Packaging for meat and foodstuff
AssigneesSealed Air (NZ) Limited, Meat Research Corporation
InventorAndrew Ernest Matthews
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methodology for packaging and packages for meat or other foodstuffs in a carbon dioxide rich low oxygen environment by including without the packages carbon dioxide generating material and oxygen removing material where the production of carbon dioxide is not dependent upon removal of oxygen.
Claims22
A method of packaging meat or other perishable foodstuffs in a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen package environment comprising
- providing a food package of a gas barrier material,
- placing a perishable food product which absorbs carbon dioxide within said food package,
- placing in said package with said food product a carbon dioxide generating material and an oxygen removing material, said oxygen removing material removing free oxygen from said package to maintain a low oxygen atmosphere within said package,
- evacuating said package to provide a reduced volume of air in said package when sealed, and
- sealed said package,
- said carbon dioxide generating material generating carbon dioxide in a volume greater than twice the mole ratio of oxygen removed by said oxygen removing material at a controlled rate to prevent over-inflation of said package.
A method of packaging meat or other perishable foodstuffs in a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen package environment comprising
- providing a food package including an outer enclosure of a gas barrier material and an interior member of a gas permeable material separating the outer enclosure into two interior spaces,
- placing a perishable food product which absorbs carbon dioxide in one of said interior spaces within said outer enclosure,
- placing a carbon dioxide generating material and an oxygen removing material in the other of said interior spaces within said outer enclosure such that gas permeable member is between the food product and said carbon dioxide generating material and said oxygen removing material, said oxygen removing material removing free oxygen from said package to maintain a low oxygen atmosphere within said package, and
- sealing said outer enclosure,
- said carbon dioxide generating material generating carbon dioxide, over time, in a volume greater than twice the mole ratio of oxygen removed by said oxygen removing material at a controlled rate to prevent over-inflation of said package.
A food package for meat or other perishable foodstuffs characterized by a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen environment comprising
- a sealed enclosure of a gas barrier material having a low volume of air therein,
- a perishable food product which absorbs carbon dioxide confined in said enclosure, and
- a carbon dioxide generating material and an oxygen removing material also confined in said enclosure, said carbon dioxide generating material and said oxygen removing material, over time, removing free oxygen from the atmosphere within said enclosure to provide a low oxygen atmosphere therein and generating carbon dioxide in a volume greater than twice the mole ratio of oxygen removed to provide a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen environment within said enclosure.
A food package for meat or other perishable foodstuffs characterized by a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen environment comprising
- a sealed enclosure of a gas barrier material having a modified atmosphere therein containing a lower oxygen content and a higher carbon dioxide content than air,
- a perishable food product within said enclosure, and
- a carbon dioxide generating and oxygen removing material within said enclosure and removing free oxygen, over time, to provide a low oxygen atmosphere in said enclosure and generating carbon dioxide, over time, in a volume greater than twice the mole ratio of oxygen removed at a controlled rate to prevent over-inflation of said enclosure whereby a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen environment is maintained within said enclosure.
A method of packaging meat or other perishable foodstuffs in a carbon dioxide rich, low oxygen environment comprising
- providing a food package of a gas barrier material,
- placing a perishable food product within said food package,
- placing in said package with said food product a carbon dioxide generating material and an oxygen removing material, said oxygen removing material removing free oxygen from said package to maintain a low oxygen atmosphere within said package,
- gas flushing said package with carbon dioxide before sealing to provide a modified, carbon dioxide rich atmosphere in said package when sealed, and
- sealing said package,
- said carbon dioxide generating material generating carbon dioxide in an amount greater than twice the mole ratio of oxygen removed by said oxygen removing material at a controlled rate to prevent over-inflation of said package.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.