WO2022075926A1 - System for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and the process thereof - Google Patents

System for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and the process thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022075926A1
WO2022075926A1 PCT/TH2021/000061 TH2021000061W WO2022075926A1 WO 2022075926 A1 WO2022075926 A1 WO 2022075926A1 TH 2021000061 W TH2021000061 W TH 2021000061W WO 2022075926 A1 WO2022075926 A1 WO 2022075926A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
produce
package
unit
data
oxygen gas
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/TH2021/000061
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Kosin HACHAWEE
Adisak VORAKUNPINIJ
Natthorn INTAWIWAT
Todsaphol CHAROEN-AME
Chayanit WONGPRADIT
Original Assignee
Scg Packaging Public Company Limited
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Publication date
Application filed by Scg Packaging Public Company Limited filed Critical Scg Packaging Public Company Limited
Publication of WO2022075926A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022075926A1/en

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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
    • 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
    • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
    • B65B57/10—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged
    • B65B57/12—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to control, or stop, the feed of wrapping materials, containers, or packages
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06N—COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS
    • G06N20/00—Machine learning

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and the process thereof.
  • OTR Oxygen Transmission Rate
  • WVTR Water Vapor Transmission Rate
  • CO2TR Carbon Dioxide Transmission Rate
  • Chinese patent publication CN 110810499A discloses a method for prolonging shelf life of fruits and vegetables by a laser drilled micropore adjustment with modified atmosphere packaging breathing models for cucumber, lettuce, and kiwi. These three models use different micropore patterns (or perforation patterns in this context). The invention, however, does not refer to its application to other types of vegetables and fruits except those three types mentioned earlier.
  • United States patent publication US20150102022A1 discloses a laser system for punching holes that control gas permeability on packaging surface in order to control oxygen transmission rate between outside and inside the package.
  • the controlled oxygen transmission rate helps controlling fresh produce quality and extends its shelf life.
  • the laser system can create the holes for different dimensions and patterns to match different produce.
  • the present invention provides a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce.
  • the system comprises a unit for produce setting for specifying fresh produce data of a desired fresh produce to be stored in a package, a unit for package setting for specifying package data of the package, a unit for storage condition setting for specifying storage environment data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, a unit for perforation setting for specifying perforation pattern on the surface of the package, a unit for user interface , a fresh produce database for storing fresh produce data, and a processing unit for processing the data to obtain a perforation pattern of the package for storing the desired produce and to obtain a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
  • This invention discloses process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce.
  • the process comprises defining fresh produce to specify fresh produce data of a desired produce to be stored in a package, defining package to specify package data of the package to be used to store the desired produce, defining storage condition to specify storage environment data that the package will be stored after the desired produce is contained inside, defining perforation pattern to specify perforation pattern on the surface of the package, and determining remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time by using fresh produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce to obtain a perforation pattern on the package.
  • the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package may be further comprising determining error correction to obtain an error correction parameter for the analysis of remaining oxygen gas in the package to increase the accuracy of the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package, wherein the error correction parameter is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of the desired produce in the database to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations. The correction makes the calculated respiration rate and the measurement are close to each other.
  • the objective of this invention is to provide a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and its process that can provide a perforation pattern on a package that is suitable for storing a fresh produce. It includes the specifying the perforation pattern on the package.
  • This invention allows a user to define different type of a package. It uses measured respiration rates of fresh produce together with their theoretical models to define the proper perforation pattern for practical uses.
  • Some processing steps of this invention are the processing by machine learning to help improve the accuracy of its results and to handle when the system does not have the desired produce in its database.
  • Fig. 1 shows the determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce.
  • Fig. 2 shows the storage of fresh produce in the package which has the perforation pattern on the surface of the package.
  • Fig. 3 shows the amount of oxygen gas respiration in Nam Dork Mai mango.
  • Fig. 4 shows the Nam Dork Mai mango respiration rate that get from the experiment to find the respiration rate at other temperature.
  • Fig. 5 shows the error correction of straw mushroom respiration rate.
  • Fig. 6 shows the determine remaining oxygen gas in a package as a function of time.
  • Fig. 7 shows the determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce.
  • Fig. 8 shows the working of the processing to find the amount of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
  • a system 100 for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce is shown in FIG.1-2.
  • the system comprises a unit for produce setting 10 for specifying fresh produce data of a desired produce 50 to be stored in a package 52, wherein the produce data include type and weight of said desired produce.
  • the system further comprises a unit for package setting 12 for specifying package data of the package 52 to be used to store said desired produce, wherein the package data include type of material, thickness, size, and shape of the package.
  • the system further comprises a unit for storage condition setting 14 for specifying storage environment 54 data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, wherein the storage environment 54 includes a storage temperature.
  • the system further comprises a unit for perforation setting 16 for specifying perforation pattern 56 on the surface of the package 52 wherein the perforation pattern 56 includes shape, size, location, and the number of holes on the packaging surface.
  • the system further comprises a unit for user interface 20 for inputting data to the system and displaying processed data to a user.
  • the system further comprises a fresh produce database 30 for collecting data of each type of fresh produce obtained from actual measurement.
  • the system also comprises a processing unit 40 that controls data transfer between the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for package setting 12, the unit for storage condition setting 14, the unit for perforation setting 16, the unit for user interface 20, and the database 30, processes the data to obtain a perforation pattern of the package 52 for storing said desired produce 50, records or reads data from the database 30, and controls the user interface 20.
  • a processing unit 40 that controls data transfer between the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for package setting 12, the unit for storage condition setting 14, the unit for perforation setting 16, the unit for user interface 20, and the database 30, processes the data to obtain a perforation pattern of the package 52 for storing said desired produce 50, records or reads data from the database 30, and controls the user interface 20.
  • the system is characterized in that the unit for user interface 20 allows a user to specify the produce data to the unit for produce setting 10, to specify the package data to the unit for package setting 12, to specify the storage environment 54 data to the unit for storage condition setting 14, and to specify the perforation pattern 56 to the unit for perforation setting 16.
  • the processing unit 40 is operated based on an instruction set stored in the system memory wherein a part of the instruction set is configured to input data from the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for package setting 12, the unit for storage condition setting 14, the unit for perforation setting 16, and the database 30 and to process them to obtain a perforation pattern on the package 52 and a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, and another instruction set is configured to send the processed pattern and the predicted remaining oxygen gas to the unit for user interface 20.
  • the database 30 contains fresh produce data, respiration rate of each produce of at least 3 storage temperatures, respiration rate equations of each produce at a storage temperature, and the density of each produce in unit of weight per volume.
  • Quality of a fresh produce in a package can be controlled by controlling oxygen, carbon dioxide, and vapor transfer into the package to be at proper levels. For different produce, the levels may be different. Vegetables and fruits require 5-15% oxygen gas of its normal respiration rate to transfer into a package to keep them fresh.
  • the system 100 of this invention processes together produce, package, and storage environment data to determine remaining oxygen gas in a package after a produce is put inside the package. The oxygen gas level suggests how long the produce can be kept fresh in the package.
  • the system 100 in addition, provides perforation pattern that may be provided on the surface of the package 52 to control the oxygen gas level further. The perforation pattern 56 may be varied as needed to meet further user requirements.
  • the unit for produce setting 10 specifies or collects the produce 50 data that are necessary for processing.
  • the produce 50 data include the type of a desired produce and its weight.
  • the unit for produce setting 10 may collect the data by allowing a user to type in the data via the unit for user interface 20. Or the data may be collected automatically by the system. For example, the weight of a produce may be recorded by an automated scaling system in a production line. Or, the type of a produce may be determined by an automated produce recognition camera. Any mean that provides the produce data to the unit for produce setting 10 is considered to be the same as inputting the produce data to the unit for produce setting 10 of this invention.
  • the produce data may include origin of the desired produce, harvest time, age, pre-treatment methods such as chemical usage in its cropping process, etc.
  • the unit for package setting 12 specifies or collects the data of a package used to store the desired produce.
  • the data include the package’s material, thickness, size, and shape.
  • the system uses these data in its processing to determine an initial oxygen gas level inside the package after the desired produce is packed and to determine remaining oxygen gas as a function of time after the produce is stored.
  • the oxygen gas level indicates how long the produce can be kept fresh inside the package as the oxygen gas is continuously consumed by the produce respiration.
  • the produce starts decaying once the oxygen gas level inside the package is less than its appropriate level.
  • Package material and its thickness are another important data that affect the oxygen gas level inside the package. Some materials do not allow oxygen gas to pass through or are difficult for the oxygen gas to pass through causing the oxygen gas level inside the package reduces dramatically without circulation from outside oxygen gas. Controlling oxygen gas level by providing appropriate holes on the package surface can extend the produce shelf life inside the package. Examples of the package materials are flexible film and/or semi-rigid and rigid plastic made of polyolefin, polyamide, or polyester.
  • the unit for storage condition setting 14 specifies or collects the data of storage environment 54 that the package will be stored once the desired produce is packed inside.
  • Storage environment 54 may be different from place to place for the same produce depending its requirements.
  • a storage environment 54 of fruit produce may be at room temperature when the produce is selling to consumers while a low temperature container may be required for transporting the same produce.
  • Important storage environment 54 data includes a storage temperature, which is the temperature outside of the package 52. A correct choice of storage temperature enables the system to obtain a suitable package 52 that matches to the produce 50 and its storage environment.
  • the storage environment 54 data may include several storage conditions such as a condition of the produce while being in packaging process, in transportation, or while being on sale, etc.
  • the system 100 of this invention provides the control of gas transfer in the package 52.
  • the perforation pattern setting unit 16 specifies or collects a perforation pattern 56 which is the pattern of holes on the package 52.
  • the holes allow oxygen gas outside the package to enter the package, and allow carbon dioxide from the produce respiration process to leave the package. They, therefore, create air circulation inside the package with respect to the respiration condition of a produce. They extend the produce shelf life.
  • the perforation pattern 56 comprises shape, size, location, and the number of the holes on the packaging surface.
  • Table 1 shows the prolong shelf life of fresh produce contained in a package having appropriate holes.
  • Remark Other data that affect the shelf life of produce include vegetable or fruit qualities, harvest methods, cleaning processes, packing, and storage conditions.
  • the database 30 stores data of fresh produce 50 for processing.
  • the data include the respiration rate and respiration rate equation of each produce at a storage temperature, and the produce density in unit of weight per volume.
  • the respiration rate of each produce is obtained from measurement, where the respiration rate of each produce is recorded for at least 3 different storage temperatures.
  • the system calculates the respiration rate of the produce at other temperatures when the processing unit 40 processes to obtain a perforation pattern for the package 52 and to predict a remaining oxygen gas in a package as a function of time.
  • the processing unit 40 receives the produce 50 data from the unit for produce setting 10 and the storage environment 54 data from the unit for storage condition setting 14.
  • the storage environment data may be only a storage temperature or may include other storage data as well.
  • FIG.3 the measurement of Golden mango (scientific name: Mangifera indica L. ‘Nam Dork Mai’) respiration rates at 6, 13, and 25 degrees Celsius (C), being the storage temperatures, is shown in FIG.3 by taking the oxygen gas level at each recorded time step and plotting them in a graph format.
  • the processing unit specifies the temperatures as independent variables, ‘x-axis’, and the respiration rates as dependent variables, ‘y-axis’, so that the respiration rates at other temperatures can be determined as shown in FIG.4.
  • the processing unit 40 calculates a free volume inside the package 52 by using package data from the unit for package setting 12 with the desired produce 50 data.
  • the free volume is the space that can store oxygen gas inside the package. Large free volume implies large amount of oxygen gas can be stored in the package. Large package, however, requires more material in its productions. Therefore, a balance of designing the package size and the amount of oxygen gas contained in the package is preferred.
  • the calculation of free volume is done by first determining the package volume from its inner dimensions. For rectangular- shape package, the volume may be calculated from its inner width and length as an example. Then, the produce dimension, calculated by weight and density, is subtracted from the package volume to obtain a free volume in the package after the produce is contained.
  • the processing unit 40 processes to predict the remaining oxygen gas inside the package as a function of time from the respiration rate and the perforation pattern data. Then the processing unit sends the pattern of the package 52 to a user via the unit for user interface 20, along with the predicted remaining oxygen gas.
  • the predicted remaining oxygen gas includes the percentage of oxygen gas level at equilibrium and the time it takes for the oxygen gas to reduce to its equilibrium.
  • the oxygen gas level inside the package should match with the respiration rate of the produce. For example, a produce having high respiration rate needs more oxygen gas in the package; therefore, the proper packaging should allow oxygen gas from outside to enter the package about 5-10% of the rate of the produce. Similarly, the oxygen gas level should be approximately the same for low respiration rate produce. If the oxygen gas level in the package is too low, the produce may not have enough oxygen gas for its respiration. Too much oxygen gas level, however, the produce will decay naturally which may be faster than preferred. Therefore, controlling the oxygen gas in the package at a proper level can extend the produce shelf life.
  • the calculation of the remaining oxygen gas inside a package of the processing unit 40 is a key to design the perforation pattern on the package 52 to preserve a desired produce.
  • Main factors that relate to the oxygen gas level include the respiration rate of the produce, the increasing amount of oxygen gas transferred through material, and the increasing amount of oxygen gas transferred through holes.
  • the calculation of remaining oxygen gas by the processing unit 40 is referred to a package 50 made of thin film and the holes are circles. Thin film packages are cheap and easy to get.
  • the circle holes are easily made by using laser perforating machine since the nature of laser beam is a circle. Nevertheless, this invention is not restricted to only circular holes but it can be applied to any shape of the holes as well.
  • Oxygen gas concentration inside a package that contains a fresh produce inside varies from its initial value. At first the concentration inside the package is the same as the oxygen gas outside. Later on, the oxygen gas inside the package is consumed by the produce at its respiration rate depending on the produce’s weight. Once the concentration inside drops below the oxygen gas outside the package. Outside oxygen gas starts to transfer into the package.
  • the oxygen gas transfer is achieved by two mechanisms. First, the oxygen gas diffuses into the package through its material. The amount of oxygen gas getting into the package this way depends on the material characteristic and the exposing surface area of the material. Normally, oxygen gas transmission rate of a material is quite low, which lowers the oxygen gas level inside the package as the produce consumes it. Oxygen gas compensation is achieved by allowing oxygen gas to get into the package via additional holes. Shape, size, locations, and the number of the holes are specified to allow outside oxygen gas to get into the package properly. It increases the oxygen gas level inside the package. Once the oxygen gas consumed by the produce equals to the oxygen gas transferred from the outside of the package, it is a balance condition.
  • the processing unit 40 may be developed into parts comprising a unit for produce respiration rate setting 42, a unit for package volume setting 44, a unit for determining of oxygen gas in a package 46, and a unit for error correction 48.
  • the unit for produce respiration rate setting 42 connects to the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for storage condition setting 14, and the fresh produce database 30 to get the produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce from the database 30 along with the desired produce data specified by the unit for produce setting 10 to determine the respiration rate of the desired produce.
  • the package volume definition unit 44 connects to the unit for produce setting 10 and the unit for package setting 12 to get the produce 50 data from the unit for produce setting 10 and the package 52 data from the unit for package setting 12 to determine a free volume of the package 52 after the desired produce 50 is contained in the package 52.
  • the unit for determining of oxygen gas in a package 46 connects to the unit for produce respiration rate setting 42, a unit for package volume setting 44, and the perforation pattern setting unit 16 to process the desired produce respiration rate, the package free volume, and the perforation pattern together to obtain the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
  • the unit for error correction 48 transmits an error correction parameter 81 to unit for determining of oxygen gas in a package 46 to predict the remaining oxygen gas in the package wherein the error correction parameter 81 is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of said desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations.
  • Such the produce respiration rates may be obtained from laboratory measurement from real produce.
  • R 2 The coefficient of determination, R 2 , is greater than 97.86%.
  • This example performs by using three packages of the same produce from same origin with equal weights. Each package has same hole diameters but differs in number of the holes. The oxygen gas level in each package is measured by using a gas analyzer and their measured values are compared with the theoretical one as shown in FIG.5.
  • the system 100 may experience variations that affects the quality of the desired produce once contained in the package. Such the variations could be the difference between the respiration rate of the real produce in the package and the one used in the calculation. It may be because the temperature used to calculate the respiration rate is different from the actual storage temperature. The type of the produce in the calculation may not the same as the real produce or they may come from different regions. Or, shapes of the actual holes are different from the calculated one. The effects of these variations can be reduced by the unit for error correction 48 as described in this invention.
  • the error correction parameter 81 is obtained by matching a number of measured respiration rates of the desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations.
  • the measured respiration rate of each produce is obtained from of at least 3 storage temperatures.
  • FIG.3 shows an example of measured respiration rates of Golden mango at temperatures 6, 13, and 25 C°.
  • the oxygen gas level is measured from 0 - 3,000 minutes. In the measurement process, care must be taken to select the three temperatures to cover a desired storage temperature. If the desired storage temperature is not covered by the measurement, the resulting prediction may be altered.
  • the unit for error correction 48 comparing a number of respiration rates of said desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations by using a machine learning technique to obtain the error correction parameter. It may be obtained by using a regression analysis of fresh produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce 50.
  • the unit for produce respiration rate setting 42 may determine the respiration rate of the desired produce 50 by using the produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce 50, stored from the database 30, by using a machine learning technique to get the respiration rate of the desired produce.
  • This kind of the processing may be used when the desired produce, being stored in the package, has no data in the database 30.
  • the processing unit learns from the data in the database 30 and selects a similar or the closest produce for its calculation. The resulting respiration rate, thus, is close to the actual one as much as possible.
  • Table 2-4 show the groupings of similar produce at different storage temperatures.
  • Table 2 shows groups of different produce when their respiration rates are determined at 0 C° storage temperature.
  • Table 3 shows groups of different produce when their respiration rates are determined at 5 C° storage temperature.
  • Table 4 shows groups of different produce when their respiration rates are determined at 10-13 C° storage temperature.
  • the displaying of the predicted remaining oxygen gas to users by the unit for user interface 20 can be a graph of the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time after the produce 50 is stored in the package 52 as shown in FIG.6.
  • the graph display format helps users to decide easily if the perforation pattern should be modified or not.
  • the system 100 according to this invention may be developed in many different ways. It can be in form of a hardware with a subsystem for each component. It can be implemented as a single apparatus. It can be in a combination form of both. The choice of the development really depends on requirements. Some requirements may want the unit for package setting 12 to be connected with a packaging device, where the package data are specified only once. Some cases may want the unit for produce setting 10 to be integrated with a produce input device, where the produce is weighted and both the produce and its weight data are fed into the system automatically. Or, in some embodiments, the system 100 may be implemented as a computer software that can design a package before preforming any setup to a machine for its packaging process. Whatever form the system 100 may be implemented that is apparent to a person ordinary skilled in the art is considered to be and covered by the system 100 according to this invention.
  • the operation of the system 100 follows the process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce S100 as shown in FIG.7.
  • the process S100 comprises defining fresh produce S10, defining package S12, defining storage condition S14, defining perforation pattern S16, and determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40.
  • the defining fresh produce S10 specifies fresh produce data of a desired fresh produce to be stored in a package, wherein the data include type and weight of the desired produce.
  • the defining package S12 specifies package data of the package to be used to store the desired produce, wherein the package data include type of material, thickness, size, and shape of the package.
  • the defining storage condition S14 specifies storage environment data that the package will be stored after the desired produce is contained inside, wherein the storage environment includes a storage temperature.
  • the defining perforation pattern S16 specifies perforation pattern on the surface of the package wherein the perforation pattern includes shape, size, location, and the number of holes on the packaging surface
  • the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 obtains a perforation pattern on the package 52 and a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, and send the processed pattern and the predicted remaining oxygen gas to a user.
  • the process S100 is characterized in that the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 processes the data obtained from the defining fresh produce S10, the defining package S12, the defining storage condition S14, and the defining perforation pattern S16 to obtain the perforation pattern on the package 52 and to predict remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time including a the amount of oxygen gas at equilibrium and a time duration that the amount of oxygen gas reduces to its equilibrium.
  • the process S100 may be further comprising confirming perforation pattern S50 that a user confirms the perforation pattern of the package 52 obtained from the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 and if the pattern is modified by the user, the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 process is repeated.
  • the modification of the package 52 pattern includes the change of shape, size, locations, or the number of holes on the package. It also includes the change in shape and size of the package and its material. This allows the user to select the package pattern as needed.
  • the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 process shown in FIG.8 may be further comprising defining respiration rate of fresh produce S42, defining packaging volume S44, analysing amount of oxygen gas in the package S46, and determining error correction S48.
  • the defining respiration rate of fresh produce S42 gets produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce form the database, specified by the defining fresh produce S10, and processing them to get the respiration rate of the desired produce.
  • the defining packaging volume S44 processes the desired produce data and the package data to determine a free volume of the package after the desired produce is contained in the package.
  • the analysing amount of oxygen gas in the package S46 processes the respiration rate, the package free volume, and the perforation pattern data together to obtain the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
  • the determining error correction S48 obtains an error correction parameter 81 for the analysing remaining oxygen gas in the package S46 to predict remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, wherein the error correction parameter 81 is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of the desired produce in the database to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations.
  • the determining error correction S48 matches measured respiration rates of produce 50 in the database 30 and the theoretical ones together, whereas the measured respiration rates in the database come from measurement.
  • the determining error correction S48 is the process that matches a number of respiration rates of the desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations by using a machine learning technique.
  • the machine learning helps the process to correct complex variations that cannot be done analytically. It can be applied for the determining error correction S48 when the desired produce is not in the database as well.
  • One of the machine learning techniques for the determining error correction S48 is a regression analysis of produce data stored in the database 30 when the data are of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce 50.
  • the defining respiration rate of fresh produce is a regression analysis of produce data stored in the database 30 when the data are of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce 50.
  • S42 is the process that takes produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce from the database 30 and processes them by using a machine learning technique to obtain more accurate respiration rate of the desired produce. Because same produce may be prepared from different regions, sources, or come from different species. Their respiration rates are also different. The machine learning technique used to determine the respiration rates of such produce in the defining respiration rate of fresh produce S42 helps its processing by its learning ability to select suitable representative from the database 30 in its calculation. The result is having a suitable package for such the produce.

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and the process thereof. The system comprises a unit for produce setting for specifying fresh produce data of a desired produce to be stored in a package, a unit for package setting for specifying package data of the package, a unit for storage condition setting for specifying storage environment data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, a unit for perforation setting for specifying perforation pattern on the surface of the package, a unit for user interface, a fresh produce database for collecting fresh produce data, and a processing unit for processing the data to obtain a perforation pattern of the package for storing the desired produce and to obtain a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, whereas the processing unit uses a machine learning technique for its processing.

Description

SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING CONDITIONS FOR FRESH PRODUCE AND THE PROCESS THEREOF
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and the process thereof.
BACKGROUND ART
Production of packages to prolong shelf life of vegetables and fruits by controlling transmission of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and vapor at proper level must correspond to the respiration rate of the vegetables or fruits. Conventionally, gas transmission capabilities of packaging film, e.g., Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR), Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) and Carbon Dioxide Transmission Rate (CO2TR), are used when selecting a proper packaging film for vegetable or fruit packages. They limit the choices of plastic films whose gas permeability matches a broad range of vegetables or fruits. Laser cutting technology becomes an alternative that helps adjusting gas transmission by creating holes on packages. However, calculating the number of holes to match the respiration rate of vegetables or fruits is a complex matter. It requires the type and quantity of vegetables or fruits, the type and size of a package, a storage temperature, and the shape and dimension of holes. These factors affect the calculation of an effective number of holes. Although commercial software is available for such the calculation, they cannot provide complete information required in practice. It is because the limited data of vegetables or fruits and their corresponding mathematic models. When packaging material is different from the material used in the software, the resulting calculation is discrepant. In practice, packaging patterns may also have many styles depending on the needs. They may not be the same as the ones in the software.
Chinese patent publication CN 110810499A discloses a method for prolonging shelf life of fruits and vegetables by a laser drilled micropore adjustment with modified atmosphere packaging breathing models for cucumber, lettuce, and kiwi. These three models use different micropore patterns (or perforation patterns in this context). The invention, however, does not refer to its application to other types of vegetables and fruits except those three types mentioned earlier.
International patent publication WO/2009/047539A1 discloses a package for storing the fresh produce which uses holes to control gas transmission into the package. The hole dimensions are ranging between 0.00157 mm. and 0.00471mm. which are suitable for storing 200-1000 grams of strawberry and the number of holes on the package is between 1-19 holes.
United States patent publication US20150102022A1 discloses a laser system for punching holes that control gas permeability on packaging surface in order to control oxygen transmission rate between outside and inside the package. The controlled oxygen transmission rate helps controlling fresh produce quality and extends its shelf life. The laser system can create the holes for different dimensions and patterns to match different produce.
International patent publication WO/2014/129904A1 discloses a process and system for storing fresh produce by randomly select some samples of the produce from the same lot and measure their respiration rate and use it as the whole lot representative. The system, then, uses the representative respiration rate to specify the perforation pattern on the surface of a package. Although this invention can provide an accurate respiration rate of the produce, it needs to collect the produce samples to measure the respiration rate for every lot of produce.
It is obvious that, in practice, different types of packaging are required to preserve different types of fresh produce because different produce have different respiration rates. Storage conditions, that may be different from place to place, also affect the choice of proper packaging as well.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce. The system comprises a unit for produce setting for specifying fresh produce data of a desired fresh produce to be stored in a package, a unit for package setting for specifying package data of the package, a unit for storage condition setting for specifying storage environment data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, a unit for perforation setting for specifying perforation pattern on the surface of the package, a unit for user interface , a fresh produce database for storing fresh produce data, and a processing unit for processing the data to obtain a perforation pattern of the package for storing the desired produce and to obtain a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
This invention discloses process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce. The process comprises defining fresh produce to specify fresh produce data of a desired produce to be stored in a package, defining package to specify package data of the package to be used to store the desired produce, defining storage condition to specify storage environment data that the package will be stored after the desired produce is contained inside, defining perforation pattern to specify perforation pattern on the surface of the package, and determining remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time by using fresh produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce to obtain a perforation pattern on the package.
In some embodiments of this invention, the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package may be further comprising determining error correction to obtain an error correction parameter for the analysis of remaining oxygen gas in the package to increase the accuracy of the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package, wherein the error correction parameter is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of the desired produce in the database to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations. The correction makes the calculated respiration rate and the measurement are close to each other.
The objective of this invention is to provide a system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and its process that can provide a perforation pattern on a package that is suitable for storing a fresh produce. It includes the specifying the perforation pattern on the package. This invention allows a user to define different type of a package. It uses measured respiration rates of fresh produce together with their theoretical models to define the proper perforation pattern for practical uses. Some processing steps of this invention are the processing by machine learning to help improve the accuracy of its results and to handle when the system does not have the desired produce in its database.
In this disclosure, when referring to fresh produce data in the database, the term “produce data” is used. But in the case of entering data into the system, the term “product parameters” is used. It is understood that these two terms may be used interchangeably when refered to produce information used in the processing of the system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 shows the determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce.
Fig. 2 shows the storage of fresh produce in the package which has the perforation pattern on the surface of the package.
Fig. 3 shows the amount of oxygen gas respiration in Nam Dork Mai mango.
Fig. 4 shows the Nam Dork Mai mango respiration rate that get from the experiment to find the respiration rate at other temperature.
Fig. 5 shows the error correction of straw mushroom respiration rate.
Fig. 6 shows the determine remaining oxygen gas in a package as a function of time. Fig. 7 shows the determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce.
Fig. 8 shows the working of the processing to find the amount of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A system 100 for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce is shown in FIG.1-2. The system comprises a unit for produce setting 10 for specifying fresh produce data of a desired produce 50 to be stored in a package 52, wherein the produce data include type and weight of said desired produce. The system further comprises a unit for package setting 12 for specifying package data of the package 52 to be used to store said desired produce, wherein the package data include type of material, thickness, size, and shape of the package. The system further comprises a unit for storage condition setting 14 for specifying storage environment 54 data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, wherein the storage environment 54 includes a storage temperature. The system further comprises a unit for perforation setting 16 for specifying perforation pattern 56 on the surface of the package 52 wherein the perforation pattern 56 includes shape, size, location, and the number of holes on the packaging surface. The system further comprises a unit for user interface 20 for inputting data to the system and displaying processed data to a user. The system further comprises a fresh produce database 30 for collecting data of each type of fresh produce obtained from actual measurement. And the system also comprises a processing unit 40 that controls data transfer between the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for package setting 12, the unit for storage condition setting 14, the unit for perforation setting 16, the unit for user interface 20, and the database 30, processes the data to obtain a perforation pattern of the package 52 for storing said desired produce 50, records or reads data from the database 30, and controls the user interface 20.
The system is characterized in that the unit for user interface 20 allows a user to specify the produce data to the unit for produce setting 10, to specify the package data to the unit for package setting 12, to specify the storage environment 54 data to the unit for storage condition setting 14, and to specify the perforation pattern 56 to the unit for perforation setting 16.
The processing unit 40 is operated based on an instruction set stored in the system memory wherein a part of the instruction set is configured to input data from the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for package setting 12, the unit for storage condition setting 14, the unit for perforation setting 16, and the database 30 and to process them to obtain a perforation pattern on the package 52 and a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, and another instruction set is configured to send the processed pattern and the predicted remaining oxygen gas to the unit for user interface 20. The database 30 contains fresh produce data, respiration rate of each produce of at least 3 storage temperatures, respiration rate equations of each produce at a storage temperature, and the density of each produce in unit of weight per volume.
Quality of a fresh produce in a package can be controlled by controlling oxygen, carbon dioxide, and vapor transfer into the package to be at proper levels. For different produce, the levels may be different. Vegetables and fruits require 5-15% oxygen gas of its normal respiration rate to transfer into a package to keep them fresh. The system 100 of this invention processes together produce, package, and storage environment data to determine remaining oxygen gas in a package after a produce is put inside the package. The oxygen gas level suggests how long the produce can be kept fresh in the package. The system 100, in addition, provides perforation pattern that may be provided on the surface of the package 52 to control the oxygen gas level further. The perforation pattern 56 may be varied as needed to meet further user requirements.
In the operation of the system 100, the unit for produce setting 10 specifies or collects the produce 50 data that are necessary for processing. The produce 50 data include the type of a desired produce and its weight. The unit for produce setting 10 may collect the data by allowing a user to type in the data via the unit for user interface 20. Or the data may be collected automatically by the system. For example, the weight of a produce may be recorded by an automated scaling system in a production line. Or, the type of a produce may be determined by an automated produce recognition camera. Any mean that provides the produce data to the unit for produce setting 10 is considered to be the same as inputting the produce data to the unit for produce setting 10 of this invention.
In some embodiments, the produce data may include origin of the desired produce, harvest time, age, pre-treatment methods such as chemical usage in its cropping process, etc.
The unit for package setting 12 specifies or collects the data of a package used to store the desired produce. The data include the package’s material, thickness, size, and shape. The system uses these data in its processing to determine an initial oxygen gas level inside the package after the desired produce is packed and to determine remaining oxygen gas as a function of time after the produce is stored. The oxygen gas level indicates how long the produce can be kept fresh inside the package as the oxygen gas is continuously consumed by the produce respiration. The produce starts decaying once the oxygen gas level inside the package is less than its appropriate level.
Package material and its thickness are another important data that affect the oxygen gas level inside the package. Some materials do not allow oxygen gas to pass through or are difficult for the oxygen gas to pass through causing the oxygen gas level inside the package reduces dramatically without circulation from outside oxygen gas. Controlling oxygen gas level by providing appropriate holes on the package surface can extend the produce shelf life inside the package. Examples of the package materials are flexible film and/or semi-rigid and rigid plastic made of polyolefin, polyamide, or polyester.
After the produce and package data are specified, the unit for storage condition setting 14 specifies or collects the data of storage environment 54 that the package will be stored once the desired produce is packed inside. Storage environment 54 may be different from place to place for the same produce depending its requirements. For example, a storage environment 54 of fruit produce may be at room temperature when the produce is selling to consumers while a low temperature container may be required for transporting the same produce. The storage environment 54 that keeps the produce fresh, thus, relates with the produce respiration rate. Important storage environment 54 data includes a storage temperature, which is the temperature outside of the package 52. A correct choice of storage temperature enables the system to obtain a suitable package 52 that matches to the produce 50 and its storage environment.
In some embodiments, the storage environment 54 data may include several storage conditions such as a condition of the produce while being in packaging process, in transportation, or while being on sale, etc.
To control the quality of a produce package, the system 100 of this invention provides the control of gas transfer in the package 52. The perforation pattern setting unit 16 specifies or collects a perforation pattern 56 which is the pattern of holes on the package 52. The holes allow oxygen gas outside the package to enter the package, and allow carbon dioxide from the produce respiration process to leave the package. They, therefore, create air circulation inside the package with respect to the respiration condition of a produce. They extend the produce shelf life. The perforation pattern 56 comprises shape, size, location, and the number of the holes on the packaging surface.
Table 1 shows the prolong shelf life of fresh produce contained in a package having appropriate holes.
Figure imgf000009_0001
Remark: Other data that affect the shelf life of produce include vegetable or fruit qualities, harvest methods, cleaning processes, packing, and storage conditions.
The database 30 stores data of fresh produce 50 for processing. The data include the respiration rate and respiration rate equation of each produce at a storage temperature, and the produce density in unit of weight per volume. The respiration rate of each produce is obtained from measurement, where the respiration rate of each produce is recorded for at least 3 different storage temperatures. With these data, the system calculates the respiration rate of the produce at other temperatures when the processing unit 40 processes to obtain a perforation pattern for the package 52 and to predict a remaining oxygen gas in a package as a function of time. In the processing step of the processing unit 40 of this invention, the processing unit 40 receives the produce 50 data from the unit for produce setting 10 and the storage environment 54 data from the unit for storage condition setting 14. It processes these data to specify the respiration rate of the desired produce 50 and uses the measured respiration rates in the database 30 together with the processed rates to determine the final respiration rate of the desired produce 50 according to the storage conditions defined in the storage environment 54 data. The storage environment data may be only a storage temperature or may include other storage data as well.
For example, the measurement of Golden mango (scientific name: Mangifera indica L. ‘Nam Dork Mai’) respiration rates at 6, 13, and 25 degrees Celsius (C), being the storage temperatures, is shown in FIG.3 by taking the oxygen gas level at each recorded time step and plotting them in a graph format. The processing unit, then, specifies the temperatures as independent variables, ‘x-axis’, and the respiration rates as dependent variables, ‘y-axis’, so that the respiration rates at other temperatures can be determined as shown in FIG.4.
Further, the processing unit 40 calculates a free volume inside the package 52 by using package data from the unit for package setting 12 with the desired produce 50 data. The free volume is the space that can store oxygen gas inside the package. Large free volume implies large amount of oxygen gas can be stored in the package. Large package, however, requires more material in its productions. Therefore, a balance of designing the package size and the amount of oxygen gas contained in the package is preferred.
The calculation of free volume is done by first determining the package volume from its inner dimensions. For rectangular- shape package, the volume may be calculated from its inner width and length as an example. Then, the produce dimension, calculated by weight and density, is subtracted from the package volume to obtain a free volume in the package after the produce is contained.
Once the processing unit 40 obtains the package free volume, it processes to predict the remaining oxygen gas inside the package as a function of time from the respiration rate and the perforation pattern data. Then the processing unit sends the pattern of the package 52 to a user via the unit for user interface 20, along with the predicted remaining oxygen gas. The perforation pattern 56 on the package 52 data, obtained from the processing, includes shape, size, location, and the number of the holes on the packaging surface. And the predicted remaining oxygen gas includes the percentage of oxygen gas level at equilibrium and the time it takes for the oxygen gas to reduce to its equilibrium.
In order to preserve a desired produce freshness in the package, the oxygen gas level inside the package should match with the respiration rate of the produce. For example, a produce having high respiration rate needs more oxygen gas in the package; therefore, the proper packaging should allow oxygen gas from outside to enter the package about 5-10% of the rate of the produce. Similarly, the oxygen gas level should be approximately the same for low respiration rate produce. If the oxygen gas level in the package is too low, the produce may not have enough oxygen gas for its respiration. Too much oxygen gas level, however, the produce will decay naturally which may be faster than preferred. Therefore, controlling the oxygen gas in the package at a proper level can extend the produce shelf life.
The calculation of the remaining oxygen gas inside a package of the processing unit 40 is a key to design the perforation pattern on the package 52 to preserve a desired produce. Main factors that relate to the oxygen gas level include the respiration rate of the produce, the increasing amount of oxygen gas transferred through material, and the increasing amount of oxygen gas transferred through holes. In an embodiment of this invention, the calculation of remaining oxygen gas by the processing unit 40 is referred to a package 50 made of thin film and the holes are circles. Thin film packages are cheap and easy to get. The circle holes are easily made by using laser perforating machine since the nature of laser beam is a circle. Nevertheless, this invention is not restricted to only circular holes but it can be applied to any shape of the holes as well.
Oxygen gas concentration inside a package that contains a fresh produce inside varies from its initial value. At first the concentration inside the package is the same as the oxygen gas outside. Later on, the oxygen gas inside the package is consumed by the produce at its respiration rate depending on the produce’s weight. Once the concentration inside drops below the oxygen gas outside the package. Outside oxygen gas starts to transfer into the package.
The oxygen gas transfer is achieved by two mechanisms. First, the oxygen gas diffuses into the package through its material. The amount of oxygen gas getting into the package this way depends on the material characteristic and the exposing surface area of the material. Normally, oxygen gas transmission rate of a material is quite low, which lowers the oxygen gas level inside the package as the produce consumes it. Oxygen gas compensation is achieved by allowing oxygen gas to get into the package via additional holes. Shape, size, locations, and the number of the holes are specified to allow outside oxygen gas to get into the package properly. It increases the oxygen gas level inside the package. Once the oxygen gas consumed by the produce equals to the oxygen gas transferred from the outside of the package, it is a balance condition.
An embodiment of this invention, the processing unit 40 may be developed into parts comprising a unit for produce respiration rate setting 42, a unit for package volume setting 44, a unit for determining of oxygen gas in a package 46, and a unit for error correction 48. The unit for produce respiration rate setting 42 connects to the unit for produce setting 10, the unit for storage condition setting 14, and the fresh produce database 30 to get the produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce from the database 30 along with the desired produce data specified by the unit for produce setting 10 to determine the respiration rate of the desired produce.
The package volume definition unit 44 connects to the unit for produce setting 10 and the unit for package setting 12 to get the produce 50 data from the unit for produce setting 10 and the package 52 data from the unit for package setting 12 to determine a free volume of the package 52 after the desired produce 50 is contained in the package 52.
The unit for determining of oxygen gas in a package 46 connects to the unit for produce respiration rate setting 42, a unit for package volume setting 44, and the perforation pattern setting unit 16 to process the desired produce respiration rate, the package free volume, and the perforation pattern together to obtain the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
The unit for error correction 48 transmits an error correction parameter 81 to unit for determining of oxygen gas in a package 46 to predict the remaining oxygen gas in the package wherein the error correction parameter 81 is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of said desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations. Such the produce respiration rates may be obtained from laboratory measurement from real produce.
An example of the processed respiration rates of Straw mushroom compared to its real measurement shows a similar result. The coefficient of determination, R2, is greater than 97.86%. This example performs by using three packages of the same produce from same origin with equal weights. Each package has same hole diameters but differs in number of the holes. The oxygen gas level in each package is measured by using a gas analyzer and their measured values are compared with the theoretical one as shown in FIG.5.
To compute the remaining oxygen gas inside a package as a function of time, the system 100 may experience variations that affects the quality of the desired produce once contained in the package. Such the variations could be the difference between the respiration rate of the real produce in the package and the one used in the calculation. It may be because the temperature used to calculate the respiration rate is different from the actual storage temperature. The type of the produce in the calculation may not the same as the real produce or they may come from different regions. Or, shapes of the actual holes are different from the calculated one. The effects of these variations can be reduced by the unit for error correction 48 as described in this invention. The error correction parameter 81 is obtained by matching a number of measured respiration rates of the desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the measured respiration rate of each produce is obtained from of at least 3 storage temperatures. FIG.3 shows an example of measured respiration rates of Golden mango at temperatures 6, 13, and 25 C°. For each temperature, the oxygen gas level is measured from 0 - 3,000 minutes. In the measurement process, care must be taken to select the three temperatures to cover a desired storage temperature. If the desired storage temperature is not covered by the measurement, the resulting prediction may be altered.
In some embodiments of this invention, the unit for error correction 48 comparing a number of respiration rates of said desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations by using a machine learning technique to obtain the error correction parameter. It may be obtained by using a regression analysis of fresh produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce 50.
In some embodiments of this invention, the unit for produce respiration rate setting 42 may determine the respiration rate of the desired produce 50 by using the produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce 50, stored from the database 30, by using a machine learning technique to get the respiration rate of the desired produce. This kind of the processing may be used when the desired produce, being stored in the package, has no data in the database 30. The processing unit learns from the data in the database 30 and selects a similar or the closest produce for its calculation. The resulting respiration rate, thus, is close to the actual one as much as possible. Table 2-4 show the groupings of similar produce at different storage temperatures.
Table 2 shows groups of different produce when their respiration rates are determined at 0 C° storage temperature.
Figure imgf000013_0001
Figure imgf000014_0001
Table 3 shows groups of different produce when their respiration rates are determined at 5 C° storage temperature.
Figure imgf000014_0002
Table 4 shows groups of different produce when their respiration rates are determined at 10-13 C° storage temperature.
Figure imgf000015_0001
obtained from the system does not meet user requirements, users may want to modify the pattern to change the predicted remaining oxygen gas volume in the package. The processing unit 40 may provide a mean for modifying the pattern by users through the user interface 20. Once modified, the processing unit 40 updates the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package according to the new modification to the user through the unit for user interface 20. The modification of the pattern on the package 52 includes the change of shape, size, locations, or the number of holes on the package. It may also include the change of shape and size of the package or its material. This allows users to select the package and the pattern to meet their need.
In some embodiments of this invention, the displaying of the predicted remaining oxygen gas to users by the unit for user interface 20 can be a graph of the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time after the produce 50 is stored in the package 52 as shown in FIG.6. The graph display format helps users to decide easily if the perforation pattern should be modified or not.
The system 100 according to this invention may be developed in many different ways. It can be in form of a hardware with a subsystem for each component. It can be implemented as a single apparatus. It can be in a combination form of both. The choice of the development really depends on requirements. Some requirements may want the unit for package setting 12 to be connected with a packaging device, where the package data are specified only once. Some cases may want the unit for produce setting 10 to be integrated with a produce input device, where the produce is weighted and both the produce and its weight data are fed into the system automatically. Or, in some embodiments, the system 100 may be implemented as a computer software that can design a package before preforming any setup to a machine for its packaging process. Whatever form the system 100 may be implemented that is apparent to a person ordinary skilled in the art is considered to be and covered by the system 100 according to this invention.
The operation of the system 100 follows the process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce S100 as shown in FIG.7. The process S100 comprises defining fresh produce S10, defining package S12, defining storage condition S14, defining perforation pattern S16, and determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40.
The defining fresh produce S10 specifies fresh produce data of a desired fresh produce to be stored in a package, wherein the data include type and weight of the desired produce.
The defining package S12 specifies package data of the package to be used to store the desired produce, wherein the package data include type of material, thickness, size, and shape of the package.
The defining storage condition S14 specifies storage environment data that the package will be stored after the desired produce is contained inside, wherein the storage environment includes a storage temperature.
The defining perforation pattern S16 specifies perforation pattern on the surface of the package wherein the perforation pattern includes shape, size, location, and the number of holes on the packaging surface
The determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 obtains a perforation pattern on the package 52 and a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, and send the processed pattern and the predicted remaining oxygen gas to a user.
The process S100 is characterized in that the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 processes the data obtained from the defining fresh produce S10, the defining package S12, the defining storage condition S14, and the defining perforation pattern S16 to obtain the perforation pattern on the package 52 and to predict remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time including a the amount of oxygen gas at equilibrium and a time duration that the amount of oxygen gas reduces to its equilibrium.
In some embodiments of this invention, the process S100 may be further comprising confirming perforation pattern S50 that a user confirms the perforation pattern of the package 52 obtained from the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 and if the pattern is modified by the user, the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 process is repeated. The modification of the package 52 pattern includes the change of shape, size, locations, or the number of holes on the package. It also includes the change in shape and size of the package and its material. This allows the user to select the package pattern as needed.
In another embodiment of this invention, the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package S40 process shown in FIG.8 may be further comprising defining respiration rate of fresh produce S42, defining packaging volume S44, analysing amount of oxygen gas in the package S46, and determining error correction S48.
The defining respiration rate of fresh produce S42 gets produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce form the database, specified by the defining fresh produce S10, and processing them to get the respiration rate of the desired produce.
The defining packaging volume S44 processes the desired produce data and the package data to determine a free volume of the package after the desired produce is contained in the package.
The analysing amount of oxygen gas in the package S46 processes the respiration rate, the package free volume, and the perforation pattern data together to obtain the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
The determining error correction S48 obtains an error correction parameter 81 for the analysing remaining oxygen gas in the package S46 to predict remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, wherein the error correction parameter 81 is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of the desired produce in the database to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations. The determining error correction S48 matches measured respiration rates of produce 50 in the database 30 and the theoretical ones together, whereas the measured respiration rates in the database come from measurement. In some embodiments of this invention, to have an accurate prediction of the respiration rate, the determining error correction S48 is the process that matches a number of respiration rates of the desired produce 50 in the database 30 to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations by using a machine learning technique. The machine learning helps the process to correct complex variations that cannot be done analytically. It can be applied for the determining error correction S48 when the desired produce is not in the database as well. One of the machine learning techniques for the determining error correction S48 is a regression analysis of produce data stored in the database 30 when the data are of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce 50. In another embodiment of this invention, the defining respiration rate of fresh produce
S42 is the process that takes produce data of the desired produce or other produce of the same group of the desired produce from the database 30 and processes them by using a machine learning technique to obtain more accurate respiration rate of the desired produce. Because same produce may be prepared from different regions, sources, or come from different species. Their respiration rates are also different. The machine learning technique used to determine the respiration rates of such produce in the defining respiration rate of fresh produce S42 helps its processing by its learning ability to select suitable representative from the database 30 in its calculation. The result is having a suitable package for such the produce.

Claims

1. A system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce, said system comprising: a unit for produce setting (10) for specifying fresh produce data of a desired produce (50) to be stored in a package (52), wherein the produce data include type and weight of said desired produce, a unit for package setting (12) for specifying package data of the package (52) to be used to store said desired produce, wherein the package data include type of material, thickness, size, and shape of the package, a unit for storage condition setting (14) for specifying storage environment (54) data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, wherein the storage environment (54) includes a storage temperature, a unit for perforation setting (16) for specifying a perforation pattern (56) on the surface of the package (52) wherein the perforation pattern (56) includes shape, size, location, and the number of holes on the packaging surface, a unit for user interface (20) for inputting data to the system and displaying processed data to a user, a fresh produce database (30) for collecting data of each type of fresh produce obtained from actual measurement, and a processing unit (40) for controlling data transfer between the unit for produce setting (10), the unit for package setting (12), the unit for storage condition setting (14), the unit for perforation setting (16), the unit for user interface (20), and the database (30), for processing the data to obtain a perforation pattern (56) of the package (52) for storing said desired produce (50), for recording or reading data from the database (30), and for controlling the user interface (20), characterized in that: the unit for user interface (20) allows a user to specify the produce data to the unit for produce setting ( 10) , to specify the package data to the unit for package setting ( 12) , to specify the storage environment (54) data to the unit for storage condition setting (14), and to specify the perforation pattern (56) to the unit for perforation setting (16); the processing unit (40) operates based on an instruction set stored in the system memory wherein a part of the instruction set is configured to input data from the unit for produce setting (10), the unit for package setting (12), the unit for storage condition setting (14), the unit for perforation setting (16), and the database (30) and to process them to obtain a perforation pattern (56) on the package (52) and a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, and another instruction set is configured to send the processed pattern and the predicted remaining oxygen gas to the unit for user interface (20); and the database (30) contains fresh produce data, respiration rates of each produce of at least 3 storage temperatures, respiration rate equations of each produce at a storage temperature, and the density of each produce in unit of weight per volume.
2. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 1, wherein the processing unit (40) comprising: a unit for produce respiration rate setting (42) wherein connected to the unit for produce setting (10), the unit for storage condition setting (14), and the fresh produce database (30) to get the data of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce, specified by the unit for produce setting (10), to determine the respiration rates of said desired produce; a unit for package volume setting (44) wherein connected to the unit for produce setting (10) and the unit for package setting (12) to get said desired produce (50) data from the unit for produce setting (10) and the package (52) data from the unit for package setting (12) to determine a free volume of the package (52) after said desired produce (50) is contained in the package (52); a unit for determining oxygen gas in a package (46) wherein connected to the unit for produce respiration rate setting (42), the unit for package volume setting (44), and the unit for perforation setting (16) to process said desired produce respiration rates, the package free volume, and the perforation pattern together to obtain the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time; and a unit for error correction (48) that transmits an error correction parameter (81) to the unit for determining oxygen gas in a package (46) for its processing for the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package, wherein the error correction parameter (81) is obtained by matching a number of respiration rates of said desired produce (50) in the database (30) to respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations.
3. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 1, wherein the perforation pattern on the package obtained from the processing unit (40) can be modified by a user through the unit for user interface (20) and after 19 the pattern is modified, the processing unit (40) updates the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package according to the new modification to the user through the unit for user interface (20).
4. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 2, wherein the unit for error correction (48) compares the respiration rates of said desired produce (50) in the database (30) to the respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations by using a machine learning technique.
5. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 4, wherein the machine learning technique used by the unit for error correction (48) is a regression analysis of the produce data of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce (50).
6. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 1, wherein the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time includes the amount of oxygen gas at equilibrium and a time duration that the amount of oxygen gas reduces to its equilibrium.
7. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in any of the previous claims, wherein the processing unit (40) sends the perforation pattern on the package (52), wherein the perforation pattern (56) includes shape, size, locations, and the number of holes on the package (52) surface to the unit for user interface (20).
8. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in any of the previous claims, wherein the unit for user interface (20) displays a graph of the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time after the produce (50) is stored in the package (52).
9. The system for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 2, wherein the unit for produce respiration rate setting (42) determines the respiration rates of said desired produce (50) by using the produce data of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce (50), stored in the database (30), by using a machine learning technique.
10. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce comprising: defining fresh produce (S10) to specify the produce data of a desired produce to be stored in a package, wherein the produce data include type and weight of said desired produce, 20 defining package (S12) to specify the package data of a package to be used to store said desired produce, wherein the package data include type of material, thickness, size, and shape of the package, defining storage condition (S14) to specify storage environment data that the package will be stored after said desired produce is contained inside, wherein the storage environment includes a storage temperature, defining perforation pattern (SI 6) to specify a perforation pattern on the surface of the package wherein the perforation pattern includes shape, size, location, and the number of holes on the packaging surface, and determining remaining oxygen gas in the package (S40) to obtain a perforation pattern on the package (52) and a prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time, and send the processed pattern and the predicted remaining oxygen gas to a user, characterized in that: the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package (S40) processes the data obtained from the defining fresh produce (S 10), the defining package (S 12), the defining storage condition (S14), and the defining perforation pattern (S16) to obtain the perforation pattern on the package (52) and to predict remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time.
11. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 10, wherein the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package (S40) as a function of time comprising: defining respiration rate of fresh produce (S42) by getting the data of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce from the database, specified by the defining fresh produce (S10), and processing them to get the respiration rates of said desired produce; defining packaging volume (S44) by processing said desired produce data and the package data to determine a free volume of the package after said desired produce is contained in the package; analysing the amount of oxygen gas in the package (S46) by processing the respiration rates, the package free volume, and the perforation pattern together to obtain the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time; and determining error correction (S48) to obtain an error correction parameter (81) for the analysing the amount of oxygen gas in the package (S46) to predict the remaining oxygen 21 gas in the package as a function of time, wherein the error correction parameter (81) is obtained by comparing the respiration rates of said desired produce in the database to the respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations.
12. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 10 further comprising confirming perforation pattern (S50) that a user confirms the perforation pattern of the package (52) obtained from the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package (S40) and if the pattern is modified by the user, the determining remaining oxygen gas in the package (S40) process is repeated.
13. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 11, wherein the determining error correction (S48) is the process that comparing the respiration rates of said desired produce in the database to the respiration rates calculated based on theoretical equations by using a machine learning technique.
14. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 13, wherein the machine learning technique used by the determining error correction (S48) is a regression analysis of the produce data stored in the database (30) when the data are of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce (50).
15. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 10, wherein the prediction of remaining oxygen gas in the package as a function of time comprising the amount of oxygen gas at equilibrium and a time duration that the amount of oxygen gas reduces to its equilibrium.
16. The process of determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce as in claim 11, wherein the defining respiration rate of fresh produce (S42) is the process that takes the produce data of said desired produce or other produce of the same group of said desired produce from the database (30) and processes them by using a machine learning technique to obtain the respiration rates of said desired produce.
PCT/TH2021/000061 2020-10-09 2021-10-07 System for determining modified atmosphere packaging conditions for fresh produce and the process thereof WO2022075926A1 (en)

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