Sensor for High Pressure Processing of Articles

• US 20140216162A1
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Del Monte Limited (Fresh Del Monte Produce Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Del Monte Corporation (Conagra Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimek, Justin Wade, Hart, Andrew Richard, TRAHAN, Caitlin Elizabeth, Lem, Russel Allan
• Granted Patent: US 9,021,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/700
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/00 Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs preserving foods or foodstuffs in association with packaging B65B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/003 Control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/0155 using sub- or super-atmospheric pressures, or pressure variations transmitted by a liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/00 Colloid chemistry, e.g. the production of colloidal materials or their solutions, not otherwise provided for; Making microcapsules or microballoons
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 67/0097 Dye preparations of special physical nature; Tablets, films, extrusion, microcapsules, sheets, pads, bags with dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/00 Measuring the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or a fluent solid material by mechanical or fluid pressure-sensitive elements G01L11/004 takes precedence; transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements by electric , e.g., photoelectric or magnetic means G01L9/00; measuring differences of two or more pressure values G01L13/00; measuring two or more pressure values simultaneously G01L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/187 with optical transmitting or indicating means

Abstract

A pressure sensor device and its use for confirming achievement of a selected pressure in a high pressure process (HPP) for sanitizing food is disclosed. The device includes at least a base and a sheet, each of which is substantially impermeable to the working fluid of the HPP and is deformable at the selected pressure. Microcapsules interposed between flat overlapping portions of the base and sheet contain a color former and burst upon pressurization of the environment surrounding the device. Release of the color former is detected to confirm that the pressurization occurred. The device can be associated with one or more foodstuffs (e.g., a packaged food product or a group of such packages) and remain associated therewith to continuously indicate that the foodstuff(s) have been subjected to the selected pressure and are therefore sanitized.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A pressure sensor device for indicating achievement of a selected ambient pressure in a high pressure process for treating a foodstuff using a working fluid, the device comprising the a base, a sheet, and a plurality of microcapsules,

each of the base and the sheet being substantially impermeable to the working fluid, being deformable at the selected ambient pressure, and bearing a substantially flat portion;

the substantially flat portions of the base and sheet being disposed in a substantially parallel, opposed conformation defining an overlapping region having lateral dimensions and an average separation distance,

the plurality of microcapsules being interposed between the base and the sheet in the overlapping region;

the microcapsules containing a color former and having a compressive bursting strength less than the selected ambient pressure; and

at least one of the base and the sheet having a viewing portion adapted to permit detection of color former released from the microcapsules by external visual observation of the device,

whereby when the device is subjected to the selected ambient pressure, at least some microcapsules in the overlapping region burst, the color former is released from the microcapsules, and release of the color former can be detected by external visual observation of the device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein at least a fraction of the microcapsules are disposed within a portion of the overlapping region that contains a compressible fluid.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the fluid is air.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the base has the form of a second sheet.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein each of the base and the sheet is a polyester film having a thickness of about 2 to 10 mils and at least one of the base and the sheet is transparent.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the microcapsules are bound to the base.

27. The device of claim 21, wherein the microcapsules are bound to the sheet.

28. The device of claim 21, wherein the compressive bursting strength of the microcapsules is not more than 200 megaPascals (MPa).

29. The device of claim 21, wherein one of the base and the sheet bears the microcapsules and the other bears a color developer that reacts with the color former to generate a colored product.

30. The device of claim 21, wherein one of the base and the sheet bears the microcapsules and the other is transparent and bears an absorbent material for absorbing the color former when it is released from the microcapsules.

31. The device of claim 21, wherein the average separation distance is at least 100 times smaller than the minimum lateral dimension of the overlapping region.

32. The device of claim 21, wherein the device has a portion adapted to be reliably associated with a plurality of foodstuffs.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the portion is adapted to be reliably associated with a rack that holds the plurality of foodstuffs.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the foodstuffs cannot be removed from the rack without displacing the device from the rack when the portion is associated with the rack.

35. The device of claim 21, wherein the device has a portion adapted to be reliably associated with a package that contains the foodstuff.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the package is selected from the group consisting of a flexible bottle and a flexible pouch.

37. The device of claim 21, being seated within a sheath that is substantially impermeable to the working fluid.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the sheath is substantially evacuated.