FR3092228A1 - Food preservation and presentation device. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a food storage and presentation device comprising a glass jar (1) closed by a lid (2, 4) and food (3), in which the food to be stored is cut and placed in the jar without additive, said jar being sealed under vacuum. The invention also relates to a process for preserving and presenting food comprising the steps of: Cutting the food to be preserved Placing the pieces of food to be preserved in a jar Sealing the jar tightly under vacuum with a lid.

Description

Food preservation and presentation device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For centuries, people have sought to preserve food. Among the most commonly used means of preservation, we can mention preservation with salt (meat, fish, etc.) or sugar (fruit), preservation in fat (conservation in oil or animal fat) or in alcohol or vinegar (as for example for fruits, gherkins,…). However, these ancestral methods of preservation modify the organoleptic qualities and appearance of the foods preserved in this way. More recently, methods of preservation have been developed by freezing or deep freezing, by sterilization or under vacuum. Preservation by freezing or deep freezing involves, before consumption of the food, a more or less long thawing phase which can significantly modify the organoleptic qualities and the texture of the food. Sterilization is generally done by placing the food in a jar heated to more than 100°C in order to eliminate the presence of any microorganism likely to alter the food. This method leads to the cooking of the food contained in the sterilized jar and is therefore not suitable for food that is eaten without cooking. Vacuum preservation makes it possible to preserve all types of food, whether raw or cooked, whole or in pieces, without altering the organoleptic qualities and texture of the food. The absence of oxygen suppresses the phenomena of oxidation and prevents the proliferation of aerobic micro-organisms and thus allows a relatively long preservation of foods, in particular cut foods. Vacuum preservation is mainly done by placing the food or food fragment between two sheets of plastic which are sealed by heat sealing once the vacuum has been completely created between the two sheets.

To respond to new consumer consumption habits, food is presented ready to eat, i.e. in pieces or sliced. This is particularly the case for charcuterie or smoked fish meat which are sliced, placed on a cardboard board and covered with a sheet of plastic to form a packaging which is then placed under vacuum. Thus, slices of cold cuts or smoked fish do not oxidize and can be kept longer. However, before being able to consume slices of charcuterie or smoked fish, it is necessary to separate one by one each slice stuck by the suction of the air during the vacuum packing to the other slices and to arrange them on a plate. or a dish.

This operation is relatively long and delicate because during handling the slices can tear.

To facilitate the detachment of the slices from each other, it is known to place a food film between the slices. However, the separation of the slices remains a tedious and relatively long operation.

In addition, this operation, with or without separating film, increases the risk of contamination: a single person handles all the slices that will be consumed by other people and the slices presented on the plate can wait in the open air for a long time before their consumption.

In addition, this type of vacuum packaging generates a lot of waste that is little or not recyclable.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a device for preserving and presenting sliced or chopped food which not only allows preservation without modification either of the organoleptic qualities or of the texture of the sliced or chopped food but which offers also a "ready-to-eat" presentation without intermediate handling, and which is, moreover, recyclable.

To this end, provision is made, according to the invention, for a food storage and presentation device comprising a glass jar closed by a lid and food, in which the food to be stored is cut and placed in the jar without additives, said jar being sealed under vacuum.

Thus, not only does the device according to the invention allow food to be preserved without modifying either the texture (there is no heating of the jar or freezing) or the organoleptic qualities (no additives: salts, sugars, oils or other preservatives, is added to food) but still it allows to present ready-to-eat food. In fact, all you have to do is open the lid of the jar and grab the previously cut food and consume it directly without having to multiply the manipulations, which limits the risk of contamination.

In addition, the food here is packaged in completely recyclable packaging, which is an important ecological advantage compared to existing vacuum-packed plastic packaging.

Advantageously, the storage and presentation device of the invention is particularly suitable for cured products, preferably, the cured products will be sliced.

Advantageously, the device for preserving and presenting food in accordance with the invention can be used for cheeses, preferably the cheeses will be diced.

The storage and presentation device can also relate to raw meat.

• couper les aliments à conserver
• placer les morceaux d’aliments à conserver dans un bocal
• fermer sous vide d’air hermétiquement le bocal avec un couvercle.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of preserving and presenting food comprising the steps of:

• cut food to keep
• place the pieces of food to be preserved in a jar
• close the jar tightly under vacuum with a lid.

The jar containing the pieces of food can thus be kept for several months at the usual storage temperature of the food without altering the pieces of food it contains. The inventors were thus able to show that the shelf life was multiplied by thirty or forty compared to the preservation of the food without using the device in accordance with the invention. When consuming the food, simply open the jar and directly grab the ready-to-eat food pieces. This is particularly advantageous in the context of consumption during aperitifs or picnics.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of a preferred non-limiting embodiment of the invention.

Reference will be made to the attached drawings, among which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention with the lid closed;

Figure 2 is an exploded schematic view of a device according to the invention with the lid open and ready-to-eat foods.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the invention relates to a device for preserving and presenting food (A) comprising a glass jar (1) closed by a lid (2) and food (3). The person skilled in the art will be able to perfectly determine the capacity and the dimensions of the glass jar according to the food to be preserved and presented. Preferably, the glass jar (1) is more or less cylindrical and has an opening diameter large enough to allow the consumer to easily grasp the food (3) that it contains, either directly with the fingers or with the using a fork or a spade. For example, the glass jar has an opening diameter of at least 80 mm, preferably at least 100 mm. In addition, a glass jar according to the device of the invention is provided with a lid (2) allowing a tight and hermetic closure of said jar. Some lids are provided on their inside with a bead which forms a seal (4) and allows a perfect seal between the lid and the jar. However, for lids whose inner face is devoid of this bead, it may be necessary to insert between the opening of the glass jar and the lid a gasket (not shown), generally made of rubber in order to reinforce the seal. closing the glass jar. The lid can be glass or metal.

For the implementation of the invention, it is for example possible to use glass jars and lids adapted to said jars available commercially for the preservation by sterilization of food. By way of non-limiting examples, it can be used glass jars with tight lids such as that is particularly represented in figure 2 or jars with mechanically closing glass lids and rubber washers added between the jar and the lid. glass and forming a seal. In accordance with the invention, the food is cut and placed inside the glass jar. Depending on the type of food cut (slices, pieces, dice, shavings, etc.) and the food itself, the pieces may be placed loose in the glass jar or arranged in such a way as to have an aesthetic presentation. food and/or a presentation facilitating the consumption of the food pieces. No other additives are added for food preservation. In particular, the device in accordance with the invention does not include any addition of salts, sugars, oils, vinegar or any other preservative. Once the food (3) has been cut and placed inside the glass jar (1), the latter is closed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions (with a tight lid (2) provided with a bead (4) or with a gasket rubber and a lid (not shown). According to the invention, the glass jar (1) is hermetically sealed and under vacuum. The air vacuum can be obtained by any means. Particularly advantageously, the an air vacuum can be obtained by placing the glass jar (1) closed with a lid (2) according to the invention in a vacuum chamber machine. vacuum bell and knows how to determine the operating time necessary to obtain a vacuum in the jar and a hermetic and hermetic closure of the latter.

The device according to the invention can allow the preservation of any type of food, it is however particularly suitable for the preservation and presentation of cured products, such as for example sausage, dry sausage, chorizo, coppa , dry ham, cooked ham, lonzo, dried filet mignon, etc…preferably the cured products are sliced.

The device according to the invention is also particularly suitable for the preservation and presentation of cheeses, in particular cooked or uncooked pressed cheeses (such as, for example, Comté, Gruyère, Gouda, Tête de moine ,…) In accordance with the device of the invention, the cheese is cut into cubes, strips or shavings placed in the jar which is then hermetically sealed under vacuum.

According to another mode of implementation of the device in accordance with the invention, raw meat can be preserved and presented in pieces or slices. By way of non-limiting example, it may be slices of beef or veal for carpaccio or diced meat for making skewers or fondue, or minced meat.

• Couper les aliments à conserver ;
• Placer les morceaux d’aliments (3) à conserver dans un bocal en verre (1);
• Fermer sous vide d’air hermétiquement le bocal en verre avec un couvercle (2).

The invention also relates to a method for preserving and presenting food comprising the steps of:

• Cut the food to be preserved;
• Place the pieces of food (3) to be preserved in a glass jar (1);
• Seal the glass jar hermetically under vacuum with a lid (2).

Food (3) can be cut by any means (knife or slicer) and have any shape and size. The pieces of food can take the form of more or less thick slices, cubes, dice, irregular pieces, shavings, etc. Food can also be chopped or grated. The pieces of food are then placed in a previously cleaned and perfectly clean jar, preferably the jar is made of glass. Indeed, glass is an inert material suitable for contact with food, very resistant which will not deform during vacuuming and will not be altered over time by light or temperatures. In addition, the jar, like the glass that constitutes it, is recyclable. The jar (1) is then closed with a lid (2, 4) which makes it possible to obtain an airtight and watertight closure of the jar. The jar is then placed in a vacuum chamber machine until all the air is removed and the jar (1) is thus sealed under vacuum. By way of example, the method of the invention can be used to preserve and present sausage. Thus, the sausage is sliced and then placed in a screw-top glass jar (1) bought commercially so that the jar (1) is more or less filled with slices of sausage (3). The jar is closed with the suitable tight lid (2, 4) and placed in a vacuum chamber machine. Once the vacuum has been obtained, the jar is removed and kept at the usual sausage storage temperature, until the slices of sausage are consumed. The jar (1) as well as the lid (2), once emptied and perfectly cleaned, can be used again for the implementation of the method, object of the invention.

The foods thus placed in the hermetically sealed jar under a vacuum of air have a shelf life of thirty to forty times longer compared to a preservation not using the method of the invention without modifying their texture or their qualities. organoleptic. To present and consume the food preserved according to the process in accordance with the invention, it suffices to open the jar and to enter the pieces of ready-to-eat food directly into the jar. Once the food pieces are consumed, the jar and lid can be reused once washed and cleaned or recycled.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described but encompasses any variant falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In particular, the jar here is more or less cylindrical in shape but it can take the form of a cubic or parallelepipedal box.

In particular, the device can be applied to any type of raw or cooked food such as, for example, non-limiting sticks or slices of fruit or vegetables, slices of smoked fish, cubes of raw fish, etc. The device can comprise a single type of food or a mixture provided that the foods have a similar storage temperature.

Claims (7)

Device for preserving and presenting food (A) comprising:

• a glass jar (1) closed by a lid (2);
• food (3);

characterized in that:

• the foods (3) to be preserved are cut and placed in the jar (1) without additives;
• the jar (1) is hermetically sealed under vacuum.

Device according to Claim 1, in which the foodstuffs (3) are cured products. Device according to Claim 2, in which the cured products are sliced. Device according to Claim 1, in which the foodstuffs (3) are cheeses. Device according to claim 4 wherein the cheeses are diced. Device according to Claim 1, in which the food (3) is raw meat. Process for preserving and presenting food comprising the steps of:

• Cut food to keep
• Place the pieces of food (3) to be kept in a jar (1)
• Seal the jar (1) hermetically under vacuum with a lid.