Preservation of intermediate moisture foods by controlling humidity and inhibition of mold growth
First Claim
1. A humidity control device for use in a food case for maintaining a desired humidity, said device comprising a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said food case comprising wall means defining an enclosure, said wall means including a plurality of openings through which water vapor may freely move, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt and a thickening agent, said salt being present in an amount between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and salt, said thickening agent being present in an amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said thickened saturated salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch, said pouch containing the thickened saturated salt solution being contained within the protective case to protect the pouch from rupture, and wherein the pouch provides moisture in the range of about 0.5 to 25 grams per 24 hours in an environment with a relative humidity of less than 5%.
2 Assignments
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A humidity control device for use in maintaining a desired humidity in packages of food, the device including a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated solution, the solution having a suitable humidity control point for use within a food container. The device further employs a combination of an oxygen scavenger system to stop mold growth with anaerobic conditions and/or a mold inhibitor in the filling of the pouch or preferentially printed on the outside of the pouch.
37 Citations
46 Claims
- 1. A humidity control device for use in a food case for maintaining a desired humidity, said device comprising a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said food case comprising wall means defining an enclosure, said wall means including a plurality of openings through which water vapor may freely move, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt and a thickening agent, said salt being present in an amount between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and salt, said thickening agent being present in an amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said thickened saturated salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch, said pouch containing the thickened saturated salt solution being contained within the protective case to protect the pouch from rupture, and wherein the pouch provides moisture in the range of about 0.5 to 25 grams per 24 hours in an environment with a relative humidity of less than 5%.
- 14. A humidity control device for maintaining a desired humidity said device comprising a protective case, a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said case comprising wall means defining an enclosure, said wall means including a plurality of openings through which water vapor may freely move, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt and a thickening agent, said thickening agent being present in an amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch said pouch containing the thickened salt solution, said pouch being contained within the protective case to protect the pouch from rupture, and wherein the salt solution has a viscosity of 1500-10,000 cps in an environment with a relative humidity of less than 5%.
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23. A method of controlling the humidity in a foods case comprising applying a humidity control mechanism to environment in the foods case, said mechanism including an encased saturated salt solution, said encasement being permeable to water vapor to permit water vapor to leave the salt solution if the adjacent relative humidity is below a desired level and to pick up water vapor if the relative humidity is above a desired level, said encasement containing 0.25 to 7.5% oxygen scavenger and a mold inhibitor.
- 24. A humidity control device for use in maintaining a desired humidity, said device including a water vapor permeable pouch and a thickened saturated salt solution, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said thickened saturated salt solution comprising water, salt, and a thickening agent, said salt being present in an amount of between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and salt, said thickening agent being present in amount sufficient to thicken the salt solution, said salt solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch, said pouch containing the thickened salt solution being contained within a protective case to protect the pouch from rupture, and the pouch containing 0.25 to 75% oxygen scavenger and a mold inhibitor.
- 36. A humidity control device for use in maintaining a desired humidity, said device including a water vapor permeable pouch and a saturated solution, said pouch being formed of a thin wall polymer film through which water vapor may pass, said saturated solution comprising water and solute, said solute being present in an amount of between 20 and 75 percent by weight based on the weight of the combination of water and solute, said solution being contained within the polymeric pouch and sealed from escape from the pouch, the pouch containing 0.25 to 7.5% oxygen scavenger.
Specification