Classifications

• • 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
  • B65B25/02—Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
  • B65B25/04—Packaging fruit or vegetables
  • B65B25/041—Packaging fruit or vegetables combined with their conservation
• • 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
  • A23B7/00—Preservation or chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
  • A23B7/14—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10
  • A23B7/144—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
• • 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
  • A23B7/00—Preservation or chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
  • A23B7/14—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10
  • A23B7/144—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
  • A23B7/148—Preserving or ripening with chemicals not covered by groups A23B7/08 or A23B7/10 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor in a controlled atmosphere, e.g. partial vacuum, comprising only CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/34—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with chemicals
  • A23L3/3409—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with chemicals in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
  • A23L3/3418—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with chemicals in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor in a controlled atmosphere, e.g. partial vacuum, comprising only CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• • 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
  • B65D81/2076—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 in an at least partially rigid container
• • 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
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
  • B65D85/34—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for fruit, e.g. apples, oranges or tomatoes
  • B65D85/345—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for fruit, e.g. apples, oranges or tomatoes having a meshed or apertured closure to allow contents to breathe

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of packaging fruits and vegetables and, in particular, to designs of controlled atmosphere banana packages.
• the storage conditions can be characterized by defined temperature, moisture, and gas medium composition surrounding the bananas. If the storage conditions are not adhered to, the bananas will not be delivered to the consumer in the required condition, for example, in terms of ripeness of the product, and will even spoil.
• the bananas are packaged into boxes as clusters in their green, non- ripe condition. These boxes are assembled in stacks and are placed into big transportation containers. During the process of loading and transport, a temperature between 56 - 59 °F is maintained. At such temperatures, the bananas can be stored for a long time.
• the temperature must be increased to 60 - 62°F and the gas composition surrounding the bananas must be modified by adding ethylene to it.
• the combination of ethylene and increased temperature helps to start the ripening process.
• a packaging for fruits, in particular, for bananas includes no less than one hermetically sealed bag with at least one unripe fruit placed inside it; the bag being made of a polymer film material, the thickness of which is 20 - 50 ⁇ m and is filled with a modified atmosphere.
• the polymer material can be low-density polyethylene, polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and other materials.
• the modified atmosphere includes from 2 - 20% oxygen (vol.), from 6-13% carbon dioxide (vol.), and from 0.1 - 1 .5 % ethylene (vol.), with the remainder being nitrogen.
• the invention herein provides for the long term storage of bananas prepared for sale utilizing a modified gas medium composition, is easy to manufacture, convenient to use, and ensures a good packing factor for the bananas.
• the packaging enhances the freshness of the bananas whether they are stored at the warehouse, grocery store, or on a consumer's kitchen counter. Also, at the grocery store, this packaging provides display of bananas, so that consumers can select them.
• the controlled atmosphere package for bananas includes a container with an atmosphere control element. In use, bananas, usually no less than two bananas, are placed inside the container. The container has walls and a bottom, the upper part of the container is sealed with a polymer film.
• One of the container walls is embodied in such a way that it has a convex side which is turned outwards.
• An atmosphere control element is placed near the wall of the container which is opposite to the convex wall, and is embodied as a hole in the container bottom.
• a selective gas permeable membrane is secured to the container bottom in such a way that a hermetic seal covers the holes by said membrane.
• the bananas are placed closely together with their convex side facing the convex wall of the container.
• the positioning of the atmosphere control element near the container wall, the body of the banana, which is located near the wall in a fixed position, does not obstruct the atmosphere control element since the banana has a curved shape.
• Polymer film that covers the roof of the container leaves gaps between the bananas. Through these gaps, the gas medium inside the container comes into contact with the atmosphere control element and interacts with the surface of each banana.
• the walls and the bottom of the container could be embodied as rigid.
• the walls and/or bottom of container could also be embodied as transparent to allow the consumer to view the bananas.
• the upper part of the container walls can be equipped with collars that are convenient to attach to the polymer film, thus ensuring the package is sealed.
• the selective gas-permeable membrane could be attached to the container bottom from the inside. In this case, better protection of the membrane is provided for. During storage when several packages are arranged in a stack, this membrane position insures free access of outside air to the membrane due to the presence of gap between containers created by said convex areas.
• the selective gas-permeable membrane could be attached to the container bottom in such a way that the area of generated membrane parts, which are not attached to the container bottom, will be greater than the area of the said holes.
• the membrane can also be attached to the container bottom along its perimeter, so that an area of the middle part of the membrane, which is not attached to the bottom, will be greater than the area of the said holes.
• the area of the part of the gas-permeable membrane that stays in contact with the atmosphere should be definite, depending upon the container dimensions.
• Bananas of roughly equal degree of curvature can be placed inside the container, to ensure the highest packing factor.
• bananas of different curvature degree are placed inside the container, bananas could be arranged in an order, which implies that the degree of curvature increases with the increase of the distance between the banana and the convex wall of the container. Such arrangement of the bananas also prevents the atmosphere control element from being covered by the body of banana.
• FIG. 1 the general view of the package is presented as seen from above, in Fig. 2 - as seen from above, with bananas inside.
• Fig. 3 presents a lateral cross-section view of the package and
• Fig. 5 presents the package as seen from below.
• Fig. 4 presents the cross-section of the package near the collar.
• FIG. 6 and Fig. 7 show fragments of the container bottom from above with different options for the embodiment of the atmosphere control element.
• Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 present cross-sections of the container bottom with different options for the embodiment of the atmosphere control element.
• Fig. 10 shows an option of embodying the package with a convex section of the container bottom where the holes of the atmosphere control element are located - view from above.
• Fig. 1 1 shows the lateral view of the same option.
• Fig. 12 shows another option of embodying a convex area of the container bottom where the atmosphere control element is located - view from above.
• FIG. 13 presents the cross-section of the container bottom.
• Banana packaging with a controlled atmosphere includes a container (1 ) with an atmosphere control element (2) and bananas (3) placed inside the container (1 ).
• the container (1 ) has walls (4) with collars (5) and a bottom (6). From above, the container (1 ) with bananas (3) is closed with a polymer film (7) that is hermetically secured on the collars (5).
• One of the walls (8) has an outward convex shape.
• the atmosphere control element (2) is placed near the wall (9) of the container (1 ) that is opposite to the convex wall (8).
• the atmosphere control element (2) is embodied in the form of at least one hole (10) in the bottom (6) of the container (1 ), and the selective gas-permeable membrane (1 1 ) is secured to the bottom (6) and hermetically covers the holes (10).
• Bananas (3) are placed in a row and their convex side faces the convex wall (8).
• the holes can be arranged in different ways, for example, in a line or in a circle, in the cases illustrated it is reasonable that the group of holes (10) would be covered by one membrane (1 1 ).
• a gas-permeable membrane can be composed of a micro- porous film in the form of a polymer matrix, providing for a network of gas- permeable pores.
• the material used for the selectively gas-permeable membrane (1 1 ) can be an industrially manufactured FreshPak membrane commercially available from Landec. Examples of such membranes are disclosed in US Patents 6,376,032 and 6,548,132, and PCT Application WO 03/043447, all incorporated herein by reference.
• Amcor - P - Plus Microperforated film for example, Amcor - P - Plus Microperforated film, Cryovac Oxygen Permeable multiplayer film (US Patent 6,294,210), Reusable Air Permeable Film (US Patent Application 2005/0003150), Bubble Films (PCT Application WO 2005/068194), as well as one-layer films: Stepac Film, paRa Fresh, Fresh Span MACP, Fresh Hold Packaging, Silicone Membrane, Teflon AF 2400 and Branched Polyolefin Membrane (US Patent 6,812,314).
• the membrane (1 1 ) (Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) is secured to the bottom (6) to hermetically seal the holes (10).
• the holes (10) should be small in diameter so that the membrane (1 1 ) does not become damaged during the packaging process.
• its area should be higher than the total area of the holes (10). This is ensured by the corresponding attachment of the membrane (1 1 ).
• Part (13) of the membrane (1 1 ) is attached along the perimeter (Fig. 6, Fig. 8) or around the holes (Fig. 7, Fig.
• the bottom (6) of the container (1 ), shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 1 1 , has a convex section (15) that faces the inside of the container (1 ) where the atmosphere control element (2) is located. Holes (10) are located on the convex section (15) of the container (1 ).
• the wall (16) of section (15) is embodied as curvilinear and convex in the direction of the wall (8). This embodiment will make the container (1 ) more rigid, stronger, and will prevent the membrane (1 1 ) from accidental damage.
• Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 represent another option for the convex section (15). If there are no design elements in the bottom (6) of the container (1 ) to create a gap near the bottom (6) that allows air to access the holes (10), then a convex section (15) can be located near the wall (9). [00038] During the packaging process, bananas (3) are placed in a container (1 ) with the atmosphere control element (2).
• Bananas (3) are placed in a row close to one another and are arranged with their convex side to the convex wall (8) of the container (1 ) (Fig. 2). [00039] Bananas (3) with a similar curvature are placed inside the container (1 ). If bananas (3) with different curvatures are placed inside the container (1 ), bananas with a lesser curvature should be placed near the convex wall (8). In this case, bananas (3) could be arranged so that the curvature of the bananas increases as the distance increases between the banana and the convex wall of the container. Such arrangement of the bananas (3) allows them to be packed densely.
• Bananas (3) can be placed inside the container in one layer, or in several layers.
• the polymer film (7) is hermetically secured on the collars (5) of the walls (4) of the container (1 ). This film prevents the access of atmospheric air to the packed bananas and finishes the formation of the assembled package.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Agronomy & Crop Science (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)
• Storage Of Fruits Or Vegetables (AREA)
• Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)

Priority Applications (8)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications After (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 2007
  • 2007-03-12 US US11/684,686 patent/US20080226775A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2008
  • 2008-02-25 WO PCT/US2008/054856 patent/WO2009073241A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-02-25 AP AP2009004978A patent/AP2688A/xx active
  • 2008-02-25 MX MX2009010239A patent/MX2009010239A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2008-02-25 CA CA002681352A patent/CA2681352A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-02-25 CN CN2008800139229A patent/CN101720188B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-02-25 EP EP08730618A patent/EP2157866A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-02-25 AU AU2008331769A patent/AU2008331769B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-03-11 WO PCT/US2008/056465 patent/WO2008112669A1/en active Application Filing
• 2009
  • 2009-09-14 EC EC2009009632A patent/ECSP099632A/es unknown
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  • 2009-09-15 ZA ZA2009/06416A patent/ZA200906416B/en unknown
  • 2009-09-16 NI NI200900169A patent/NI200900169A/es unknown
  • 2009-09-30 EC EC2009009664A patent/ECSP099664A/es unknown
  • 2009-10-07 HN HN2009002083A patent/HN2009002083A/es unknown
  • 2009-10-08 CR CR11056A patent/CR11056A/es not_active Application Discontinuation

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