JPH03183437A - Preserving method for fresh produce - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To execute preservation in a state where a discoloration and browning are prevented and consumption and cooking are executed at any time by vacuum-skin packing fresh agricultural products which are washed and prepared. CONSTITUTION: The tray 8 of a support material consisting of, for example, a (semi-)hard single-layer film or a heat plasticized multiple-layer film is supplied and the slices 7 of an apple which is washed and prepared are placed on the tray 2. The upper part and the periphery of the slices 7 of the apple are vacuum-skin packed by a coating film (for example, a shielding film consisting of the single-layer film and the multiple-layer film) 9. Usage is attained concerning a prepared potato, a carrot, a corn with a corncob and other fruits as the fresh agricultural products.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to methods and packaging for preserving fresh produce and displaying it in retail grocery stores or supermarkets. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and packaging for preventing discoloration or browning of fresh produce.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Most produce today generally has a relatively short shelf life because it is sold in bulk in grocery stores or supermarkets, is displayed on shelves, and is subject to damage and other damage. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a method and packaging for extending the shelf life of fresh produce.

When fresh produce is sold bulk in supermarkets or displayed in stockrooms, it is often not displayed very advantageously.

The reason for this is that for some types of produce, the outer skin or skin is the least attractive part of the produce;
Or maybe it's because the edible part is the part that attracts the most attention.

It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a method and packaging which may extend the period during which freshly cut agricultural products are displayed.

Today, there is a demand for fresh, attractive, wholesome, ready-to-eat produce items due to changing lifestyles and differentiated health food requirements. It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide cut and prepare produce in ready-to-consume or ready-to-cook packages.

A summary of the invention that achieves these and other objects is provided below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises, in one aspect, the steps of providing a support member, placing washed and prepared fresh produce on the support member, and vacuum skin-wrapping the produce over and around the produce with a covering or formed web. It is a method of preserving fresh agricultural products. Preferably, the support member is a thermoformed tray from a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride. Optionally, the polyvinyl chloride tray is provided with an oxygen barrier layer,
For example, it may have a layer of vinylidene chloride copolymer or ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer or copolymer;
Can be coextruded with polyvinyl chloride support members. As another example, the support member can be simply a flat plate, or it can be a tray molded from polystyrene foam or paperboard.

A covering film or a forming film is a film that is attached to a produce product on a support member under forming conditions under an air pressure differential and assumes the shape of the produce product. The film can be a single-layer film or a multi-layer film, and depending on the type of produce, it can be a gas- or oxygen-barrier film or a gas-permeable film. The film is preferably thermoformable and is used after being heated to its formed state. The film can also be a film with different permeabilities to different gases, i.e. permeable to carbon dioxide, allowing it to escape from the package, but relatively impermeable to oxygen, allowing it to enter the package. to prevent

In another aspect of the invention, the produce is cleaned and prepared and placed on a support member, and the transparent covering web adheres closely to the shape of the produce and covers and supports the produce. This is a package that is sealed onto a component. If the produce needs to be cooked rather than consumed raw, seasonings, butter salt, spices, etc. may be added.

It is quite remarkable that the packaging and methods of the present invention can reduce browning and discoloration of agricultural products, and improve the appearance and shelf life of agricultural products.

The invention can be better understood with reference to the description of the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As used herein, "vacuum skin packaging" or "
The term "vacuum skin packaged" or "VsPJ"
placing the item on a flat or tray-like support member to produce a package in which a covering web or film that is formed around the produce takes the shape of the produce and is tightly sealed to the support member around the outer edges of the product; means method. In this type of packaging method, the heated film is pressed against and molded around the article by means of an air pressure differential, so that the article acts as a mold. The space occupied by the article between the covering web or forming film and the support member is evacuated. Such methods and products are described in USP RE, 30,
No. 009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Patent No. 4.833.8
No. 62 describes a method for vacuum skin packaging in-line products on trays.

As used herein, the term "produce" refers to items normally sold in the produce section of a grocery store or supermarket, in essentially the same condition in which they are picked or gleaned, includes items sold raw. These items include a variety of fruits, vegetables, flavor plants, berries, root vegetables, and large grains.

Examples are apples, pears, corn on the cob, tomatoes, potatoes, celery, radishes, mushrooms, carrots, etc.

Components of the package other than the article include a covering or forming web and a support or bottom web. The coating web is preferably a thermoformable thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, linear low density polyethylene, very low density polyethylene.

It may be selected from the group consisting of ionomers, ethylene acrylic acid copolymers, methacrylic acid copolymers, polyamides and generally thermoformable transparent thermoplastic self-supporting films. The film may be a single layer or may include several layers such as an abuse layer, an oxygen or gas barrier layer and a sealing layer.

The support member may be a flat plate of plastic or paperboard;
Or it may be a plastic or plastic foam or paperboard tray. A preferred material is polyvinyl chloride which can be molded into a semi-rigid tray and may have an added gas barrier layer or coating. Preferred gas barriers are vinylidene chloride copolymers, ethylene vinyl alcohol polymers and copolymers, or in some cases polyamides.

The packaging device illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 consists of a tray 2 on which articles 3 are placed. The covering web or film 4 conforms to the shape of the article and seals around its outer edges.

FIG. 2 is a side view of this package, and FIG. 3 is a bottom view. In this embodiment, the tray is a clear cut-off tray and the item is a barley millet cut in half so that when turned over and viewed from the bottom, the pure white surface of the cut barley millet can be seen. This pure white surface allows the purchaser to see the condition of the plant and to see that there are no undesirable bumps such as scratches or small black spots (rrei).The surface of the plant is oriented as a barrier layer and does not allow oxygen to pass through. It is surprising that this packaging was found to retain the pure white appearance of the barley sillage and its surface for several days before discoloration sets in. In this way, the condition of the barley sillage is easily observed and thus a particularly high price tag is obtained. Moreover, since the barley silla is washed and cut, it becomes a more attractive packaging for consumers to purchase.The bottom web of the barley silla in this state can be placed at the end of the barley sila to allow water vapor to escape. It can be easily cooked by using an induction cooker after being peeled up and put in a small amount of butter or other seasonings that can be placed in the package.
No utensils are required or there is no need to wrap the barley silla in foil or other materials since it is already pre-wrapped.

It is common knowledge that the cut surface of an apple turns brown within 2 to 3 minutes after being cut and becomes noticeable. It is surprising that the present invention provides retail packaging that can reveal the cut surface of a fresh apple and preserve its clean, fresh cut appearance. If one looks closely at FIG. 4, apple slices 7 are shown in the package 6, vacuum skin wrapped under the covering web 9 and spread out on the tray 8. FIG. 5 is a side view of this package, and FIG. 6 is a bottom view. This packaging configuration allows the retail consumer to inspect the contents and inspect the entire apple slice, so the consumer purchases fruit that is free of blemishes or blemishes. When the coated web is peeled off, the slices can be removed and consumed immediately. In this particular packaging configuration, both the covering web and the bottom web are oxygen-blocking in order to preserve the fresh-cut appearance of the slices, since oxygen is the component in the ambient air that causes discoloration of the cut apple slices. must contain layers. Other fruits that benefit from this packaging include pears, bananas, etc. Slices of melons such as cantaloupe and watermelon can also be preserved in packaging in this manner.

Another easily preserved variety is corn on the cob, which can be peeled, dehaired, washed, trayed and vacuum skin packaged to provide a very attractive retail package. Adding seasoning and peeling off a portion of the coated web to allow water vapor to escape allows corn to be cooked in an electronic oven in retail packaging. Thus eliminating the need to use separate utensils for cooking methods.

In general, any agricultural product that undergoes discoloration upon exposure to air will benefit from the present invention, even items such as cut melons and bananas.

Many other embodiments and uses of the invention are possible within the scope of this disclosure; the invention is limited only by the following claims.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The following description of the accompanying drawings is considered a part of the disclosure herein. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an item of produce vacuum skin wrapped in a support member or tray. FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the package shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the package shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention, illustrating an article of sliced produce vacuum skin-wrapped in a support member. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the package of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the package shown in FIG. 4. 1.6... Packaging, 2.8... Tray, 3... Article, 4.9... Covering web or film, 7...・Thinly sliced apple. 49 years ago, two children, two Earl Brace and Kanha--Connety power.

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) A method for preserving fresh produce comprising the following steps: a) providing a support member; b) placing the cleaned and prepared fresh produce on the member; and c) covering the produce with a covering film. Step to vacuum skin packaging. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the material constituting the support member is selected from the group consisting of rigid and semi-rigid monolayer films and rigid and semi-rigid thermoplastic multilayer films. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the support member is a transparent plastic material and is molded into the shape of a tray. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the produce is ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat and is selected from the group consisting of potatoes, carrots, and corn on the cob. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the covering web is a barrier film selected from the group consisting of monolayer films and multilayer films. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the multilayer film comprises an oxygen barrier layer and a sealing layer, the oxygen barrier layer being selected from the group consisting of vinylidene chloride copolymers and ethylene vinyl alcohol polymers and copolymers. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the produce comprises an item selected from the group consisting of freshly cut apples, pears, bananas, or melons. (8) A produce preservation package consisting of: a) a support member; b) a freshly cleaned and prepared produce on said support member; c) a thermoplastic film closely conforming to the shape of the produce in the form of a skin; the covering web, and d) the space occupied by the produce between the covering web and the support member and which is initially evacuated. 9. The package of claim 8, wherein the support member is thermoformed in the shape of a tray, is transparent, and is an oxygen barrier layer. (10) The packaging of claim 9, wherein the produce is freshly cut and placed so that the freshly cut surface is visible.