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US 5,827,559 AGranted
Cook-in packaging and methods relating thereto
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorRichard James Powell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Heat sealable films for packaging food products, particularly in applications where the packaged food product is heated at high temperatures in a hot water bath. The films have a sealant layer containing an acid copolymer. The acid copolymer has a high degree of ethylene crystallinity and therefore an unusually high melting temperature. The sealant layer provides excellent seal strength and excellent adhesion to meat, particularly poultry, even during hot water immersion.
Claims8
A method of packaging and processing food at high temperatures, comprising:
- A) placing a heat sealable film around and in contact with the food, said film having a sealant layer in contact with the food, the sealant layer having a thickness of at least 4 microns, a melt index between about 0.5 and about 30 g/10 min, and a melting point of from about 102.degree. C. to about 104.degree. C., the sealant layer comprising one or more acid copolymers of at least:
- i. about 2 to 20 parts by weight alpha-beta unsaturated carboxylic acid having from 3-8 carbon atoms or an anhydride derivative thereof, provided that at least a portion of the anhydride is hydrolyzed to provide at least 2 weight percent free acid in the copolymer;
- and
- ii. at least 80 parts by weight ethylene,
- B) heat sealing the film to itself to hermetically seal the food within the film, and
- C) cooking the packaged food in an environment having a temperature of about 60.degree. C. or higher.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.