GB2336351A - Preservation of chicken and chicken products - Google Patents

Preservation of chicken and chicken products Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2336351A
GB2336351A GB9828471A GB9828471A GB2336351A GB 2336351 A GB2336351 A GB 2336351A GB 9828471 A GB9828471 A GB 9828471A GB 9828471 A GB9828471 A GB 9828471A GB 2336351 A GB2336351 A GB 2336351A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
argon
chicken
volume
carbon dioxide
gas
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Withdrawn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
GB9828471A
Other versions
GB9828471D0 (en
Inventor
David John Humphreys
Kevin Christopher Spencer
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.)
Safeway Inc
Original Assignee
Safeway Stores Inc
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 Safeway Stores Inc filed Critical Safeway Stores Inc
Publication of GB9828471D0 publication Critical patent/GB9828471D0/en
Publication of GB2336351A publication Critical patent/GB2336351A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
    • A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
    • A23B4/14—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12
    • A23B4/16—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
    • B65B25/06—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
    • B65B25/064—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products of poultry
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
    • B65B25/06—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
    • B65B25/065—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products of meat
    • B65B25/067—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products of meat combined with its conservation
    • 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
    • B65D81/18—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 providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient
    • B65D81/20—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 providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure, or in a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas
    • B65D81/2069—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 providing specific environment for contents, e.g. temperature above or below ambient under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure, or in a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas in a special atmosphere

Abstract

A method of preserving and a process for packaging chicken and chicken products comprises packaging the chicken or chicken product in an argon rich environment in a substantially gas impermeable container. Preferably the argon rich environment is formed by applying an argon rich gas which preferably comprises at least 50% argon, 0-40% carbon dioxide and optionally up to 10% oxygen.

Description

2336351
DESCRIPTION
PRESERVATION OF CHICKEN AND CHICKEN PRODUCTS The present invention relates to the preservation of chicken and chicken products, including raw, cooked, part-cooked, prepared and flavoured chicken and chicken products.
It is known to prolong the shelf life of some food products by gaspackaging them in a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The nitrogen content varies from 50% to 80% and the carbon dioxide content varies from 50% to 20%, a typical mixture comprising 65% nitrogen and 35% carbon dioxide.
Another known gas mixture used for preserving food, and in particular for preserving chicken products, has a high oxygen content (of the order of 70% or more) with the balance of the gas mixture comprising carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
Such gas mixtures are effective in reducing the severity of the oxidising atmosphere and therefore help to increase the shelf life of the product. However, one disadvantage with such known gas mixtures is that the carbon dioxide content can discolour the products being preserved. Thus, whilst the use of such gas mixtures increases the time for which a product may be safely kept, the product itself may not be particularly visually appealing to potential customers.
It is an object of the present invention to extend the useful shelf life of chicken and chicken products by preventing unacceptable deterioration of the product during storage. This is particularly applicable to raw chicken and chicken products but is also applicable to cooked and partcooked chicken and chicken products.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method of preserving chicken and chicken products comprises packaging the chicken or chicken product in an argon-rich environment in a substantially gasimpermeable container.
The use of an argon-rich atmosphere in contact with the product is found both to prolong the shelf life of the product and, just as importantly, greatly reduce the deterioration in taste quality and appearance. Taste tests have consistently resulted in very high scores for chicken and chicken products preserved in accordance with the present invention.
The argon-rich environment may comprise substantially 100% argon or may contain one or more other gases in addition to argon.
Preferably, the products are stored in an environment comprising argon and carbon dioxide. Contrary to what might be expected, if the argon and carbon dioxide are mixed in the correct proportions, the carbon dioxide content of the mixture does not produce the unwanted effects of the prior art mentioned above.
Preferably, an argon-rich gas mixture is applied to the chicken or chicken products. The gas-mixture may comprise substantially 100% argon or may comprise one or more other gases in addition to argon.
Preferably, the gas mixture applied to the chicken or chicken product comprises from 50% to 100% argon by volume. More preferably, argon forms at least 60 %, and preferably 65 %, of the gas mixture.
The balance of the gas may comprise carbon dioxide andlor oxygen.
For example, the gas may comprise (all proportions are by volume):
50% argon, 50% carbon dioxide 60% argon, 40% carbon dioxide 65% argon, 35% carbon dioxide 75% argon, 25% carbon dioxide 70% argon, 30% carbon dioxide 80% argon, 20% carbon dioxide 90% argon, 10% carbon dioxide 70% argon, 20% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen 65% argon, 25% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen 60% argon, 30% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen 50% argon, 40% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen.
The present invention includes all gases or gas mixtures comprising at least 50% argon by volume with the balance comprising carbon dioxide andlor oxygen in proportions ranging from 0% to 50% each. The mixture may comprise other gases instead of, or in addition to, those mentioned.
Preferably the oxygen content of the mixture does not exceed 10% of the total gas volume.
Preferably the carbon dioxide content of the mixture is from 10% to 50% (and more preferably 20% to 30%) of the total gas volume.
The actual gas mixture in contact with the product may comprise traces of atmospheric gases which were not displaced andlor gases which emerge from the product itself after packaging but the preserving gas mixture preferably comprises 0 one or more of only argon, carbon dioxide and oxygen.
It has been found that the use of a gas mixture having an argon content as indicated above results in a noticeable improvement in shelf life. The improvement in shelf life appears to be largest when the argon content is from 70% to 90% by volume of the total gas mixture and the organoleptic quality is maximised when the argon content is from 80% to 100% by volume of the total gas mixture.
The present invention has been found to be particularly suitable for preserving both raw and cooked chicken and chicken products.
It has been found that use of a gas mixture containing oxygen (preferably up to 10% oxygen) significantly helps in reducing the deterioration in colour of raw chicken and chicken products.
An additional advantage of using argon, in contrast to the nitrogen of the prior art, is that argon is denser than air and the air formerly surrounding the chicken or chicken products is more efficiently displaced during packaging of the food, thus resulting in lower residual oxygen levels as compared with the prior art, but with the use of a similar amount of gas (or even less) to that used in the prior art.
Reference to a "substantially gas-impermeable container" means a container which is effective in maintaining the gas mixture within the container substantially constant during storage of the product.
Z In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for packaging chicken and chicken products, comprising -5enclosing the chicken or chicken product in a substantially gasimpermeable packaging, introducing an argon-rich gas into the packaging and sealing the packaging to enclose the argon-rich gas within the packaging.
By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now described.
Chicken or chicken products are prepared in the conventional manner suitable for packaging on standard equipment currently used for packaging chicken and chicken products with an atmosphere of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Examples of chicken products include uncooked raw chicken, e.g. a whole uncooked chicken, uncooked chicken portions (such as chicken legs or chicken fillets and either skinned or with skin left on) and flavoured (e.g. marinated) chicken pieces.
The chicken products may comprise cooked chicken, for example a plain or flavoured whole roast chicken or portion thereof, or chicken pieces (flavoured or unflavoured) of reformed chicken meat (e.g. chicken nuggets or chicken tikka bites).
The preparation of the products themselves is thus entirely conventional.
During packing of the mem into separate packages (and, optionally, additionally during storage of the products prior to packaging) the product is stored in an atmosphere comprising argon and one or both of carbon dioxide and oxygen.
Preferably, argon is present in a proportion of 65% to 100% by volume of the total gas mixture. More preferably, argon forms at least 70% of the total gas mixture.
The balance of the gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide. The balance of the mixture may also comprise oxygen.
Examples of some typical gas mixtures are as follows (all proportions are by volume):
50% argon, 50% carbon dioxide 60% argon, 40% carbon dioxide 65% argon, 35% carbon dioxide 70% argon, 30% carbon dioxide 75% argon, 25% carbon dioxide 80% argon, 20% carbon dioxide 90% argon, 10% carbon dioxide 70% argon, 20% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen 65% argon, 25% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen 60% argon, 30% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen 50% argon, 40% carbon dioxide and 10% oxygen The invention includes all mixtures comprising at least 50% argon by volume with the balance comprising carbon dioxide andlor oxygen in proportions ranging from 0% to 50% each. The mixture may comprise other gases instead of, or in addition to, those mentioned.
It has been found that packaging chicken and chicken products with such gas mixtures increases the quality (in particular the appearance) of the product and improves their taste and smell. Indeed, for raw (uncooked) chicken products, the presence of oxygen enhances the colour of the product whilst the overall oxygendeficient atmosphere retards the deterioration of the products. Thus the products can be stored for a longer period in a condition which is not only safe but which is appealing to the customer.
As for the known mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, the products are packaged in a substantially gas-impermeable packaging material, whereby the composition of the storage atmosphere remains substantially constant in use.
The present invention is applicable to the preservation of any chicken product (either raw or cooked and unflavoured or flavoured) and products containing chicken.
The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment.

Claims (1)

  1. -8 CLAIMS
    1. A method of preserving chicken and chicken products, comprising enclosing the chicken or chicken product in an argon-rich environment in a substantially gas-impermeable container.
    2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the argon-rich environment comprises substantially 100% argon.
    3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the argon-rich environment further comprises one or more other gases in addition to argon.
    4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the argon-rich environment comprises argon and carbon dioxide.
    5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the argon-rich environment further comprises oxygen.
    6. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein an argonrich gas mixture is applied to the chicken or chicken product.
    7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gas mixture comprises substantially 100% argon.
    8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the gas mixture further comprises one or more other gases in addition to argon.
    9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gas mixture comprises from 50% to 100% argon by volume.
    10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the gas mixture comprises at least 65 % argon by volume.
    A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gas mixture comprises -gfrom 70% to 90% argon by volume.
    from 12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gas mixture comprises to 100% argon by volume.
    13. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the gas mixture further comprises carbon dioxide.
    14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gas mixture comprises from 10% to 40% carbon dioxide by volume.
    15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the gas mixture comprises from 20 to 30% carbon dioxide by volume.
    16. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 15, wherein the gas mixture further comprises oxygen.
    17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the gas mixture comprises no more than 10% oxygen by volume.
    18. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 17, wherein the gas mixture comprises at least 50% argon by volume, and the balance of the gas mixture comprises carbon dioxide anWor oxygen in proportions ranging from 0 % to 50% each.
    19. A process for packaging chicken and chicken products, comprising enclosing the chicken or chicken product in a substantially gasimpermeable packaging, introducing an argon-rich gas into the packaging and sealing the packaging to enclose the argon-rich gas within the packaging.
    20. A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the argon-rich gas comprises substantially 100% argow 21. A process as claimed in claim 19, wherein the argon-rich gas finther comprises one or more other gases in addition to argon.
    22. A process as claimed in claim 21, wherein the argon-rich gas comprises from 65% to 100% argon by volume.
    23. A process as claimed in claim 22, wherein the argon-rich gas comprises at least 70% argon by volume.
    24. A process as claimed in claini 23, wherein the gas mixture comprises from 70% to 90% by volume.
    25. A process as claimed in claim 23, wherein the gas mixture comprises from 80% to 100% argon by volume.
    26. A process as claimed in any of claims 21 to 25, wherein the argonrich gas further comprises carbon dioxide.
    27. A process as claimed in claim 26, wherein the argon-rich gas comprises from 10% to 40% carbon dioxide by volume.
    28. A process as claimed in claim 27, wherein the argon-rich gas comprises from 20% to 30% carbon dioxide by volume.
    29. A process as claimed in any of claims 21 to 28, wherein the argonrich gas further comprises oxygen.
    30. A process as claimed in claim 29, wherein the argon-rich gas comprises no more than 10% oxygen by volume.
    31. A process as claimed in any of claims 21 to 30, wherein the argonrich gas comprises at least 50% argon by volume with the balance comprising carbon dioxide and/or oxygen in proportions ranging from 0% to 50% each.
    32. A process as claimed in any of claims 19 to 31, wherein the chicken is cooked before being enclosed in packaging.
    33. A method of preserving chicken and chicken products, substantially as herein described.
    34. A process for packaging chicken and chicken products, substantially as herein described.
GB9828471A 1998-04-18 1998-12-24 Preservation of chicken and chicken products Withdrawn GB2336351A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9808115.1A GB9808115D0 (en) 1998-04-18 1998-04-18 Preservation of chicken and chicken products

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9828471D0 GB9828471D0 (en) 1999-02-17
GB2336351A true GB2336351A (en) 1999-10-20

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Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB9808115.1A Ceased GB9808115D0 (en) 1998-04-18 1998-04-18 Preservation of chicken and chicken products
GB9828471A Withdrawn GB2336351A (en) 1998-04-18 1998-12-24 Preservation of chicken and chicken products

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB9808115.1A Ceased GB9808115D0 (en) 1998-04-18 1998-04-18 Preservation of chicken and chicken products

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB9808115D0 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102011122769A1 (en) * 2011-10-29 2013-05-02 Messer Austria Gmbh Protective gas for packaging meat and sausage products

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993017562A1 (en) * 1992-03-05 1993-09-16 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude A method of preserving the color of stored meat using noble gases
WO1993019629A1 (en) * 1992-04-03 1993-10-14 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Method of preserving foods using noble gases

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1993017562A1 (en) * 1992-03-05 1993-09-16 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude A method of preserving the color of stored meat using noble gases
WO1993019629A1 (en) * 1992-04-03 1993-10-14 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Method of preserving foods using noble gases

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102011122769A1 (en) * 2011-10-29 2013-05-02 Messer Austria Gmbh Protective gas for packaging meat and sausage products
EP2586315A3 (en) * 2011-10-29 2015-02-18 Messer Austria GmbH Protective gas for packaging meat or sausages

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9808115D0 (en) 1998-06-17
GB9828471D0 (en) 1999-02-17

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)