Pasteurizable, cook-in shrink film

A pasteurizable and/or cook-in shrink film, comprising:

• (a) a first or sealing layer which comprises a nonlipophillic polymeric material having a softening point greater than that of the following shrink layer;
• (b) a second or shrink layer, melt bonded to said first layer, which comprises a cross-linked ethylene homopolymer or copolymer, further provided that the thickness of said second layer is sufficient such that the shrink temperature of the entire multilayer film, when oriented, is substantially controlled by the shrink temperature of said second layer;
• (c) a third or adhesive layer, melt bonded to said second layer, which comprises a chemically modified cross-linked polyethylene and having functional groups with a relatively strong affinity for the following barrier layer;
• (d) a fourth or barrier layer, melt bonded to said third layer, which comprises a hydrolyzed cross-linked ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer;
• (e) a fifth or adhesive layer of substantially the same composition as said third layer, melt bonded to said fourth layer;
• and
• (f) a sixth or abuse layer comprising a cross-linked polymer, melt bonded to said fifth layer;
• (g) wherein all of said layers of said film are irradiatively cross-linked to an extent corresponding to an irradiation dosage sufficient to increase the resistance of the film layers to delamination under cook-in or pasteurizing conditions but which permits the first layer to function as a sealing layer.