NL2021592B1 - Biodegradable beverage cartridge comprising plant seed - Google Patents

Abstract

Described is a biodegradable sealed airtight cartridge containing extractable beverage ingredients for the preparation of a beverage, the cartridge being designed to be subjected to an extraction procedure with an extraction fluid under a pressure of at least 5 bar in a beverage production machine comprising a cartridge holder, intended to hold the said cartridge, the cartridge comprising a cup being thermoformed from a biodegradable polymer composition with a base portion, a circumferential wall extending from the base portion and a circular lip at the end of the wall, extending perpendicular from the wall, and a biodegradable cover membrane welded to the periphery of the lip of the cup, defining an inner space in the cartridge wherein the extractable beverage ingredients are accommodated, the cover membrane, at the start of the extraction, being intended to be torn solely under the effect of the pressure of the extraction fluid or being mechanically punctured, wherein the inner space comprises viable plant seed.

Description

© 2021592 © B1 PATENT (2?) Application number: 2021592 © Application submitted: 10 September 2018 © Int. Cl .:

B65D 85/804 (2018.01) B65D 65/46 (2018.01) B65D

81/36 (2019.01)

Application registered:

October 2019 (43) Request published:

© Patent holder (s):

Compostable Coffee Cups IP B.V. in The Hague.

Patent granted:

October 2019 © Patent issued:

October 2019 © Inventor (s):

Robert Ilan de Jong in The Hague. Roland Arie Andries Pluut in The Hague. Petrus Antonius Alberts in Hengelo. Nicolaas Wilhelmus Ladislaus Osse in Heinkenszand.

© Authorized representative:

Dr. T. Wittop King PhD in Delft.

54) Biodegradable beverage cartridge including plant seed

5 ^ Described is a biodegradable sealed airtight cartridge containing extractable beverage ingredients for the preparation of a beverage, the cartridge being designed to be subjected to an extraction procedure with an extraction fluid under a pressure or at least 5 bar in a beverage production machine including a cartridge holder, intended to hold the said cartridge, the cartridge including a cup being thermoformed from a biodegradable polymer composition with a base portion, a circumferential wall extending from the base portion and a circular lip at the end of the wall, extending perpendicular from the wall, and a biodegradable cover membrane welded to the periphery of the lip of the cup, defining an inner space in the cartridge containing the extractable beverage ingredients are accommodated, the cover membrane, at the start of the extraction, being intended to be single under the effect of the pressure of the extraction fluid or being mechanically punctured, being the inner sp ace comprises viable plant seed.

NL B1 2021592

This patent has been granted regardless of the attached result of the research into the state of the art and written opinion. The patent corresponds to the documents originally submitted.

Biodegradable beverage cartridge including plant seed

The invention relates to a biodegradable sealed airtight cartridge containing extractable beverage ingredients for the preparation of a beverage, the cartridge being designed to be subjected to an extraction procedure with an extraction fluid under a pressure of 5 - 20 bar in a beverage production machine including a cartridge holder, intended to hold the said cartridge, the cartridge including a cup being thermoformed from a biodegradable polymer composition with a base portion, a circumferential wall extending from the base portion and a circular lip at the end of the wall, extending perpendicular from the wall, and a biodegradable cover membrane welded to the periphery of the lip of the cup, defining an inner space in the cartridge containing the extractable beverage ingredients are accommodated, the cover membrane, at the start of the extraction, being intended to be single under the effect of the pressure of the extraction fluid or being mechanically punctured.

Such sealed biodegradable cartridges are known in the art, and are described in e.g. WO2015 / 121489. These are in particular intended for the preparation of single portions of freshly brewed coffee in coffee extraction machines such as known in the art e.g. from Nespresso or Dolce Gusto (Nestlé, Vevey, Switzerland; Krups, Solingen, Germany).

To this end, extractable beverage ingredients, such as coffee powder are sealed in an air tight manner in the inner space of the cartridge. The cartridge is positioned in the extraction machine and the extraction fluid, in particular hot water or water vapor is injected at a pressure of at least 5 bar, in particular 5-22 bar in the cartridge, by puncturing the base portion and the circumferential wall. At the elevated pressure, the beverage ingredients are extracted and the cover membrane is torn as it is not resistant to the high pressure with the cartridge. When positioned in the extraction machine, the cover membrane is supported from the exterior by a supporting surface including one or recesses where the cover membrane is not supported. When the extraction takes place, the cover membrane is intended for the position of these recesses where the extracted beverage leaves the cartridge and is collected.

The term "biodegradable" refers to the definitions from the ASTM subcommittee D20-96 as described in Müller et al. (Biopolymers Online (2005) 10, 365-374), meaning that the said material can be degraded or decomposed by micro organisms or other biological means in a natural environment, preferably without the addition of additional energy, while forming CO2 and H2O and biomass. Under anoxic conditions, also CH ₄ can be formed. Biodegradable material therefore loses weight while being degraded. The faster the weight loss, the better the biodegradability. The biodegradability is determined according to the standard guidelines ASTMD695401 / 04.

WO2015 / 121489 describes a biodegradable beverage cartridge or the above type, where the cartridge is described to be made of polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), starch or cellulose.

Biodegradable beverage cartridges or the above kind are intended to be degraded in domestic biodegradable waste, composed of garden waste, fruit and vegetable waste etc.

Marketing strategies or supermarkets often involve give-away gifts that customers can obtain having purchased goods over a certain sum, or points can be collected to acquire such a gift. Among these gifts, small sets including a small growing container, nutrient soil and plant seed are very popular. These are often made of biodegradable material, such as cardboard.

The invention provides a biodegradable beverage cartridge, in particular a coffee cup, in which plant seed is incorporated, that can be planted in a plant pot including garden soil, or can be planted outside in garden soil directly, after use of the cartridge, ie after the cartridge has been subjected to an extraction process. The plant seed can use the extracted beverage ingredient material as first nutritional source, germinate and start growing. Meanwhile, the biodegradable material becomes degraded, allowing the roots and voice to penetrate the cartridge. The cartridge can be planted in the soil without any additional action in order to allow the plant to grow. The prerequisite for the seed is that it is resistant to the pressure and temperatures during extraction. The skilled person will however be capable of selecting suitable plant seeds for this aim. The term 'viable' is intended to mean that the plant seed is capable of germination after the cartridge has been subjected to an intended extraction process, ie at a pressure of at least 5 bar and a temperature of at least 60 ° C, in particular 70 'C or 80 ^G C for 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 seconds.

The plant seed can be mixed with the beverage ingredients or can be kept separately from the beverage ingredients, i.e. by encapsulation of the seed or seeds in a small container or being wrapped in a foil. Such a container or foil is preferably biodegradable as well, and can e.g. be made from the biodegradable materials described.

In an attractive embodiment, the cartridge comprises beverage ingredients derived from plant material. Such material is e.g. coffee, tea or cocoa. The beverage ingredients are chosen in particular from roasted ground coffee, tea, soluble coffee, or a mixture or two or more thereof. However, any other dehydrated drinkable substance can be accommodated in the cartridge, alone, or in combination with one other, such as milk powder in combination with grinded or soluble coffee. When the beverage ingredients are completely soluble in the extraction fluid, the extraction process results in a complete dissolution of the beverage ingredients, leaving an empty cartridge behind, the seeds are still accommodated. In that case, the seeds will germinate as soon as the cartridge, after being planted in the soil, starts to be degraded and composted. It is therefore preferred that the extraction process will result in the preparation of a beverage, leaving debris or the extracted beverage ingredients behind in the cartridge that can be used as the first nutrient medium for the germinating seed. In case of grinded coffee, extraction results in coffee debris to be left behind in the cartridge, which is a rich nutrient medium for the germinating seed.

The above choice for beverage ingredient is particularly attractive when the plant seed is of the same species as the plant material the beverage ingredient is derived from. If the beverage ingredient consists of a tea, or a tea herb, it is attractive for the consumer that the seed develops into a plant or the beverage ingredient. For example, the cartridge comprises a beverage ingredient derived from chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), it is attractive for the customer who consumes the chamomile tea that we have or planted the cartridge, a chamomile plant develops therefrom. To this end, in an attractive embodiment the plant is seed from coffee plant (Coffea sp.), Tea plant (Camilla sinensis), lemon vebena (Aloysia citrodora), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) Mentha (Mentha sp.), Chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla), sage (Salvia officinalis).

However, it can also be very attractive to provide an image of the plant that develops from the seed together with the cartridge, or to use a code, such as a color code to indicate what plant seed is in the cartridge, so that customers can collect and trade with the cartridges. Almost any plant seed can be incorporated in the cartridge as long as the seed survives the extraction treatment. As indicated above, measures can be taken to protect the seed against pressure and / or high temperature, but also seed can be chosen that is resistant to the extraction conditions, ie against a pressure of 5 bar or more, preferably 6, 7, 8 , 9 or 10 bar or more, and / or a temperature of 60 ° C or more, 70 * or more, 80 ° or more, or 90 * or more in particular for 20, 30, 40 or 50 seconds.

The seed can also be protected by an additional biodegradable cover to protect the seed during storage, and possibly the beverage ingredients if the seeds are incorporated in the cartridge while in direct contact with the beverage ingredients. It is particularly attractive when the coating is weakens during the extraction of the beverage ingredients, to facilitate germination or the seed later when the cartridge is put in soil. In an attractive embodiment, the seed is coated with one or more protective layers or biodegradable material, in particular thermoplastic bioplastic such as polylactic acid (PLA).

The biodegradable material described in WO2015 / 121489 may still be too stable at ambient conditions, and products made therefrom may only be degradable in an industrial process. Degradation or e.g. a PLA product may naturally take several months to around 1 year or even to several years, so that such cartridges may be less suitable for incorporation or plant seed intended to germinate.

It has been found that the degradability of biodegradable materials is improved when biodegradable polymers are mixed with leaf sheath material derived from the betel palm Areca catechu, see WO2014 / 084724. The present inventors have now found that a polymeric composition including leaf sheath material or Areca catechu and a second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer as polymeric matrix materials is very suitable for the provision of biodegradable beverage cartridges containing plant seed as described above. The cartridges of such a material are biodegradable at ambient conditions, i.e., when brought into soil, i.e., moderate to Mediterranean climates and without the need to add external energy, such as in case or cartridges, made or PLA as described in WO2015 / 121489.

The second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer is preferably chosen from the group, consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), starch, cellulose, or a mixture or two or more. Preferably, the second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer preferably comprises polylactic acid or is polylactic acid.

The weight ratio of the first polymer matrix component, ie the leaf sheath material or Areca catechu, to the second biodegradable polymer matrix component, ie the second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer, is preferably 5 - 70: 95 - 30, more preferably 10 - 50: 90 - 10, even more preferably 40 - 60: 60 - 40. It has been found that the above advantages are pronounced with blends of leaf sheath derived material from Areca catechu and polylactic acid having a weight ratio of 50: 50 or even higher, ie having a higher content or leaf sheath material than polylactic acid.

Further, WO2015 / 121489 is silent about the suitability of biodegradable materials as a cover membrane. The usual aluminum cover membranes are not biodegradable and not used in a cartridge of the invention, as the aluminum membrane will remain in the soil without being degraded. It has been found that biodegradable plastics are as vulnerable for uncontrollable tearing as other plastics, and for that reason, less suitable for use as a cover for the cartridges of the invention.

The cover membrane should preferably be highly resistant and should preferably be high pressure controlled, e.g., the membrane should not be further than the position of the recesses in the extraction machine. For this reason, the membrane is usually made from a metal foil, such as aluminum foil. Attempts to provide cartridges of the above kind with a biodegradable plastic foil as membrane have hitherto failed. Such plastic foils are too weak and tear in an uncontrolled manner, hammering the extraction process.

In order to provide improved biodegradable plastic foils, having a high tear resistance for use as cover membrane in the beverage cartridges of the above child, cover membranes can be used that include a biodegradable plastic foil having increased tear resistance, chosen from a biodegradable plastic cast foil and a plastic multiaxial foil, in particular a laminate including a first and a second biodegradable plastic foil layer adherently attached to one, the first biodegradable plastic foil layer being a biaxial plastic foil, the second biodegradable foil layer being chosen from a monoaxial foil and a biaxial foil, the layers are laminated such, that the directions of the biaxial foil of the first biodegradable foil layer and at least one direction of the monoaxial foil or the biaxial foil or the second biodegradable foil layer differ from one another.

Conventional biodegradable plastic foils, ie monoaxial or biaxial foils have a tear resistance that is too low to be used as a cover membrane of the cartridges of the invention, monoaxial foils are produced by extrusion, where the foil is stretched in a single direction (axis) while in the rubber phase. This direction is usually the direction of the extrusion. Biaxial foils are stretched in two directions (axes), usually perpendicular to one another. These monoaxial and biaxial foils appear to be in an uncontrolled manner when used as material for cover membranes of the cartridges of the invention. It has been found that these foils tend to be in an uncontrollable manner in the corresponding stretch direction. As the thickness of the cover membrane is limited, biodegradable monoaxial and biaxial foils lack the required tear resistance at the envisaged thickness or e.g. up to 500,600 or 700 pm.

Using biodegradable multiaxial plastic foils, in particular laminates, ie a first layer or a biodegradable biaxial foil is adherently attached to a second biodegradable plastic foil layer, which can be monoaxial or biaxial, a biodegradable membrane material or advantageous thickness, ie up to 700 , 600, 500 pm or thinner can be obtained having surprisingly increased tearing resistance and can be used as biodegradable cover membrane material for a cartridge of the invention. In such a laminate, the directions of the first layer differ from at least one of that of the second layer, therewith providing a multiaxial laminate, i.e. including multiple directions (axes), i.e. more than two. As stretching is believed to generate multiple thick regions and thin regions parallel arranged to one in the stretch region, the thin regions tend to tear fast. By providing a multiaxial plastic laminate, a grid-like structure is provided, providing a variety of small thin areas, embedded in a thicker web-like structure. The foils of the laminate are preferably adhered to one over the complete common surface to form a rigid web that tears in a controllable manner when exposed to high pressure, in particular to the thin portions of the laminate. Also cast foils have been shown to be very suitable as a cover membrane for the cartridges of the invention. Such foils are manufactured without stretching in any direction and can therefore be considered as omniaxial; there are no thin portions in such foils. There is no bias with regard to tear in such foils, which makes these very suitable as cover membrane material. Such foils can be compared with the above multiaxial laminates, but lacking the thin portions. Therefore, in a particularly attractive embodiment, the cover membrane comprises a plastic cast foil.

In another attractive embodiment, the cover membrane or the cartridge comprises a plastic laminate covering the second foil layer comprising a biaxial foil, at least one of the directions of which differ from those of the biaxial foil or the first foil layer. As explained above, such a laminate provides for a strengthened web-like structure, in particular when both foils or the laminate are biaxial.

Ί

Completely, the sealed cartridge comprises a cover membrane comprising a laminate or at least three biaxial plastic foil layers, adherently attached to one another, in particular over the complete common surfaces. For a cover membrane to be biodegradable, the foil layers or the membrane should be biodegradable.

The foil or foil layers of the biodegradable cover comprises, is made of a biodegradable polymer, chosen in particular from the group, consisting of PLA, PHA, starch or cellulose or a mixture of two or more, in particular polylactic acid. This material has proven to be very suitable as a cover membrane, in particular when it comes to cast foil.

The cover membrane or the cartridge preferably has a thickness of 100 - 700 pm, more preferably or 200 - 600 pm, even more preferably or 300 - 500 pm. In case the cover membrane comprises a plastic laminate, the laminate comprises one or more layers having a thickness of 50 - 250 pm, preferably 50 - 150 pm. Preferably each of the layers of the membrane have such a thickness. The membrane can also comprise, as laminate layer, a layer or cast plastic foil.

If the tearing is uncontrolled, the opening can become too large, allowing the debris to leave the cartridge together with the envisaged beverage, which is undesired.

The lateral wall from the cartridge preferably extends from the base in a frustoconical fashion and the circular lip is larger in diameter than the base, the cover membrane being well-welded to the periphery or the lip of the cup. Such a cartridge of the invention is also described in EP0512468, where in figure 1, the base is indicated by 5, the lateral wall extending therefrom in a frustoconical manner by 6, the lip by 7 and the cover membrane by 4. The extractable beverage ingredients are indicated by 3. The cartridge of the present invention can be designed this way. The base can be flat, as described for EP0512468, but can also be frustoconically designed, eg as in figure 2 or EP2364930, where the frustoconical base is indicated by 3, the frustoconical lateral wall extending therefrom by 4, having a circular lip 5 at the end of the wall 4, the extractable beverage ingredients being indicated by 8. The cartridge of the present invention can be designed this way as well.

The surface of the base portion and the circumferential wall directed towards the inner space of the cartridge are preferably coated with a polymeric layer comprising one or more biodegradable food grade polymers. PLA is an excellent candidate for such a food grade polymer layer. Such layer precludes direct contact of the polymeric material or the cartridge with the beverage ingredients accommodated therein, therewith improving the freshness of the ingredients. Further, such a design allows the use of more porous polymeric materials for use as cartridge material, such as a polymeric mixture having a relatively high content of leaf sheath material, while still securing the air tightness of the cartridge.

In another attractive embodiment, the polymeric composition comprising leaf sheath material or Areca catechu and a second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer comprising an odorant that satisfies the odor or either the beverage ingredient or the plant that would germinate from the seed or the flower. The polymeric composition comprises the cup material after thermoforming or the melt of the polymeric composition.

In an attractive embodiment, both the polymer material and the odorant are provided as particulate material in the range of 100 - 800 pm, preferably 100 - 600 pm or 100 - 500 pm. The particle size is determined by sieving the particulate material through a sieving opening of the indicated size. The ratio of the particle size of the polymer material to the odorant being 0.25 - 4: 1, meaning that the particle size of the odorant is preferably between 4 times bigger and four times smaller than that of the polymeric material blended therewith. This provides good mixability of the different components and results in a well processable melt of the polymer composition and in a product in the odor of the odorant is pronounced.

Preferably, the polymeric material, such as the leaf sheath material or Areca catechu has a particle size of 100 - 150 pm and the odorant, in particular in case of coffee, has a particle size of 250 - 500 pm. In case another biodegradable polymeric matrix material is used, the particle size is preferably in the range or 100 - 500 pm.

In a particular embodiment, the odorant is mixed as a particulate with the leaf sheath material or Areca catechu before being molten or being combined with a second polymeric matric material. The weight ratio between particulate from leaf sheaths of the betel palm Areca catechu and particulate of the odorant is preferably in the range of 1: 0.01 - 0.2, preferably 1: 0.05 - 0.1

The invention is now described by way of the following non-limiting examples.

Example 1

A. Coffee cartridges were prepared by thermoforming a polymeric blend comprising 50 w / w% Ingeo 3251D (NatureWorks, Netherlands) and 50 w / w% Areca leaf sheath material as polymeric blend, as follows. The grinded powder from leaf sheaths from Areca catechu, prepared according to example 1 WO2014 / 084724 with a particle size of 100 - 150 pm mixed with an equal weight or polylactic acid granulate (Ingeo 3251D, Nature Works, Minnetonka, MN, US) and fed to KraussMafei KMD 0-25 twin screw extrusion equipment (Munich, Germany) to produce regular formed and polymerized standard plastic pellets. Said pellets were melted at 160 - 170 ° C and subjected to injection molding to form the cartridges.

B. Another coffee cartridge was prepared according to example 1A, in the polymeric melt 0.05 w / w% grinded coffee having a particle size of 350-400 pm was incorporated in order to confer a coffee odor to the cartridge.

Example 2

A. A first multiaxial foil was prepared by laminating two layers of biaxial foil or polylactic acid (PLA), one prepared from Ingeo 4043D (Nature works, Netherlands) with a thickness of 200 pm and one from Ingeo 4060D (Nature works, Netherlands) with a thickness of 200 pm by blow molding and subsequent biaxial stretching according to the recommendations of the manufacturer. The two layers were laminated such, that the stretching orientations of the first layer differed from those of the second layer.

B. A second multiaxial foil was prepared by laminating a third layer of Ingeo 4043D biaxial PLA foil onto the Ingeo 4043D layer of the first multiaxial foil, where the stretching orientations of the third layer differed from those of the first and second layer.

C. A third multiaxial foil was prepared by laminating, onto a biaxial foil or Ingeo 4060D with a thickness of 200 pm a monoaxial Ingeo 4043D PLA foil having a thickness of 150 pm.

D. A fourth foil was provided by casting Ingeo 4043D to a foil or a thickness of 350 pm.

Example 3

A. Coffee cartridges of example 1And 1B were filled with grinded coffee and a seed of the coffee plant (Coffea sp.). The foil material of example 2A, 2B, 2C or 2D was heat sealed onto the cartridges. If as outer layer and Igeo

4060D foil was present, heat sealing was performed on this layer.

B. As example 3A, but instead of coffee, the cartridge was filled with chamomile tea and seed or chamomile (Matricaria chamomiila).

Example 4

After extraction using a Zenius Nespresso coffee machine (Nestlé, Vevey,

Switzerland), the used coffee cups were put in garden soil in a garden in Heinkenszand, the Netherlands during early spring and allowed to grow. It was observed that plantlets hatched from the seed inside the cartridges, whereas the cartridges showed progressed degradation.

Claims (23)

CONCLUSIONS A biodegradable airtight sealed cartridge containing extractable beverage components for preparing a beverage, the cartridge being adapted to be subjected to an extraction procedure with an extraction fluid under a pressure of at least 5 bar in a beverage preparation machine comprising a cartridge container arranged to hold the pattern, the pattern comprising: - a cup formed by thermoforming a biodegradable polymer composition with a base portion, a circumferential wall extending from the base portion and at the end of the wall a circular flange extending perpendicularly from the wall, and - a biodegradable cover membrane that is joined to the circumference of the cup flange, thereby defining an internal space in the pattern in which the extractable beverage components are included, wherein the cover membrane, at the start of the extraction, is arranged to merely the effect of the pressure of the extraction fluid to be torn through or to be mechanically pierced, characterized in that the inner space comprises viable plant seed. A sealed cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cartridge comprises beverage components derived from vegetable material. The sealed cartridge of claim 1, wherein the beverage components are selected from roasted ground coffee, tea, soluble coffee or a mixture of one or more thereof. A sealed cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the plant seed is of the same kind as the plant material from which the beverage component is derived. A sealed pattern according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plant seed is from the coffee plant (Coffea sp.), The tea plant (Camellia sinensis), Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), mint (Mentha sp. chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), sage (Salvia officinalis). A sealed pattern according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plant seed is coated with one or more protective layers of biodegradable material. The sealed pattern of claim 6, wherein the plant seed is coated with polylactic acid. A sealed pattern according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polymeric composition comprises a first biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and a second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer comprises leaf shaft material of the betel nut palm Areca catechu. The sealed cartridge of claim 6, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, starch, cellulose, or a mixture of two or more thereof. The sealed cartridge of claim 7, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer comprises polylactic acid. A sealed cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the weight ratio between the first biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and the second biodegradable thermoplastic polymer is 5-70: 95-30, preferably 10-50: 90-10, more preferably 40-60: 60-40, even more preferably 50: 50. A sealed pattern according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the biodegradable cover membrane comprises a biodegradable plastic film with increased tear strength selected from a biodegradable molded plastic film and a plastic laminate, the laminate being a first and a second biodegradable plastic foil layer that is adhesively bonded to each other, the first plastic foil layer being a biaxial plastic foil and the second foil layer being selected from a monoaxial foil and a biaxial foil, the layers being laminated such that the directions of the biaxial foil of the first foil layer and at least one direction of the monoaxial film or the biaxial film of the second film layer is different from each other. The sealed cartridge of claim 12, wherein the cover membrane comprises a plastic laminate wherein the second film layer comprises a biaxial film, at least one of which is different from that of the biaxial film of the first film layer. A sealed cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover membrane comprises a laminate of at least three biaxial plastic film layers that are adhesively bonded to each other. A sealed cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover membrane has a thickness of 100 - 700 μΜ. A sealed pattern according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover membrane comprises a plastic laminate, wherein each layer in the laminate has a thickness of 50 - 250 μΜ. A sealed cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the molded plastic film or plastic laminate is selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), starch, cellulose or a mixture of two or more thereof. The sealed cartridge of claim 8, wherein the molded plastic film or the plastic laminate comprises polylactic acid. A sealed cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall extends from the base in a frusto-conical manner and wherein the circular flange is larger in diameter than the base, the cover membrane on the circumference of the flange of the cup merged. The sealed cartridge of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the base portion and of the circumferential wall facing the interior space of the cartridge are coated with a biodegradable polymer layer comprising one or more feed approved polymers. The sealed cartridge of claim 20, wherein the food approved polymer comprises polylactic acid. A sealed cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polymeric composition comprises a fragrance corresponding to the smell of either beverage component or of the plant that can germinate from the seed or from the flower thereof. A sealed container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the container is adapted to be subjected to an extraction procedure with an extraction fluid under a pressure of 5 - 22 bar.