EP0253434A2 - Procédé de préservation - Google Patents

Procédé de préservation Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0253434A2
EP0253434A2 EP87201270A EP87201270A EP0253434A2 EP 0253434 A2 EP0253434 A2 EP 0253434A2 EP 87201270 A EP87201270 A EP 87201270A EP 87201270 A EP87201270 A EP 87201270A EP 0253434 A2 EP0253434 A2 EP 0253434A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
goods
arrangement
air
source
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP87201270A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0253434A3 (fr
Inventor
Raymond Gannon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FGL Projects Ltd
Original Assignee
FGL Projects Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by FGL Projects Ltd filed Critical FGL Projects Ltd
Publication of EP0253434A2 publication Critical patent/EP0253434A2/fr
Publication of EP0253434A3 publication Critical patent/EP0253434A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers
    • B65B31/02—Filling, closing, or filling and closing, containers or wrappers in chambers maintained under vacuum or superatmospheric pressure or containing a special atmosphere, e.g. of inert gas
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
    • B65B25/001—Packaging other articles presenting special problems of foodstuffs, combined with their conservation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an improved process of protecting and preserving goods and more particularly but not exclusively to the packaging of foodstuffs.
  • Foodstuffs and other goods are frequently packaged by placing the goods in a bag made of thermoplastics material, for example polyethylene then connecting the bag to a source of vacuum to extract as much as possible of air contained not only in the bag but also air trapped within the goods themselves.
  • a bag made of thermoplastics material for example polyethylene
  • the goods are protected from any deteriorating influence of atmospheric air.
  • This procedure suffers nevertheless from a major defect in that during the extraction process the walls of the bag are pressed so firmly by atmospheric pressure onto the goods that in many instances they become damaged or compressed to an undesirable extent.
  • an unsealed container which can be a bag or container having readily deformable walls or in some other form of container having rigid walls.
  • the container together with the goods are then placed in a chamber provided with walls strong enough to withstand atmospheric pressure.
  • the chamber is then connected to a source of vacuum and the pressure is reduced to a predetermined level depending on the nature of the goods to be protected.
  • the pressure within the unsealed container and the chamber remain the same. Consequently the contents of the container are not subjected to any compression and therefore remain undamaged.
  • a preserving gas is then admitted into the chamber and enters also the unsealed container.
  • the pressure in the chamber has reached atmospheric it is opened and the container is then removed and sealed.
  • Another known process comprises placing the goods in a container having air tight walls and then inserting a hollow probe through a wall. A major proportion of the air is then extracted from the container and replaced by a preserving gas. The probe is then removed and the hole is sealed.
  • This process has the disadvantage in that it cannot be used for the packaging of foodstuffs or other goods in covered plastics trays or other containers having semi-rigid walls because during the removal of air the container becomes crushed by atmospheric pressure. Furthermore the removal of the probe results in the contents of the container being exposed to the atmosphere prior to sealing.
  • preserving gases consist of a mixture of nitrogen oxygen and carbon dioxide.
  • the precise amounts of them which are used in a preserving gas depends to an important extent on the nature of the food to be preserved. Consequently if different forms of food are to be preserved a need arises for the composition of the gas to be varied easily.
  • this invention provides a process of packaging goods comprising placing the goods in a container connecting the container to both a source of preserving gas and a source of vacuum and subjecting the goods to a plurality of pulsing operations whereby during each pulse a minor amount of air is abstracted from the container and replaced by a preserving gas and thereafter sealing the container.
  • a further embodiment of this invention comprises an arrangement of devices for carrying into effect the above process comprising a container having an opening communicating through a valving means with both a source of preserving gas and a source of vacuum and a pulse counter for controlling the operation of the valving means and means for sealing the container.
  • a tray (1) one third of its volume of which is filled with fruit (2) is partly sealed with a lid (3).
  • the lid and tray are both made from thermoplastics sheet material, for example polyvinylidene dichloride.
  • Tray (1) is provided with a flange extension (4) which forms part of a valve (5) having an opening (6) which communicates by a channel (not shown) in the flange with the interior of the tray.
  • the upper surface of the flange extension is located below a head of a heater (7) and above a plunger (8) of a solenoid contained within a heat sealer assembly (9) the rim (10) of which defines with the lower part of a heater assembly (11) a nip which is in air-tight engagement with flange extension (4).
  • tray (1) therefore communicates with sealer assembly (9) through valve (5) and the assembly in turn is connected by conduit (12) through valve (13) to a source of preserving gas which in the present case is a cylinder (14) of carbon dioxide.
  • Conduit (12) is also connected through valve (15) to a vacuum pump (16) which conveniently is of an electrically operated diaphragm variety.
  • Both valves (13 and 15) are connected to a timer (17) which is itself connected through a pulse counter (18) to the solenoid plunger (8).
  • the timer (17) determines the length of period during any single cycle of operations during which either of valves (13 and 15) is open, i.e. the length of period during which air is either being extracted from the tray or gas is being admitted into the tray.
  • the pulse counter ensures that after a given number of cycles to which it has been set by an operative the valve which happens currently to be in operation when this number has been reached is closed and the sealing mechanism is brought into action.
  • a pulse consists of one cycle of operations during which a minor part of the air in a container or a mixture of air and preserving gas is abstracted from the container and replaced by preserving gas.
  • valve (15) opens and pump (17) commences to extract air from the tray about 10% of the air is withdrawn during each pulse. Initially there is a small reduction in pressure in the tray but insufficient to cause any substantial or permanent deformation of its walls. At this stage valve (15) is closed and valve (13) opens permitting sufficient amount of carbon dioxide to enter to replace the volume of air extracted.
  • Valve (13) then closes and valve (15) re-opens and the cycle is repeated until the pulse counter in response to the number to which it has been set ensures both valves are closed and activites the solenoid plunger (8) which rises and presses valve (5) against the head of the heater (7) causing valve (5) to become fused to extension flange (4) thus closing opening (6) and effectively sealing the tray without exposing the contents of the tray to the atmosphere.
  • the functions of the timer (17) and the pulse counter (18) are inter-related.
  • the atmosphere within the container can be varied by a predetermined amount by variation either of the number of the pulses or by variation of time during which each valve is maintained in operation and this is determined by the timer. It is important of course that valve (15) is not maintained open so long that the container or the goods in the container are damaged by atmospheric pressure because of any excessive reduction in pressure within the container.
  • the settings on the timer and pulse counter are adjusted so that for each volume of air which has been pumped out of the container an equal volume of preserving gas is pumped into the container. However, under certain circumstances the settings may require to be arranged so that a small negative or positive pressure is left in the container after the completion of the cycle of operations.
  • the timer and pulse counter may desirably be programmed so as to create initially an increase in pressure in the container so as to cause the walls of the container to balloon and be forced away from the goods thus enabling air trapped in the goods being replaced more effectively by preserving gas. Based on this percentage and with a knowledge of the composition of the gas which is required in the container at the end of the process and the available capacity within a container partly filled with goods an operative can calculate the number of pulses which are required. Alternatively a number of calibrating experiments can be carried out to determine on a trial and error basis for each size of container the settings for the timer and the pulse counter.
  • container can be employed although bags having flexible walls made of thermoplastics material and trays or boxes or drums having rigid or semi-rigid walls made of such materials, such as cellulose, polyamides, polypropylene and polyesters are preferred. Containers made of permeable material, for example cardboard can also be used provided that they incorporate an air-tight liner. The container preferably incorporates some form of valve including a tublure or other opening which facilitate sealing of the container at the completion of the process.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the use of separate valves for controlling the vacuum and preserving gas. Nevertheless a single compound valve can also be used.
  • the present process and assembly of devices enables the packaging of a wide range of goods and this is reflected in the variety of preserving gases which can be employed.
  • any gas or other vapour which is used to replace a part of the atmosphere within the container and has a protective effect on the packaged goods is a preserving gas.
  • a preserving gas For the purposes of the present invention any gas or other vapour which is used to replace a part of the atmosphere within the container and has a protective effect on the packaged goods is a preserving gas.
  • gases normally contained in the atmosphere namely nitrogen oxygen or carbon dioxide is preferred.
  • the preserving gas can contain from 25 - 100% of carbon dioxide, 20 - 80% of nitrogen and 10 - 40% of oxygen.
  • the preserving gas may be ordinary air which has been purified to remove any acidity and moisture.
  • the process can also be used to sterilise medical instruments and materials utilising a mixture of ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide. In all these applications the preserving gas can be used with considerable economy and the goods can be packaged without damage to either the goods or to the container in which they are packed. Furthermore the processes can be effected rapidly with relatively inexpensive equipment.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
  • Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
EP87201270A 1986-07-12 1987-07-02 Procédé de préservation Withdrawn EP0253434A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB868617036A GB8617036D0 (en) 1986-07-12 1986-07-12 Preservation process
GB8617036 1986-07-12

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0253434A2 true EP0253434A2 (fr) 1988-01-20
EP0253434A3 EP0253434A3 (fr) 1989-01-25

Family

ID=10600974

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87201270A Withdrawn EP0253434A3 (fr) 1986-07-12 1987-07-02 Procédé de préservation

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0253434A3 (fr)
JP (1) JPS63272628A (fr)
KR (1) KR880001493A (fr)
AU (1) AU585457B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR8703544A (fr)
GB (1) GB8617036D0 (fr)
NZ (1) NZ221033A (fr)
PT (1) PT85311A (fr)
ZA (1) ZA874907B (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0279524A1 (fr) * 1987-01-31 1988-08-24 Fgl Projects Limited Procédé d'emballage
GB2218078A (en) * 1988-04-27 1989-11-08 Mclennon J L Ltd Packaging
US5354569A (en) * 1992-07-16 1994-10-11 Brown Richard S Method of packaging lettuce for storing and shipping
US6467248B2 (en) 2000-02-18 2002-10-22 Fresh Express, Inc. Method for processing freshly harvested leafy vegetables and subdivided, peeled fruit
US8020360B2 (en) * 2008-03-12 2011-09-20 Whirlpool Corporation Device to produce a modified atmosphere for food preservation

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH05236917A (ja) * 1992-02-27 1993-09-17 Takuji Ono 保存食品の製造方法
KR101322780B1 (ko) * 2011-09-29 2013-10-29 안창남 용기 열봉합 장치

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2576322A (en) * 1947-07-05 1951-11-27 Harry F Waters Bag with vacuum sealed valve closure
GB788355A (en) * 1955-02-28 1958-01-02 Clarence Freemont Carter Apparatus for filling receptacles
FR2045343A5 (fr) * 1970-04-14 1971-02-26 Guillet Andre
FR2335401A1 (fr) * 1975-12-18 1977-07-15 Joulin Gerard Procede et dispositif pour le conditionnement sterile de produits notamment alimentaires tels que des produits panifies
US4583347A (en) * 1982-10-07 1986-04-22 W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div. Vacuum packaging apparatus and process

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2576322A (en) * 1947-07-05 1951-11-27 Harry F Waters Bag with vacuum sealed valve closure
GB788355A (en) * 1955-02-28 1958-01-02 Clarence Freemont Carter Apparatus for filling receptacles
FR2045343A5 (fr) * 1970-04-14 1971-02-26 Guillet Andre
FR2335401A1 (fr) * 1975-12-18 1977-07-15 Joulin Gerard Procede et dispositif pour le conditionnement sterile de produits notamment alimentaires tels que des produits panifies
US4583347A (en) * 1982-10-07 1986-04-22 W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div. Vacuum packaging apparatus and process

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
FOOD TECHNOLOGY, vol. 24, no. 6, June 1970, page 81; K.H. HU et al.: "Removing oxygen from a package by gas displacement" *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0279524A1 (fr) * 1987-01-31 1988-08-24 Fgl Projects Limited Procédé d'emballage
GB2218078A (en) * 1988-04-27 1989-11-08 Mclennon J L Ltd Packaging
GB2218078B (en) * 1988-04-27 1992-11-25 Mclennon J L Ltd Method of and apparatus for packaging
US5354569A (en) * 1992-07-16 1994-10-11 Brown Richard S Method of packaging lettuce for storing and shipping
US6467248B2 (en) 2000-02-18 2002-10-22 Fresh Express, Inc. Method for processing freshly harvested leafy vegetables and subdivided, peeled fruit
US8020360B2 (en) * 2008-03-12 2011-09-20 Whirlpool Corporation Device to produce a modified atmosphere for food preservation
US20110297241A1 (en) * 2008-03-12 2011-12-08 Whirlpool Corporation Device and method to produce a modified atmosphere for food preservation
US8205414B2 (en) * 2008-03-12 2012-06-26 Whirlpool Corporation Method to produce a modified atmosphere for food preservation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8617036D0 (en) 1986-08-20
KR880001493A (ko) 1988-04-23
PT85311A (pt) 1988-07-29
NZ221033A (en) 1990-01-29
AU585457B2 (en) 1989-06-15
EP0253434A3 (fr) 1989-01-25
AU7551987A (en) 1988-01-14
ZA874907B (en) 1988-06-29
JPS63272628A (ja) 1988-11-10
BR8703544A (pt) 1988-03-22

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Inventor name: GANNON, RAYMOND