PACKAGING FOR A FOOD ITEM

• US 20180346228A1
• Filed: 06/01/2017
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chef Pack, LLC
• Original Assignee: Chef Pack, LLC
• Inventors: GIUSTI, Arturo, LEWIS, JR., Barton
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/36 with moulded compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/14 Linings or internal coatings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/56 ; linings for domestic water storage heaters F24H1/183
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/40 Applications of laminates for particular packaging purposes B65D1/0215, B65D1/28, B65D3/22, B65D5/0281, B65D5/563, B65D9/30, B65D29/02, B65D31/02, B65D75/26, B65D77/2024, B65D81/1275, B65D81/3811, B65D81/3823, B65D81/3834, B65D81/3846, B65D81/3858, B65D81/3874, B65D81/3886, B65D81/3897 take precedence; laminates per se or laminated packages characterised by the composition or
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/42 Applications of coated or impregnated materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/2032 by peeling or tearing the cover from the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/343 specially adapted to be heated in a conventional oven, e.g. a gas or electric resistance oven
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3823 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3874 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3897 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 1/02 containing water-soluble alkali silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 131/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of vinyl acetate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 167/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C09J167/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 201/00 Adhesives based on unspecified macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/90 in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation

Abstract

A packaging or wrapping for a food product, capable of resisting to high temperatures and of eliminating the overpressure generated by the water vapour inside the packaging due to temperature rise, without the same packaging having any aperture communicating its inside and the outside environment. The packaging is also adapted to restrain/reduce the emission of odor-generating substances that are generated during the heating or baking of the packaged food product, with respect to what occurs in the absence of a packaging, or with a packaging provided with apertures.

Claims

1. A packaging for a food product, comprising:

a shaped main portion defining a space apt to receive the food product, which main portion is made at least predominantly of a fibrous cellulosic material and has;

a Taber stiffness 15°

ISO 2493-73, measured in a homogeneous section region, comprised in a range of about 20-1000 mN; and

permeability to water vapor, measured in controlled conditions of 38°

C. and 90% R.H., comprised in a range of about 30-1500 g/m²/24 h, and

a cover portion in a sheet form, which is made at least predominantly of a fibrous cellulosic material and has a permeability to water vapour ≥

about 100 g/m²/24 h in controlled conditions of 38°

C. and 90% R.H. in controlled conditions of 38°

C. and 90% R.H., which cover portion is sealingly connected to a peripheral rim of said shaped main portion,

wherein the configuration of the packaging is such as to allow it to be placed into an oven for heating or baking the food product received therein.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion and/or said cover portion is made at least predominantly of cellulosic fiber.

3. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion is configured substantially as a plate, glass, cup or bowl.

4. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion has a multi-compartment construction.

5. The packaging according to claim 4, wherein said shaped main portion is formed by two half-shells apt to be closed one on the other after said cover portion has been removed.

6. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said cover portion has a thickness comprised in a range of about 40-200 MY.

7. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion has a multi-layer construction.

8. The packaging according to claim 7, wherein each layer of said multi-layer construction has a thickness comprised in a range of about 100-2100 MY and has a Taber stiffness 15°

ISO 2493-73, measured in a homogeneous section region, comprised in a range of about 20-1000 mN.

9. The packaging according to claim 7, wherein said shaped main portion has an intermediate layer made of a thermoresistant and/or thermal insulating material.

10. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion and/or said cover portion has a water-impermeable layer made of, or comprising, one or more among:

silica, SiO₄, shellac, acrylic resin, thermosetting powder.

11. The packaging according to claim 10, wherein said water-impermeable layer has a thickness comprised between about 0.1-40 MY.

12. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion and/or said cover portion has odor-preventing properties.

13. The packaging according to claim 12, wherein said shaped main portion and/or said cover portion includes worked cellulosic fibers, chitosan, graphene, zeolites and/or activated carbon.

14. The packaging according to claim 12, wherein said shaped main portion and/or said cover portion includes substances with odor control properties in the form of an inner or outer layer and/or integrated in a structure of the portion.

15. The packaging according to claim 1, comprising a sheet-like outer wrap, impermeable to water and/or gas.

16. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said cover portion has a weight about ≤

150 g/m², preferably comprised in a range of about 60 g/m² and 125 g/m².

17. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said cover portion is thermally bonded to said shaped main portion.

18. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion has an inner surface configured to be, in use, in contact with the food product, which inner surface is treated or coated so as to be impermeable to liquids and/or fats.

19. The packaging according to claim 18, wherein said inner surface has a coating made of a water-resistant silica, and/or of an acrylic resin combined with a powdered thermosetting polyester.

20. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said cover portion is bonded to said shaped main portion by a polymeric composition, preferably pre-applied and pre-dried upon a region of said cover portion and/or of said peripheral rim of said shaped main portion.

21. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion has a bottom, to face a baking or heating flat surface of the appliance, said bottom providing spacing elements from said cooking baking or heating flat surface so as to generate an air circulation.

22. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said shaped main portion is configured to obtain a temperature distribution along a vertical section of the food product having a variance comprised between about 0 and 4°

C. for each centimeter of vertical section of the packaging.

28. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric composition is pre-applied and pre-dried at contact regions of outer edges of the wrapping or of the upper peripheral rim of the rigid lower portion, with a dried weight comprised in a range of about 2-50 g/m².

30. A food item comprising the packaging according to claim 1, and a food product enclosed therein.

23. A polymeric adhesive composition comprising:

a thermally activable liquid adhesive phase capable of adhering to a cellulosic material, preferably including one or more of the following;

sodium silicate, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose, acrylic resins, polyurethane resins, vinyl resins; and

a thermosetting polyester powder or resin, preferably including one or more of the following;

carboxylated polyester resin, polylactic acid powder, caprolactam epoxy resin powder.

24. The composition according to claim 23, wherein said liquid phase has a solid content comprised in a range of 10%-70% of total weight, and a powder or resin comprised in a range of 1:

0.05-1;

5 with respect to the dry matter content of the employed carrier liquid.

26. A continuous sheet of cellulosic material having a weight ≤

150 g/m² and a coating of a polymeric composition according to claim 23.

27. A wrapping for a food product made from the continuous sheet of claim 26.

29. A method of making a wrapping or a packaging for a food product by sealingly connecting a first and a second surface, which method comprises the steps of:

providing a polymeric composition according to claim 23, which is preferably pre-applied upon one or both surfaces to be connected together;

placing the two surfaces in mutual contact;

supplying heat so as to activate an adhesive property of said liquid phase and a thermoresistant property of said polyester powder or resin.

25. (canceled)