sheets 5.7 already presented), this second sheet can also be unwound from a reel . Each series of wafer is then in direct contact with the two upper and lower leaves, (without water film or lipid added), if the cord 9 has been provided, then the sheets are sealed, preferably under cold pressure with a possible evacuation of air from the space immediately surrounding each series of wafers, - cut lengths of leaves to form the illustrated packaging, with the sheets 5, 7, - then it is possible to , if considered appropriate, freeze / deep-freeze (to-date approximately -18 C, and below) the slices thus conditioned.

  To decondition the carpaccio slices, if necessary (and preferably), defrost is started if necessary to bring the product to a temperature close to -0 C or above.

  Once the product is ready, the leaves 5.7 are pulled one away from the other, from a priori from one of the corners 11a, 11b. The nature of the sheets ensures easy peeling.

  We retain the leaf that supports the carpaccio slices; we throw the other.

  11 2860217 We return then the slices on a plate of presentation, the arrangement of slices (rosette) can be maintained unchanged.

  The manipulator has no need to have direct contact with the slices.

  The slices of the plastic layer of the second sheet 7 are carefully removed in the plate, a priori without any appreciable difficulty, and the second sheet is discarded. We present the plate to the consumer.

Claims (2)

12 2860217 Claims   1. A set comprising a series of thin slices of a food product presenting as a carpaccio (1) and packaged in a package (12) between and in contact with two plastic sheets (5, 7) metallized on at least one face, said sheets being non-absorbent with respect to the packaged product and preferably opaque.   2. The assembly of claim 1, characterized in that the carpaccio food product (1) contained in the package is a fresh product.   3. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the carpaccio food product (1) contained in the package is a frozen product.   4. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the food product carpaccio (1) is a fatty fish, a thin sliced fruit or beef, thawed and the two sheets adhere to each other through the exudate produced by the thawed slices after being frozen.   5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheets (5.7) of the package are welded together around the central zone of the package where the slices are arranged.   6. The assembly of claim 5, characterized in that the weld (9) is continuous, thus defining internally a confined space in which there is a deficiency of oxygen.   An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slices (1) overlap partially and substantially regularly, from one slice to the next, so that the product thickness in the package is substantially constant.   8. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheets (5,7) of the package are polypropylene, metallized on one side, the metallized face being located towards the outside of the package.   9.A set according to claim 6 or claim attached thereto, characterized in that: - the package has corners (11a, lib, 11c ....), - and the weld bead (9) has at least a tip (13) located near, and directed towards, one of said corners of the package.   10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, preferably by individual portion (s), the carpaccio slices (1) packaged between said sheets (5, 7) are arranged at a distance from each other. inside a flexible, airtight outer pocket (21) in which there is an oxygen deficiency.   11. The assembly of claim 10, characterized in that there reigns in the pocket (21) a partial air vacuum, preferably with a residual pressure of about 20mb, or more, or above.   12. An assembly according to claim 10 or claim 11, characterized in that an oxygen absorber (23) is contained in the pocket (21).   13. Process for packaging a series of thin slices of food product, so as to obtain the assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: - the series of slices (1) is arranged on the first of said sheets (5,7), without adding, on the sheet, any additional food product intended to promote detachment of carpaccio from said first sheet (5) and / or its preservation, and - said slices are covered with the second sheet (7), still without input, between the slices and this second sheet (7), of any additional food product intended to promote the separation of the slices with respect to the sheets of the packaging and / or their preservation .   14. Process according to claim 13, characterized in that the two sheets (5, 7) are welded together towards their periphery, after having interposed a cold sealing product (9) between them locally, by pressure.   15. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, characterized in that it then freezes the slices (1) thus conditioned.