Vacuum skin packaging

Abstract

Disclosed are packages and methods for packaging perishable foods such as meat, fish, poultry, vegetables or other food products. The packaging comprises a vacuum skin package comprising a film having specific package gas permeability requirements and a framing element within which the packaged goods are held.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application 60 / 552,268, filed Mar. 11, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.[0002] The invention relates to packaging, to packaging for containing meat, fish, poultry, vegetables or other food products, and to method for packaging goods using this improved packaging. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Perishable goods are subject to exposure to and contamination by microbial organisms such as bacteria, molds and the like by contact with airborne organisms or by contact with organisms on surfaces. The contamination can result in accelerated spoilage, toxin formation and other harmful effects. Thus it is desirable to protect the goods from contact with microbial organisms. Packaging such perishable goods in gas impermeable materials such as foil, paperboard and oxygen barrier films can provide a barrier to microbial contamination. [0004] However, an anaerobic organism such as Clostridiu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The invention includes a vacuum skin package that can contain perishable goods in which the package comprises or is produced from (a) a first flexible web of gas permeable skin wrapping plastic material; (b) one or more rigid or semi-rigid framing elements to surround but not contact the perishable goods; and (c) a second flexible web of gas permeable skin wrapping plastic material wherein the first flexible web and the second flexible web are sealed to each other to contain the perishable goods. The packages can comprise or be produced from a gas permeable plastic materials having an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) greater than or equal to 10,000 cc/m2/24 hr.

[0016] The invention also include a method of packaging goods comprising (a) placing perishable goods on a first flexible web of gas permeable skin wrapping plastic material in contact with the inside face of the first flexible web; (b) placing one or more rigid or semi-rigid framing elements in contact with the inside face of the first flexible web to surround but not contact the perishable goods; (c) placing a second flexible web of gas permeable skin wrapping plastic material over the perishable goods ...

Problems solved by technology

Perishable goods are subject to exposure to and contamination by microbial organisms such as bacteria, molds and the like by contact with airborne organisms or by contact with organisms on surfaces.

The contamination can result in accelerated spoilage, toxin formation and other harmful effects.

However, an anaerobic organism such as Clostridium botulinum produces a potent toxin that is the causative agent of botulism, an extremely virulent, dangerous, food poisoning.

Since C. botulinum is an anaerobe, gas impermeable materials such as foil, paperboard and oxygen barrier films may not be suitable to package goods highly susceptible to botulin toxin formation.

C. botulinum contamination is particularly problematic in fresh fish.

Such sales methods previously have been limited to relatively small geographic areas near the bodies of water where the fish were caught.

However, packaging of fresh fish to minimize the dangers of botulism is difficult.

C. botulinum growth and toxin formation can occur as a result of time / temperature abuse during processing, storage, and distribution.

Typical vacuum packaging inhibits the growth of common spoilage organisms, but does so under conditions that exclude oxygen and therefore does not inhibit the growth of C. botulinum.

Therefore, vacuum packaging under conditions that exclude oxygen increases the likelihood that botulin toxin may be produced is unacceptable to consumers.

However, the packages disclosed therein can retain only a limited volume of the gas in the headspace.

In the case of fresh fish, use of a backing, such as a board, base or tray, is not acceptable because the backing blocks the oxygen from contacting the fish.

Such an OTR is unattainable with typical foam trays used in packaging foodstuffs such as fresh meats.

The FDA guidelines also note that “use of an oxygen permeable package will not compensate for the restriction to oxygen exchange created by practices such as packing .

While temperature controls and monitoring can be accomplished during the distribution chain, it is impractical to do so after the packaged fresh fish has been sold to the consumer.

The combinations of time and temperature that could provide hazardous levels of botulin toxin could easily occur during post-sale consumer handling of the packaged fresh fish.

However, it is difficult to provide sufficient oxygen in the headspace of such a package to provide extended protection against growth of anaerobes.

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