U.S. patent application number 11/991151 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-28 for packaged fresh food product and method for packaging fresh food products.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sylvain Husipari KFT. Invention is credited to Sylvain Marcel Roger Thiery.
Application Number | 20090136630 11/991151 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35458230 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090136630 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thiery; Sylvain Marcel
Roger |
May 28, 2009 |
Packaged fresh food product and method for packaging fresh food
products
Abstract
A packaged fresh food product, particularly a meat product (10)
is disclosed that comprise a hygroscopic insert (22) provided with
a perforated humidity barrier layer as well as a foil separating
both the hygroscopic insert (20) and the product (10) from the
atmosphere outside the package. The foil is sealed by a seam
prepared under vacuum conditions to enclose the product and the
hygroscopic insert (22). Preferably, the foil is a bag (30). A
method for producing packaged fresh food product (10) is also
disclosed, wherein the product (10) is prepared, cut as needed
and/or seasoned, then together with a hygroscopic insert (22) is
sealed by a foil. The foil is sealed under vacuum conditions and it
is preferred to use a bag (30) as a foil.
Inventors: |
Thiery; Sylvain Marcel Roger;
(Izsak, HU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Sylvain Husipari KFT
Szolnok
HU
|
Family ID: |
35458230 |
Appl. No.: |
11/991151 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
August 29, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/HU2006/000069 |
371 Date: |
May 27, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/124 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/264 20130101;
B65D 81/203 20130101; B65B 31/024 20130101; B65B 25/067
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/124 |
International
Class: |
A23L 1/48 20060101
A23L001/48 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2005 |
HU |
P0500808 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A packaged fresh food product comprising a moisture absorbent
insert provided with a perforated moisture impermeable layer, and a
foil separating both the product and the moisture absorbent insert
from the surrounding atmosphere outside the package, characterised
by a vacuum sealing welded seam (31) produced under vacuum to seal
the foil enclosing the product (10) and the moisture absorbent
insert (20).
9. The packaged product according to claim 8, characterised in that
the product (10) is placed in a tray (20) incorporating a moisture
absorbent insert (22), and a moisture impermeable layer formed with
holes (21) opening towards the moisture absorbent insert (22) is
provided on the inner bottom surface of the tray (20).
10. The packaged fresh food product according to claim 8
characterised in that the product (10) is unseasoned, seasoned,
marinated, heat treated or smoked meat product, especially red
meat, poultry, venison meat or fish.
11. The packaged fresh food product according to any of claims 8
characterised in that the foil has the shape of a bag (30).
12. Method for producing a packaged fresh food product, especially
meat product, wherein the product is prepared, cut as necessary
and/or seasoned, then sealed together with a moisture absorbent
insert with an air-tight foil, characterised in that the foil is
sealed under vacuum.
13. Method according to claim 12, characterised in that a bag (30)
is used as foil, and the sealing under vacuum is sealed by welding
the bag (30) around the edges of the tray (20), and the part of the
bag (30) falling outside of the welding is removed after trimming
around.
14. Method according to claim 12, characterised in that the product
(10) is placed into an air-tight bowl including a moisture
absorbent insert (22), then the bowl including the product (10) is
covered with foil, and the foil (30) is sealed onto the bowl under
vacuum by a welded seam formed along the edge of the bowl, and if
necessary, the parts of the foil and the bowl falling outside of
the sealing welded seam is removed after trimming.
15. The packaged fresh food product according to claim 9
characterised in that the product (10) is unseasoned, seasoned,
marinated, heat treated or smoked meat product, especially red
meat, poultry, venison meat or fish.
16. The packaged fresh food product according to any of claims 9
characterised in that the foil has the shape of a bag (30).
17. The packaged fresh food product according to any of claims 10
characterised in that the foil has the shape of a bag (30).
Description
[0001] The subject matter of the invention is a packaged fresh food
product, especially a meat product, and a procedure for the
production thereof, as a result of which packaged vegetables, fish,
meat, carcase meat, poultry, processed meat, for instance sausage
can be produced with a better shelf life than that of packaged
products of the art.
[0002] The use of such trays is widespread for packaging meat
products and other grocery products, wherein the meat product is
placed then tightly sealed with a foil. In some cases a moisture
absorbent insert is placed beneath the meat product, especially
carcase meat or poultry, which absorbs the moisture leaking out
from the meat product after packaging. The moisture absorbent
insert may be the tray itself, and there are several solutions for
this purpose, disclosed e.g. in WO 0046125, DE 1 972 5949, EP 115
0901, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,606. The advantage of this solution
is that the tray absorbs the moisture from the meat product so that
it remains invisible.
[0003] In case of processed meat products another kind of packaging
can be used if the moisture content of the meat product is
relatively low. In such case the meat product is placed in a bag,
and the bag is closed under vacuum. This solution may be hardly
used in case of meat products having greater moisture content. Also
in case of other meat products a certain amount of moisture will
leak out, which disadvantageously affects the appearance of the
packaged product.
[0004] The consumability period of packaged meat products is
greatly influenced by the cleanliness of the meat product, the
number of microbes in it. It is a very important aspect,
particularly in case of fresh, i.e. not frozen meat products, that
how long the meat product may be stored. Other circumstances
influence the consumability of meat products. Commercial
distribution and transportability are disadvantageously affected by
the limited period of consumability.
[0005] The aim of the invention is to extend this consumability
period and to improve the aesthetical appearance of several kinds
of fresh products, such as
[0006] As a result of removing the vacuum applied at packaging, the
product 10 placed in the tray 20 is pressed to the tray 20, if it
is soft; it flattens out and protrudes from the level of the edge
of the tray 20 only slightly.
[0007] Keeping the shape of soft sausages may be improved by
superficial heat treatment, for instance by dipping into hot water,
as a result of which the outer layer of the sausage hardens.
[0008] In course of the method developed for producing the packaged
meat product of the invention, the meat, or meat product
constituting the product 10 to be packaged, e.g. cut fresh meat,
minced meat, sausage, seasoned meat on sticks prepared for
grilling, is placed in the tray 20 then put into a bag 30 suitable
for vacuum packaging.
[0009] The bag 30 may be formed on site, or may be substituted with
one or two foils that may be used to cover the product 10 placed in
the tray 20. Subsequently it is placed into a traditional, for
instance a double chamber KOMET Plusvac 25 type, or other type of
machine applicable for vacuum packaging that usually works in such
a manner that the creation of vacuum starts only after its lid is
closed. After the suitable value of vacuum usually used for
vacuum-packaging is reached, and a normal vacuuming time has
lapsed, the machine forms a sealing weld 31 around the tray by
welding a bag 30 placed onto a trimming-welding edge formed with an
appropriate shape, then it trims the part of the bag falling
outside thereof as necessary. After trimming the vacuum may be
stopped, the lid may be opened, and at this time the material of
the bag 30 is air-tightly drawn onto the product 10 in the tray 20
due to the pressure of the surrounding air and the vacuum inside
the bag 30, and only such wrinkles 32 are formed that are
relatively small depending on the size of the bag 30 compared to
the tray 20, but do not prevent the placing of the individual
packages beside or onto one another. The wrinkles 32 may be removed
or decreased if the bag 30 is made of a heat shrinking foil, and
the surface of the prepared package is heat treated subsequently to
packaging under vacuum by dipping it into water having an
appropriate temperature or blowing hot air onto it for a short
period. During heat treatment the shape of the package may be
preserved by placing into an appropriate shaped and sized basket.
In case of applying hot air, the foil may be smoothed away,
adjusted by hand using protecting gloves, the shape of the package
may be formed. The vacuuming may be combined with and/or
substituted by filling up with protecting gas, e.g. nitrogen.
[0010] FIG. 4 shows the cross sectional view of the packaged
product of the invention, from which it is clearly visible that the
product 10 placed in the tray 20 fills out the tray 20 almost
entirely. The atmospheric pressure transmitted by the bag 30
slightly flattens the product 10, as a result it fills out the tray
20 even better, so the product 10 bulges out only a little. The
material of the bag 30 is slightly pressed into the interim space
between the edge of the tray 20 and the product 10.
[0011] Packaging may be performed into plastic bowls produced by
vacuum forming injection moulding or another suitable manner, or
even into metal bowls provided with appropriate surface finish,
wherein a moisture absorbent insert provided with a perforated
moisture impermeable surface layer is placed at first, then the
product to be packaged is placed onto this insert. In this case
such bowl takes the role of the tray 20 where the bowl itself does
not have to be packaged for separating the product from the
surrounding air, but it is sufficient to seal it with a foil in an
airtight manner. Subsequently to vacuuming--and/or flushing with
protective gas--the bowl and the product placed into it may be
covered with e.g. plastic foil, then closed by heat sealing or
bonding.
[0012] The moisture oozing out from the product 10 during a
subsequent storing under the effect a of the pressure of the
surrounding atmosphere and the vacuum will be absorbed by the
moisture absorbent insert through the holes 21 of the tray 20, and
therefore the moisture will not accumulate on the surface of the
product 10.
[0013] Surprisingly, it was found that the period of the fresh
product packaged with this method remains consumable has
significantly extended. Experiences in connection with the
consumability of products packaged with several different methods
gained through sense perception are summarised in the table at the
end of the specification.
[0014] Microbiological examinations have also proved the sensually
well perceptible improvement of the quality of the packaged product
after several days of storing, and it has been proven that the
product packaged in such manner keeps its perfect condition from a
microbiological aspect, even after 15 days of storing. Numerous
tests were conducted with raw meat, poultry, fish, as well as with
processed meat products, and in case of all products the period of
consumability has extended substantially; if compared to packaging
only in foil without vacuum, the consumability period has increased
very significantly even to as much as three times of its value,
while compared to packaging using vacuum, generally by 30-50%. At
the same time the quality is improved as well, including the
general appearance, colour, taste, touch of the packaged product.
There is no substantial amount of excess moisture on the product
neither in the packaging nor after its removal from the
packaging.
[0015] In order to check consumability and preservation of
freshness, we have conducted comparative sensual examinations on
boned pork chop, beef neck, salmon fillet, and pepper (capsicum)
cut into pieces. We have packaged these products using the
traditional methods and the method of the invention, then stored
them at +5.+-.1.degree. C. temperature for different periods, and
after said periods the quality of the products packaged by
different methods were inspected and compared by sensual
perception, by vision, touch and smelling.
[0016] The results are included in the table below.
[0017] Samples numbered 1, 5, 7 and 9 were placed into a simple
tray and closed it with polyethylene foil. Sample No. 2 was placed
in a simple tray and closed under vacuum. Samples Nos. 3, 4, 6, 8
and 10 were packaged using the method of the invention, for which
method a tray, vacuum-foil bag and packaging machine were used, as
mentioned above. After sealing under vacuum, the packages were
dipped into water having a temperature of +75.+-.5.degree. C. and
were pushed downwards to submerge below the surface of water
otherwise they floated onto the surface of the water because of the
foamed plastic tray. Then the packaged samples were stored at
+5.+-.0.5.degree. C. temperature until the examination has been
carried out. The results reflect clearly the substantial extension
of the consumability period of the fresh product.
TABLE-US-00001 Sample Period Sensual perception No. Sample [days]
Packaging Odour Colour Touch Appearance Consumability 1 Pork 8 tray
+ foil obtrusive greenish brown sticky mold suitable bad smell 2
Pork 8 foil + vacuum bad smell pale brown sticky a lot of oozed not
recommended moisture 3 Pork 8 moisture absorbent tray + none
natural normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 4 Pork 15 moisture
absorbent tray + none natural normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 5
Beef 8 tray + foil bad smell greenish sticky oozed moisture
unsuitable brownish 6 Beef 8 moisture absorbent tray + none dark
red normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum 7 Fish 8 tray + foil bad
smell greenish brown sticky not fresh unsuitable 8 Fish 8 moisture
absorbent tray + normal natural normal fresh suitable foil + vacuum
9 Pepper 8 tray + foil none brownish at cut soft matt if cooked
edges 10 Pepper 8 moisture absorbent tray + none natural fresh
shiny suitable foil + vacuum
* * * * *