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Multicomponent packageRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Packaged Or Wrapped Product, Having Nonedible Spacer To Segregate All Units Of Multiunit Food Product, Diverse FoodMulticomponent package description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070092610, Multicomponent package. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates generally to packaging for food products and more particularly to barrier and non-barrier packaging for food products. [0002] Various forms of packaging, particularly for food products, use a relatively rigid substrate, such as a foam tray, in which a product is supported. If the product is to be displayed, the packaging may also include a lidding or lidstock that is used to cover and enclose the product within the tray. The lidding may comprise a transparent film or laminate that is bonded to the tray around the product, generally by forming a heat seal between the film and tray, to thereby enclose the product within the package. [0003] In recent years, consumer demand for fresh naturally preserved food products, such as meat and vegetables, has continued to grow. To meet this demand, it may be desirable to enclose a food product in a package having a low or high oxygen atmosphere. For example, in the packaging of meat products, particularly red meat products, packaging the meat in a low oxygen package having barrier properties may help to extend the shelf-life and improve the overall appearance of meat products. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and/or vacuum packaging are two forms of packaging that can be used to help extend the shelf-life of the packaged product. MAP comprises packaging the food product in an atmosphere that has been modified to extend the shelf-life and/or improve the appearance of the packaged product. The appearance of a meat product is generally very important at the point of purchase. Common gases that may be used in MAP include oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and noble gases such as argon. In vacuum packaging, a low oxygen atmosphere is obtained by evacuating the atmosphere in the packaging prior to sealing the package. [0004] In MAP applications, the raw meat is typically packaged in either a high level or low level oxygen (O.sub.2) environment. Packaging systems which provide low levels of oxygen are generally preferable because the fresh quality of meat can be preserved longer under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions. Maintaining low levels of oxygen minimizes the growth and multiplication of aerobic bacteria. One example of a modified atmosphere environment is a mixture of gases consisting of about 30 percent carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and about 70 percent nitrogen (N.sub.2). Typically, low oxygen packaging environments may provide an atmosphere that helps prevent or inhibit excessive metmyoglobin (brown) formation. In some low level oxygen environments, the raw meat may a less desirable purple-red color which few consumers would associate with freshness. The deoxymyoglobin (purple-red color) is generally unacceptable to most consumers. Deoxymyoglobin is a precursor protein which when oxygenated forms oxymyoglobin in a normal atmosphere of oxygen. Oxymyoglobin is responsible for the bright red color of meat which most consumers associate with freshness [0005] To maintain the desired level of oxygen in the package, the tray and the lidding typically have barrier properties that limit the amount of oxygen that is transmittable through the package. [0006] In today's fast paced world, consumers are increasingly demanding fresh prepackaged foods that can be cooked and/or heated at home to provide a meal. In some cases it may be desirable to package two or more different food products together to provide a ready to heat or cook meal. However, it may not always be desirable to package some fresh food products together. For example, as discussed above, in packaging meat products it may be desirable to package the meat in a high barrier package that limits the amount of oxygen that can be transmitted into and out of the package. Some food products, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, are respiring products and may require a package having a desired level of permeability (for O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2) that permits the package to breathe. The quality and shelf-life of fresh vegetables and fruits may generally be improved by packaging them in a package that is capable of breathing at a rate that maintains a desired mix of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor inside the package. The accumulation of water vapor and other gases may adversely affect the shelf-life and quality of the packaged food product. As a result, it may not be desirable to package such food products in a high barrier package, such as those that may be used in the packaging of meat products. [0007] In some circumstances, it may be desirable to package fresh fruits and vegetables in a Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging (EMAP). In EMAP, the packaging can be adapted to the respiration of the product so that an equilibrium modified atmosphere may be established in the package. EMAP may be used to slow down the normal respiration of the product so that the shelf-life of the product may be extended and the quality of the product improved. [0008] Thus, the dissimilar packaging requirements of certain products present a challenge that presently limit what types of fresh food products can be packaged together. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a multicomponent package comprising an upper component and a lower component that are releasably attached to each other, wherein one of either the upper or lower component has high oxygen barrier properties and the other component has low oxygen barrier properties. In one embodiment, one of the components has an oxygen transmission rate of at least 1,200 cc at STP/m.sup.2/24 hr/atm, and the other component has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 1,000 cc at STP/m.sup.2/24 hr/atm. The multicomponent package may be used for packaging items requiring dissimilar packaging environments in a single package. [0010] The multicomponent package may be particularly useful for packaging food items together that normally cannot be packaged together. For example, in one embodiment, a food product such as fresh vegetables may be packaged in a component having an oxygen transmission rate that is sufficient to permit the food item to breathe. The shelf-life and desirable appearance of the food product may be extended by packaging the food product in a packaging environment that is tailored for the specific food product. A second food product, such as a meat product, may be packaged in a component having barrier properties that substantially limit the amount of oxygen in the component. Similarly, the self-life and desirable appearance of the second food product may be extended by packaging the second food product in a packaging environment that is tailored for the specific food product. The multicomponent package can be used to package food products that may be incompatible with each other or where it may be desirable to package each food product in differing packaging environments. As a result, two or more dissimilar food products may be stored, shipped, and/or sold in the same package. [0011] In one embodiment, the multicomponent package comprises a packaging system wherein the two dissimilar food items are disposed in a ready to heat/cook meal package. For example, the upper and lower components may comprise materials that can withstand temperatures that are normally encountered in microwave and conventional oven cooking. In one embodiment, one of the components may include a meat product that can be cooked/heated while disposed in the component. In another embodiment, one of the components may include a vegetable product that can be cooked/heated while still disposed in the component. As a result, the multicomponent package may comprise a package that permits a consumer to purchase two or more fresh food products, such as meats and vegetables, that can be conveniently heated in their respective component packaging with minimal effort on behalf of the consumer. [0012] The multicomponent package may include an upper component having an oxygen transmission rate of at least 4,000 cc at STP/m.sup.2/24 hr/atm, and the lower component may have an oxygen transmission rate of less than 1,000 cc at STP/m.sup.2/24 hr/atm. In another embodiment, the upper component may include a vegetable product and the lower component may include a meat product. [0013] Thus, the invention provides a multicomponent package that allows food products requiring varying packaging environments to be bundled together in the same package. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) [0014] Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: [0015] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the multicomponent package where a portion of the package has been cut away for ease of visualization; [0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the upper and lower components separated from each other; [0017] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of the multicomponent package wherein the upper component has been vacuum packaged to define a passageway between the upper and lower components through which gases may be transmitted into and out of the upper component; [0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the multicompartment package wherein a tubular sleeve is wrapped about the upper and lower components to thereby releasably attach them together; and [0019] FIG. 5 is partial depiction of the upper and lower component that illustrates a lip on the upper component engaging a corresponding surface on the lower component to thereby releasably attach them together. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0020] The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Continue reading about Multicomponent package... Full patent description for Multicomponent package Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Multicomponent package patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Multicomponent package or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Food container Next Patent Application: Container for sliced and fluffed food products Industry Class: Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Multicomponent package patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.12075 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Daimler Chrysler , DirecTV , Exxonmobil Chemical Company , Goodyear , Intel , Kyocera Wireless , 174 |
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