Patent Application
20120282376
The present application relates to a food product package, including the food product when stored in such package, the package having a reusable compartment and lid. In particular, the invention is suitable for use as a package for respiring foods and for foods that degrade upon exposure to air or moisture.
Many types of foods are subject to deterioration when exposed to oxygen. The food packaging industry has responded with a variety of technologies for separating such foods from oxygen. For example, some foods are provided in evacuated or vacuum packages, nitrogen flushed packing, or modified atmosphere packaging, etc., with suitable barriers from atmospheric oxygen. More conventionally, lined paper bags or jars may be sealed against atmosphere. Traditional tinplate canning, which uses airtight metal containers, falls within this category of conventional oxygen barrier food containers.
Oxygen sensitive foods, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, etc., deteriorate in freshness when exposed to oxygen. Of these foods, coffee also respires, or gives off gasses such as CO2. In fact, the rate of respiration can be used as a measure of such a food's storage life. The respiratory quotient is a ratio of the volume of oxygen absorbed to the volume of CO2 released. As may be expected, foods exposed to increased temperatures experience a relative increase in respiration rate, decreasing their storage life. Additionally, some processing, such as grinding, increases the surface area of the food particles, further accelerating respiration. These factors raise additional problems for foods that may be heated and/or processed during preparation, such as coffee, which is commonly roasted and ground.
One approach for such foods is to delay the final packing and to sequester the food in storage bins during the off gassing or respiration of CO2. Afterwards, the food may then be packed in a traditional oxygen barrier container. Unfortunately, this delay adds cost to the packaging process, as well as potentially decreasing the quality of the product due to oxygen absorption, exposure to moisture, and the loss of certain food oils or other compounds during the delay.
Because of this, the packaging industry has responded with a number of modified containers. Generally, these modified containers are fabricated from materials that are suitable for the mounting of a one-way degassing valve. For example, such valves can be seen on flexible bags or pouches manufactured from resilient metalized films, aluminum foil laminations, or custom blended barrier films. Respiration of CO2 within the bag raises the pressure to a point at which the degassing valve opens and permits the CO2 to escape. In this way, the CO2 in the bag is maintained at an acceptable level, which enables a longer storage life for food products packed in these bags. The metallization provides structure to the bag in resisting distortion and permits the valve to unseat and reseat with the anticipated changes in pressure. If the bag is of a design that permits effective resealing, then the valve may continue to operate. Unfortunately, these metalized films or foils, along with the degassing valves, add to the cost of materials. Further, this approach requires an additional processing step of mounting the valve onto the bag after providing a port or hole.
These valves are also seen on some foil seals used with otherwise conventional polymer containers, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,418. In that example, a closure is formed from a metalized foil barrier layer combined with two plastic layers, which support a degassing valve disposed within the mouth of the container. Combination of such a film with a polymer container can reduce some of the material expense associated with metalized foil, but introduces different complications. For example, such an approach requires the removable affixation of the closure with the degassing valve to the mouth of the container. Because the closure is to be removed to access the food through the mouth, the container requires an over cap that fits over the mouth if the container is to be re-closed.
While on the shelf, any such over cap must permit the respired gasses to escape out from the degassing valve and then out of the space bounded by the closure and the over cap. Some designs create channels or gas passages within the structure by which the over cap mates to the container mouth, such as a passage through mating screw threads. These channels or gas passages can complicate the over cap and container design. Of course, after removal of the closure from the mouth, such an approach is not air tight. One design consideration is to create an over cap and container design that is effective at retaining the food after removal of the closure, while still permitting the escape of gasses prior to removal of the closure.
It would be desirable to have an effective container for respiring food that avoids the expense of metalized foil and degassing valves. In addition, it would be desirable to reduce the environmental impact of such containers, which heretofore have involved disposable bags or other single purpose containers.
An aspect of an embodiment of the package of the invention is a reusable food product package having a polymer base defining a periphery and at least one upstanding polymer sidewall extending from this base periphery to define a compartment configured to receive a desire food product; the compartment having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an open top. A polymer lid is provided for covering the open top of the compartment, the lid having a top surface and a bottom surface, the lid and the at least one sidewall configured so that the lid may removably mate with the at least one sidewall to close the compartment. When mated, the lid and the at least one sidewall defining a seam of engagement between the outer surface of the compartment and the lid. A flexible, polymeric, gas-impermeable film may overwrap the compartment and lid, the film sized and disposed so as to substantially seal the seam of engagement and to cover sufficient portions of the top surface of the lid and the outer surface of the compartment so as to remain in place during shipping. Optionally, the at least one sidewall defines an upper lip with a peripheral flange, and the lid is configured with a downwardly open channel to removably mate with the flange to close the compartment. Optionally, the gas-impermeable film may envelope the entire compartment and mated lid of the food product package. In one embodiment, the film may comprise a polymeric first and second portions, with the first and second portions completely enveloping the entire compartment and mated lid. The first portion may define a receptacle about the outer surface of the compartment, such that the compartment and mated lid may reside within the receptacle. Such a receptacle may have a brim about an open top and a resilient flap extending in an outward direction a desired distance from the brim. In general, this flap may extend in a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of the mated lid. The second portion may be a closure to the receptacle, removably adhered to the upper surface of the flap so as to seal the compartment and lid within the receptacle. The flap may define or have a lateral protrusion with the closure defining a tab positioned or located over, but not adhered to the protrusion; a user may grip the tab for removing or separating the closure from the receptacle. For embodiments in which the film is enveloping part or all of the compartment and mated lid when holding food, the film may be considered as having an inner or food side and an outer side facing away from the food.
A variety of polymers may be used. In one embodiment, the polymer base and at least one upstanding polymer sidewall are a translucent polymer, such as polypropylene (PP). The polymer lid may also be a translucent polymer, such as PP. In addition, the film may be translucent or clear. In one embodiment, the base, the side walls, and the lid may each be fabricated from a gas-impermeable material, or each manufactured to be substantially gas-impermeable, and valve-less or lacking any through-valve.
In one embodiment, the reusable food product package has an absorber of gas (e.g., an oxygen absorber and/or a CO2 absorber) disposed within the food side of the film. These may be disposed in any of a variety of locations, such as within the compartment, between the film and the top of the lid, or if the lid defines a region of depression with respect to the lid top surface and the film overwraps the top surface of the lid, the oxygen absorber and/or CO2 absorber may be disposed in the region of depression between the film and the top of the lid.
The invention should be construed as extending to a packaged food characterized in that a food is enclosed in any of the disclosed embodiments of packages of the invention. Such foods may be coffee, cocoa, tea powdered drink mix, etc.
In addition, the invention should be construed as extending to a method of providing such packages and packaged foods. For example, a method of packaging a food product in a reusable package, involving providing a polymer base and at least one upstanding polymer sidewall extending from the periphery of the base to define a compartment having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an open top, providing a food product and placing the food product within the compartment, providing a polymer lid for covering the open top of the compartment, the lid having a top surface and a bottom surface, the lid configured to removably mate with the at least one sidewall to close the compartment, defining a seam of engagement between the outer surface of the compartment and the lid, providing a flexible, polymeric, gas-impermeable film, removably mating the lid to the compartment; and overwrapping the compartment and mated lid with the film, the film disposed so as to substantially seal the seam of engagement and sufficient portions of the top surface of the lid and the outer surface of the compartment so as to remain in place during shipping. The sidewall may have an upper lip with a peripheral flange and the lid is configured with a channel to removably mate with the flange to close the compartment.
This method may include the step of providing an oxygen absorber and/or a CO2 absorber disposed within the food side of the film. All of the polymers may be translucent, and the polymer base, at least one upstanding polymer sidewall, and/or lid may be comprised of PP.
In another embodiment, the reusable food product package may include a two-piece formed seal container having a polymeric first portion and a polymeric second portion. The first portion is formed in a shape to conform about the outer surface of the reusable food product compartment, thereby forming or defining a receptacle such that the compartment and mated lid may reside within the receptacle. The polymeric first portion extends upwardly to a brim about an open top and a resilient flap generally perpendicular or protruding outwardly a desired distance from the brim of the receptacle along a plane substantially parallel to the mated lid. The second portion may generally be a polymer film closure to the receptacle removably adhered to an upper surface of the flap. In this way it may seal the compartment and mated lid.
In another embodiment, the flap may define or include at least one lateral protrusion and the closure defines or provides a tab, where the tab is located generally over but not adhered to the protrusion, configured such that a user may grasp the tab and the protrusion separately and move the second portion away from the flap surface. Continued separation disrupts the sealing surface portion allowing the second portion to be removed from the flap thereby exposing the compartment and polymer lid, and gaining access to the food within.
An aspect of the invention is a package suitable for use in the initial shipping, inventory, display, and sale of food products, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, etc. Another aspect of the invention is reusability of elements of the package; in particular, wherein a compartment and lid may be re-used by consumers as a food storage container, thereby avoiding the waste of single use packages. Preferably, such a package would protect common foods for home storage, and that such a package might be used to heat/cook foods in a conventional microwave oven and be cleaned in a conventional dishwasher. In addition, a translucent or sufficiently clear package would enable consumers to view the food for initial purchase as well as during any reuse.
With reference to the drawings, the food product package 100 comprises a polymer base 10 defining a lateral periphery and at least one upstanding polymer sidewall 20 extending from the periphery 12 of the base 10, which may be seen in
A polymer lid 40 may be used for covering the open top 31 of the compartment 30. Preferably, the lid 40 will have a top surface and a bottom surface, the lid 40 and side wall 20 being configured to removably mate with compartment 30; for example, lid 40 may have channel 42, which removably mates with the flange 22 to close or cap the compartment 30. When channel 42 is removably mated to flange 22, they define a seam 23 of engagement between the outer surface of the compartment 30 and the lid 40. Optionally, channel 42 and flange 22 may be configured so as to provide some degree of a protective barrier restricting the flow of air through or across seam 23. Optionally, configurations involving sealable structure other than flange 22 and channel 42 may be used, so long as they may be removably mated as appropriate for the application.
Food product package 100 and lid 40 may be fabricated from the same polymer or from different polymers, depending on the requirements of the anticipated application. An aspect of the present package is that such polymer should comply with the government specifications for food contact resins, such as those provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Typical, conventional consumer product packaging uses of polymers are: Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) for some forms of cling wrap and grocery bags; High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) for milk containers, some coffee containers, and detergent bottles; polyethylene teraphthalate (PET) for water bottles; Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) for wrapping meat; PP for liquid bottles; polystyrene (PS) for coffee cups; and, in some cases, polycarbonate for canteens and reusable food product containers. Recently, polycarbonates have become associated with some studies that suggest that polycarbonates may release Bisphenol A, particularly if heated.
As noted above, conventional plastic coffee packages, for example, have been fabricated from PE (e.g., including HDPE or PET) due to its strength, low cost, chemical resistance, and ability to withstand anticipated temperature variation. PE's strength enables it to be blow molded into lightweight, inexpensive food containers, which offer savings in the expense of materials and shipping. After its initial use, such packages may be recycled. Without being bound to any particular theory, it is believed that PP has generally been considered less desirable for such packages because it can be more difficult to cut and trim, requires a higher temperature for melting and formation and, for larger containers its comparatively low melt strength may complicate package design. All of the foregoing can increase the cost of production for PP over that of forms of PE.
However, an aspect of embodiments of the present package is the ability for the package to be reused by consumers, including for food storage. Consumer reuse of a food storage package requires suitability for use in wide range of temperatures and conditions. Some of the polymers typically used in food packaging, such as LDPE or PET, can be porous and are not suitable for repeated use. Other polymers used specifically with respiratory foods, such as PE, can be suboptimal for consumer reuse due to a melting point of about 120 to 135° C. Further, PE is less amenable to forming clear containers, which can be a drawback if visibility of the contents is desired. Reusable containers are typically clear or sufficiently clear (or ‘translucent’) so that consumers may view any food stored in the container. HDPE, for example, is commonly a milky-white or other dyed opaque color. While those materials may be acceptable for single use package designs, they would prove problematic for reusable containers.
The inventor has discovered a food product package suitable for initial sale of oxygen sensitive and/or respiring foods as well as for food storage reuse. Preferably, but not necessarily, food product package 100 and lid 40 may be fabricated from PP. It is intended that after the initial sale and consumption of the food, the consumer might have the ability to store a variety of foods within reusable compartment 30 and lid 40; preferably, compartment 30 and lid 40 would be suitable for freezing, refrigeration, dishwashing, and microwaving. This aspect has not heretofore been available with packages for foods that are both oxygen sensitive and respiratory, such as coffee. The inventor has discovered that the use of PP in thicker walled containers is amendable to reuse by consumers, with slow or little absorption of odor and color. PP has a melting point of about 168-171° C., which it is appropriate for microwave. Further, PP is amenable to reuse in that it is commonly translucent or easily clarified, which means that consumers may view not only the initial product, but importantly, any food subsequently stored in compartment 30. It is contemplated that compartment 30 and lid 40 may be embodied in polymer, such as PP, to produce components that are gas impermeable and valve-less on their own. However, plastic, reusable packages alone do not provide an oxygen barrier suitable for shipping and inventory storage. If it is desirable that lid 40 be configured to removably mate with compartment 30, then such mating function is difficult to achieve in a gas tight manner. Even if such a package did provide a sufficient oxygen barrier, it could then trap the respired CO2 within the package. Thus, while reusable packages may be attractive from one perspective, they present challenges for the initial use in shipping, inventory, display, and sale.
An aspect of the reusable package of the present invention is to address this challenge. First, as shown in
Second, in some embodiments one or more gas scavengers or absorbers 50, such as an oxygen absorber and/or CO2 absorber, may be disposed on the food side of the film 70. With reference to
Optionally, absorber(s) 50 may be disposed within container 30, as a loose packet as shown in
Illustration and reference to absorber(s) 50 as an “oxygen absorber and CO2 absorber” in that form is for convenience only, as described herein. In one embodiment, absorber(s) 50 are separate packets or units for oxygen and CO2 absorber. In another embodiment, oxygen and CO2 absorber are in a combined absorber(s) 50 packet or unit, as illustrated. In addition, other embodiments may have an oxygen absorber packet without a CO2 absorber packet, or the reverse. In general, however, embodiments of container 30 with: (i) absorber(s) 50 as an oxygen absorber and CO2 absorber may be appropriate for oxygen sensitive foods that respire; (ii) absorber(s) 50 as an oxygen absorber only may be appropriate for oxygen sensitive foods that do not respire; and (iii) no absorber(s) 50 may be appropriate for foods that are not oxygen sensitive and do not respire, such as some powdered drink mixes. If a packaging system enabled respiration of CO2 prior to packaging, then an oxygen absorber alone may suffice for some oxygen sensitive and otherwise respiring foods. An example of a commercially available combined oxygen absorber and CO2 absorber 50 is the series E sachet E250SA and E500, which are available from Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Inc. under the AGELESS® brand name.
As may be seen in
Embodiments of the invention extend to a method of packaging a food product in the above described reusable package 100. The method comprising the steps of providing a polymer base and at least one upstanding polymer sidewall extending from the periphery of the base to define a compartment having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an open top. Preferably, the polymer is translucent. In one embodiment, the polymer is PP. The sidewall may have an upper lip with a peripheral flange. Additional steps include providing a food product and placing the food product within the compartment; providing a polymer lid for covering the open top of the compartment, the lid having a top surface and a bottom surface. Preferably, the lid will removably mate with the compartment. In addition, the lid may be a translucent polymer, such as PP. Optionally, the lid may be configured with a channel to removably mate with the flange to close the compartment, defining a seam of engagement between the outer surface of the compartment and the lid. Additional steps, with reference to a particular embodiment, include providing a flexible, polymeric, gas-impermeable film; providing an oxygen absorber and a CO2 absorber; removably mating the lid to the compartment; and overwrapping the compartment and mated lid with the film, the film disposed so as to substantially seal the seam of engagement and sufficient portions of he top surface of the lid and the outer surface of the compartment so as to remain in place during shipping with the oxygen absorber and CO2 absorber disposed within the food side of the film.
The first portion 705 may be from 1 mil to about 25 mils with a nominal range being within 12-16 mils. The second portion 725 may be from 1 mil to about 25 mils with the nominal range being 2-6 mils. Flap 717 may extend lateral distances greater than the desired sealing surface 720 to include at least one lateral protrusion 730, shown advantageous located on a corner and extending outwardly such that when the second portion 725 is adhered, the second portion 725 provides an unadhered tab 735 or feature above the protrusion 730 so that a user may grasp the tab 735 and the protrusion 730 separately and move the second portion 725 away from the flap 717. Continued separation disrupts the seal at sealing surface 720 allowing the second portion 725 to be removed from the flap 717 thereby exposing the compartment 30 with mated polymer lid 40 and gaining access to the consumer food 60 within.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact configuration as illustrated and described herein. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure set forth herein, or by routine experimentation therefrom, are deemed to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/478,157, filed on Apr. 22, 2011, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. Design Application No. 29/403,915, titled “Container,” filed on Oct. 12, 2011, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61478157 | Apr 2011 | US |
