Formable liner for a container with controlled oxygen permeability and barrier properties

Abstract

A formable liner for use in packaging live food products that require the maintenance of aerobic respiration. The formable liner has a specific layered structure to control the level of barrier to oxygen to support the life cycle of these live food products while also maintaining a barrier to larger and potentially volatile molecules. The formable liner may be adhered to substrate to form a package for live food products that can be utilized as container for these items that is considered to be sustainable.

Description

[0001] FORMABLE LINER FOR A CONTAINER WITH CONTROLLED OXYGEN PERMEABILITY AND BARRIER PROPERTIES

[0002] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 659,542, filed June 13, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0005]

[0002] This disclosure is related to a formable liner having a specific oxygen permeability and barrier properties. More particularly, this disclosure provides improved and sustainable packaging materials, packages, and containers configured for use in enclosing products that may require an aerobic atmosphere, such as products that may contain live cultures or that are considered to be live when packaged.

[0006] BACKGROUND

[0007]

[0003] It has become increasingly important to design packaging structures that are more sustainable. Increased sustainability may be in the form of using raw materials that are renewably resourced, such as paper, or other fiberbased materials. Alternately, increased sustainability may be in the form of designing structures that have increased recyclability, compostability, and / or biodegradability through a choice and arrangement of materials that can be recycled, repurposed, composted, or completely degraded upon introduction to soil.

[0008]

[0004] To be designated as sustainable, recyclable, compostable, and / or biodegradable, industrial and governmental regulations often require the use of specific types, and / or classes of materials to comply with a predetermined set of standards. As these regulations and standards have continued to evolve, it has become difficult to design and utilize packages for certain categories of food items. Food items that are considered to be fresh or “live,” such as, but not limited to, fresh produce, certain dairy products, fermented foods, and foods that include live cultures, like yogurts and cheeses, are some items that are particularly difficult to package. These fresh and “live” food items often require a package environment that maintains a certain level of transmissive oxygen to support and retain aerobic respiration. This is atypical for most packaging.

[0009]

[0005] A typical sustainable package for foods that are not considered to be “live,” often comprises a thermoformed or cold formed skin film of materials selected to meet sustainability criteria that has a good barrier to volatile components (to prevent impact and taint to food flavors) and a high level of barrier to oxygen (< 10 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH). When utilized for the live product types enumerated above, the high oxygen barrier of this typical package may lead to the formation of an anoxic environment within the package interior space. This anoxic environment is typically a result of the live product continuing to consume the available oxygen within the package space until it is entirely consumed, at which time the product within the package will likely expire. Accordingly, this may lead to an interior package environment that is amenable to the proliferation of anaerobic bacteria and pathogens, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli.). Therefore, there is a need within the art for additional packaging solutions that include a sustainable structure for use in packaging live products that both allows for a higher transmission of oxygen to maintain the live products life-cycle and prevents the contamination and ingress of harmful molecules.

[0010] SUMMARY

[0011]

[0006] The developments described herein include the use of a formable liner for packaging live food products that require the maintenance of aerobic respiration. The formable liner has a specific layered structure to control the level of barrier to oxygen to support the life cycle of these live food products while also maintaining a barrier to larger and potentially volatile molecules that may impact the flavor of the contained food products, and / or to retain volatile flavor compounds within the food product itself, whilst retaining an aerobic environment withing the package. In a preferred embodiment, the layers of the formable liner are: an outer layer, a barrier layer, an inner layer, and at least one tie layer. The layers are formed from a process of coextrusion to produce the formable liner with a controlled level of barrier to oxygen by having an oxygen gas transmission rate (OTR) within a range of about 10 to about 1 ,000 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH according to ASTM D3985 or other similar standard tests. The barrier layer of this preferred embodiment is placed adjacent the outer layer with the barrier layer being a barrier to volatile compounds and large molecules that may impact flavor and / or product safety, referred to herein as a MOSH / MOAH barrier. This barrier layer comprises at least one polymer selected from the group of COC, PETg, aPLA, aPA, PA, PLA, PHA, PE, EVOH, PVOH, PU, copolyamide, copolyesters, or combinations and blends thereof.

[0012]

[0007] The outer layer and the inner layer can be comprised of similar materials and be provided in a structure that is the same or different dependent upon the needs of a given application. Accordingly, the outer layer and the inner layer are selected from at least one polymer selected from the group comprising polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, polyethylene (“PE”), compostable types, or combinations thereof. The formable liner is intended to be formed to a substrate with the inner layer adjacent the substrate. The inner layer material and structure is specifically selected and adapted to bond to the substrate. The substrate may be provided in the form of a paper, fiber, plastic, or material combinations and blends thereof. After the formable liner is bonded to the substrate, this entire structure may be formed into a three-dimensional shape and utilized as a package and / or container. Alternately, the formable liner may be adhered to a pre-formed and three-dimensional substrate to form a cohesive structure that may be utilized as a package and / or container.

[0013]

[0008] This package and / or container provides a sustainable structure with specific oxygen transmissive features combined with a barrier to flavor tainting compounds that has a specific usefulness for food products that may be considered to be live and / or cultured.

[0014] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]

[0009] The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016]

[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a formable liner, according to the present disclosure;

[0017]

[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the formable liner of FIG.1 adhered to a substrate, according to the present disclosure; and

[0012] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a package and / or container using the formable liner, according to the present disclosure.

[0018]

[0013] The drawings show some but not all embodiments. The elements depicted in the drawings are illustrative and not necessarily to scale, and the same (or similar) reference numbers denote the same (or similar) features throughout the drawings.

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020]

[0014] The following detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments, which are also referred to herein as “examples," are described in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. The embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, or structural, and logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. Before the present invention is described in such detail, however, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular variations set forth and may, of course, vary.

[0021]

[0015] Various changes may be made to the invention described and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, process, process act(s) or step(s), to the objective(s), spirit or scope of the present invention. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure made herein.

[0022]

[0016] Unless otherwise indicated, the words and phrases presented in this document have their ordinary meanings to one of skill in the art. Such ordinary meanings can be obtained by reference to their use in the art and by reference to general and scientific dictionaries.

[0023]

[0017] References in the specification to “one embodiment” indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.

[0024]

[0018] Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

[0025]

[0019] The following explanations of certain terms are meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive. These terms have their ordinary meanings given by usage in the art and in addition include the following explanations.

[0026]

[0020] As used herein, the term “and / or” refers to any one of the items, any combination of the items, or all of the items with which this term is associated.

[0027]

[0021] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0028]

[0022] As used herein, the terms “include,” “for example,” “such as,” and the like are used illustratively and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0023] As used herein, the terms “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances.

[0029]

[0024] Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the invention.

[0030]

[0025] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.

[0031]

[0026] As used herein, a compostable structure is generally defined as comprising materials which can be digested by micro-organisms within a given environment to degrade over time at a consistent rate into water, CO2, biomass, and inorganic compounds without leaving any visible residue or toxic residue. Commonly, and used interchangeably herein compostable materials may also be considered to be biodegradable and vice versa, wherein compostable materials may be biodegradable and biodegradable materials may be compostable. More particularly, if compostable, the compostable packaging should be able to fulfill well established compostable standards, such as the standard established by ASTM D6400, that require disintegration and biodegradation at industrial and home composting conditions (12 weeks at 58°C or 26 weeks at 21 °C, respectively) to conform to chemical characterization and ecotoxicity requirements.

[0032]

[0027] The term “polyamide” means a high molecular weight polymer having amide linkages (-CONH-)n which occur along the molecular chain, and includes "nylon" resins which are well known polymers having a multitude of uses including utility as packaging films, bags, and casings. See, e.g., Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, 88 Vol. 64, No. 10A, pp 34-37 and 554-555 (McGraw- Hill, Inc., 1987) which is hereby incorporated by reference. Polyamides are preferably selected from nylon compounds approved for use in producing articles intended for use in processing, handling, and packaging food.

[0033]

[0028] The term "nylon" as used herein refers more specifically to synthetic polyamides, either aliphatic or aromatic, either in crystalline, semi-crystalline, or amorphous form characterized by the presence of the amide group - CONH. It is intended to refer to both polyamides and co-polyamides.

[0034]

[0029] As used herein, the phrase “COC” or "ethylene / norbornene copolymer" refers to a class of polymeric materials based on cyclic olefin monomers and ethane. Ethylene / norbornene copolymers are known commercially as cyclic olefin copolymers, "COC," with one or more different cyclic olefin units randomly or alternately attached to the ethylene polymer backbone. In general, COCs exhibit a high glass transition temperature (greater than 50. degree. C.), optical clarity, low heat shrinkage, low moisture absorption and low birefringence. These materials may be produced by a number of polymerization techniques which may include chain polymerization of cyclic monomers such as 8,9,10-trinorborn-2-ene (norbornene) of 1 ,2, 3, 4, 4a, 5, 8,8a- octa-hydro-1 ,4:5,8-dimethanonaphthalene (tetracyclododecene) with ethane; or ring-opening metathesis of various cyclic monomers followed by hydrogenation.

[0035]

[0030] As used throughout this application, the term “polyester” or “PET” refers to a homopolymer or copolymer having an ester linkage between monomer units. The ester linkage may be represented by the general formula [O-R-OC(O)-R'-C(O)]n where R and R' are the same or different alkyl (or aryl) group and may generally be formed from the polymerization of dicarboxylic acid and diol monomers.

[0036]

[0031] Non-limiting examples of suitable polyesters include poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polyethylene terephthalate-co-cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate) (PETg), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), polyethylene naphthalate) (PEN), polyethylene furanoate) (PEP), poly(propylene furanoate) (PPF) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT).

[0037]

[0032] As used herein, “polyurethane” is generally referencing polymers having organic units joined by urethane links (-NH-(C=O)-O-).

[0038]

[0033] Polyethylene is the name for a polymer whose basic structure is characterized by the chain -(CH2- CH2-)n. As used herein, the term "polyethylene" includes homopolymers and copolymers of ethylene. Polyethylene homopolymer is generally described as being a solid which has a partially amorphous phase and partially crystalline phase with a density of between 0.870 to 0.980 grams per cubic centimeter. The relative crystallinity of polyethylene is known to affect its physical properties. The amorphous phase imparts flexibility and high impact strength while the crystalline phase imparts a high softening temperature and rigidity.

[0034] As used herein, “barrier" or “barrier film” or “barrier layer" or “barrier material” refers to providing for reduced transmission to gases such as oxygen (i.e. containing an oxygen barrier material). The barrier material may provide reduced transmission to moisture (i.e. containing a moisture barrier material) and / or volatile compounds or large molecules. The barrier characteristic may be provided by one or more, or a blend, of multiple barrier materials. The barrier layer may provide the specific barrier required to preserve the product within a package throughout an extended shelf-life which may be several months or to preserve the life-cycle of live food products.

[0039]

[0035] As used throughout this application, the term “vinyl alcohol copolymer” refers to film forming copolymers of vinyl alcohol (CH2CHOH). Examples include, but are not limited to, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (BVOH), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH).

[0040]

[0036] As used herein, the term fiber or fiber-based may include, but not be limited to, cellulose and / or cellulose-based fibers including virgin cellulose- based fibers, recycled fibers including materials like paper fibers and Kraft papers, textiles, non-wovens, wood-based fibers, cotton, linen, hemp, sugar cane or sorghum commonly known as bagasse fibers, or grains. These fibers may be untreated and / or treated to provide enhancements or improvements to their inherent properties. These fibers may be provided in a plurality of dimensions / lengths including micro and nano fibrillated types, such as, but not limited to, microfibrillated and / or nanofibrillated cellulose. Further, these fibers for a fiber-based article may contain fluff pulp and / or another fiber type and may be provided in a roll, bale, blank or sheet form, continuous web, and / or may be formed from an airlaid process, and / or may be provided in a slurry for forming in a wet molding process. Further, the use of fiber or fiber-based materials may provide a multitude of end of use options for any formed article, such as a container or a package, wherein the article may be recycled, compostable, biodegradable, repulpable, or be considered responsibly disposable.

[0041]

[0037] This application makes reference to compostable polymers, these may be provided from compostable resins selected from the group comprising at least one of a polylactic acid (PLA) polymer, amorphous polylactic acid (aPLA), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) polymer, polybutylene succinate (PBS) polymer, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), polyhydoxybutyrate (PHB), 4-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PHBH), cellulose acetate (CA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH), a cellophane, a compostable paper, or combinations thereof.

[0042]

[0038] The term “liner” “film” or “film portion”, such as the formable liner as used herein, refers to a web built of layers and / or films, all of which are directly adjacent to and connected to each other. A film can be described as having a thickness that is insignificant as compared to the length and width of the film. Films are generally regarded as having two major surfaces, opposite each other, expanding in the length and width directions. As used herein, a “laminate” is a film that may be built from an unlimited number of films and / or layers, the films and / or layers being bonded together by any known process such as, but not limited to, coextrusion, coating or laminating, to form a composite article.

[0043]

[0039] As used herein, the term “adjacent” means that the items, such as layers of a film, are near each other, with or without intervening material, such as adhesive. As used herein, the term “directly adjacent” or “in direct contact with" means that the items are in contact with each other, without intervening material.

[0044]

[0040] There is a need for more sustainable containers particularly designed to contain food items that require a certain level of oxygen transmission to remain fresh and safe for consumption after being packaged. These certain food items are often referred to as “live” foods. These live foods and / or live products, such as yogurts or other foods containing live cultures, require the maintenance of aerobic respiration within the package space to ensure adequate quality and safety of the live product upon package opening. In particular embodiments, the sustainable container is a three-dimensional fiber-based and / or paper-based container having a formable liner with specific oxygen transmissive rates and barrier properties to support these live products.

[0045]

[0041] Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, providing a pair of cross-sectional views of a formable liner 10 assembly and a package 10’ utilizing the formable liner 10 for a container 100. The container 100 is adapted to contain live food items requiring an interior package space by allowing for a specific predetermined transmission of oxygen and flavor barrier to maintain taste and freshness. The formable liner 10 is generally provided as a layered film with specific materials arranged to enable this transmission and may be referred to herein interchangeably as formable liner 10, liner 10, or formable film 10. This liner 10 includes an outer layer 101, a barrier layer 102, and an inner layer 103 provided thorough a coextrusion with the various layers 101, 102, 103 positioned to control the transmission of oxygen while maintaining a barrier to larger molecules and volatile compounds that may impact the flavor of contained food items.

[0046]

[0042] To provide the required environment for these live food items, the formable liner 10 is selected to maintain a controlled level of barrier to oxygen (“OTR”) from within a range of about 10 to about 1 ,000 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH according to ASTM D3985 while also providing a MOSH / MOAH barrier with a MOSH (C17) and MOAH (Anthracene and Perylene) both with a value of less than 1% of breakthrough.

[0047]

[0043] The formable liner 10 is capable for use in multiple container types, styles, and sizes which may be formed through various processing manners. In a first processing manner, the formable liner 10 may be first bonded to a substrate 105 to form the package 10’ and then later formed and shaped into the container 100. In a second processing manner, the substrate 105 may have first been previously formed and be provided in a pre-formed three- dimensional shape with the formable liner 10 attached to this pre-formed substrate to form the package 10’ and container 100 at a second step. In either of these processing manners, the formable liner 10 inner layer 103 is specifically selected to bond with the substrate 105 material type to enable processing and use during either of the package 10’ and the container 100 manufacturing processes contemplated above.

[0048]

[0044] The formable liner 10 could be affixed to the substrate 105 during creation and formation of the substrate 105 concurrently with the package 10’. When the substrate 105 is preferably a paper, the forming of the formable liner 10 and bonding to the substrate 105 could be accomplished simultaneous with a fiber-web, should a fiber-based or paper-based substrate be preferred. This forming of the formable film 10 into the package 10’ and / or into the container 100 may include thermoforming, cold forming, or other known forming methods.

[0049]

[0045] In further embodiments, when the substrate 105 is a fiber-based package, such as the package 10’, to enable for separation in controlled recycling processes, the bond of the formable liner 10 to the substate 105 is made in such a way to enable for removal of the formable liner 10 portion to allow for the recovery of fibers from a substantial portion of the fiber-based substrate 105. This separation may include, but not be limited to, a physical separation of the formable liner 10 from the substrate 105 via peeling or extraction of the formable liner 10 from the substrate 105 during re-pulping and recycling processing steps.

[0050]

[0046] To enable certain bonding characteristics and compatibility between the layers (101, 102, 103), the formable liner 10 may include at least one tie layer 104. The at least one tie layer 104 is optional and may be placed between the inner layer 103 and the outer layer 101. In other embodiments, the at least one tie layer 104 may be positioned between the barrier layer 102 and the inner layer 103, the barrier layer 102 and the outer layer 101, and / or between both the barrier layer 102 and the outer layer 101 and the inner layer 103 and the barrier layer 102.

[0051]

[0047] The barrier layer 102 is intended to provide a barrier to larger molecules and generally is selected to retain flavors within a given food structure utilizing the formable liner 10 in the package 10’ or container 100 while also providing a suitable aerobic environment to maintain product freshness and support of live food products, when applicable. This barrier to large molecules enhances product safety by preventing unwanted taints, odors or contamination from the external environment, caused by storage next to contaminating food products such as onions, strong cheese, etc.. Further contaminations that can jeopardize product safety include contamination derived from secondary packaging materials such as recycled carton board, known to create the risk of MOSH / MOAH contamination, or from the container’s fiber material, when the substrate 105 is fiber-based. Such taints from the container can be naturally occurring compounds from the fiber product, or contamination from recyclate, such as MOSH / MOAH compounds if recycled fiber source is selected. To generally measure the effectiveness of the provided barrier, the barrier layer 102 provides a barrier to mineral oil, mineral oil components, and / or gaseous mineral oil constituents (“MOSH / MOAH”) often found in certain papers and fiber-based materials. Experimentation has determined that a MOSH / MOAH barrier with a MOSH (C17) and MOAH (Anthracene and Perylene) both with a value of less than 1% of breakthrough, while simultaneously allowing for the transmission of oxygen (“OTR”) from within a range of about 10 to about 1 ,000 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH according to ASTM D3985, provides a suitable package environment for live food products. For analytical purposes, MOSH / MOAH contamination can be considered as analogous to odor permeability as the molecular mass of these compounds is in the same range as typical odor and flavor taint compounds. The properties of the formable liner 10 barrier layer 102 allows for the use of certain substrate 105 materials that may contain post-consumer recycled materials, such as, but not limited recycled papers.

[0052] To provide these properties and capabilities the barrier layer 102 comprises at least one polymer selected from the group of COC, PETg, aPLA, aPA, PA, PLA, PHA, PE, EVOH, PVOH, PU, copolyamide, copolyesters, or combinations and blends thereof.

[0053]

[0048] The outer layer 101 and the inner layer 103 are generally positioned as exterior surfaces of the formable liner 10. In this configuration, the outer layer 101 would generally be considered to be a product contact layer as it will be aligned with the package 10’ interior space. The inner layer 103, as previously mentioned, is directly adjacent the substrate 105 so its material characteristics are selected to enable attachment. The inner layer 103 and the outer layer 101 comprise at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof. The outer layer 101 and the inner layer 103 are generally referred to as “non barrier” layers with a normalized OTR that may be about greater than 1000 cc / m2 / day for a film thickness of about 25 pm. The outer layer 101 and the inner layer 103 may comprise an identical material structure, wherein they form a generally palindromic structure with the barrier layer 102 positioned between in an exemplary A / B / A structure. Alternately, the outer layer 101 and the inner layer 103 may comprise different materials with the barrier layer 102 positioned between in an exemplary A / B / C structure. In further embodiments, the barrier layer 102 may be positioned in alternate locations of the layered structure of the formable film 10 (not pictured). The outer layer 101 and the inner layer 103 polymers may be cross-linked.

[0054] Electron beam irradiation can be applied to the formable liner 10 to improve thermal stability and melt strength during forming processes.

[0049] In further embodiments of the formable liner 10, the outer layer 101, barrier layer 102, and inner layer 103 may be altered in position. In this configuration, the barrier layer 102 could be utilized and positioned as an outer layer of the liner 10, wherein it is either the product contact layer or the substrate contact layer.

[0055]

[0050] In yet further embodiments, the formable liner 10 can be comprised of any number of layers to accomplish the stated oxygen transmission and barrier properties. Accordingly, while an exemplary formable liner 10 is depicted in FIGS. 1-2 having at least three main layers with the intervening at least one tie layer 104, the formable liner 10 can be comprised of any number of layers, including more layers or less layers than depicted. In additional embodiments, the formable liner 10 may be comprised of single layer sealant film comprising various polymer blends to impart the desired barrier to volatile compounds to prevent flavor taint along with the desired oxygen transmission properties to support live food items.

[0056]

[0051] Referring now to specifically to FIG. 3, the package 10’ is depicted as the container 100. The container 100 represents the final formed three- dimensional shape including forming the substrate 105 into a three- dimensional object. The container 100 may include a lid 106. The lid 106 selected to enclose the container 100 to form an interior package space for the placement of a food item requiring an environment consistent with this disclosure. The substrate 105 will generally be aligned with the package exterior and the outer layer 101 will be aligned with interior surface.

[0057]

[0052] The use of paper, fiber, or fiber-based materials may provide a multitude of end of use options for the container 100, wherein the container 100 may be recycled, compostable, biodegradable, repulpable, or be considered responsibly disposable. Alternately, this container 100 and the formable liner 10 may be considered to have a dual end of life structure, wherein it may be both considered to be recyclable and compostable when the selected materials meet this criteria.

[0058]

[0053] In some embodiments, each of the layers of the formable liner 10 forming the package 10’ film structure are strongly bonded to each other. In other embodiments, the substrate 105 and formable liner 10 are loosely boded to each other, wherein the formable liner 10 may be easily separated from the substrate 105 for disposal of the package 10’.

[0059]

[0054] To provide a suitable package for live food products, the inventors have constructed and tested several films and laminates that may be suitable for a package and / or container. Exemplary film structures are provided in TABLE 1 , below. TABLE 1 shows combined oxygen transmission with the barrier to MOSH / MOAH. Examples G-l meet the required barrier and transmission characteristics to provide a suitable environment for live food products.

[0060]

[0055] The MOSH / MOAH Barrier testing was conducted according to Swiss Packaging Institute Guidelines (SVI Guideline “testing and assessment of barriers). According to these guidelines a barrier is tight enough, if the breakthrough is below 1% related to the starting concentration. The sample material was put between a donor (cardboard spiked and conditioned with mineral oil Gravex) and an acceptor (Tenax powder). The general multi-layer set-up was done according the SVI guideline "testing and assessment of barriers". An identical set-up using a simple copy paper as barrier was used as a reference for 100% breakthrough. Thus, it is possible to estimate the percentage of the breakthrough for the sample material. A chemical analysis was conducted with the Tenax powder extracted with n-hexane and analyzed by a validated HPLC-GC-FID method for saturated (MOSH), aromatic (MOAH) and polyolefinic hydrocarbons (POSH) in the range of C10 to C50.

[0056] The term “package" is used herein to describe an article that may house an object (i.e. , a product), the article formed by shaping or molding a substrate into a defined shape to form the package interior space. A “packaged product” refers to the one or more packaging components forming a sealed package and the product therein. Sealed packages generally have a need for storage and package integrity over a period that is greater than a few days. Package integrity includes a consistent appearance, maintenance of barrier properties, maintenance of lamination bonds, and maintenance of seals.

[0061]

[0057] The product may be any type of food, beverage, pharmaceutical or other medical aid, nutraceutical, consumer good or industrial good, or products that may be considered to be live. The product may be fluid in nature. Examples of products include, but are not limited to yogurts, cheeses, produce, seafoods, certain dairy or non-dairy products, beverages or supplement concentrates, tobacco products, and cosmetics.

[0062]

[0058] The packaged products disclosed herein may include a package formed from at least one fiber-based material in an amount to enable sustainability. The fiber may be in an amount of about 50% or may be in an amount greater than 80% by weight and optionally other components. In some embodiments of the packaged product, the entire container 100 with the exception of the formable liner 10 portion is formed from a single fiber and / or paper-based material. In some embodiments of the packaged product, the lid 106 is a film sealed to the container to a form a specific container type such as a lidded cup or tray. In some embodiments, the package includes components that are not compostable but can be separated from the portions that are compostable for proper disposal.

[0063]

[0059] The packaged products disclosed herein advantageously include a compostable package which may allow the product to have a shelf-life of up to one week, up to two weeks, up to one month, up to two months, up to three months, up to 4 months, up to 5 months, up to 6 months, up to 7 months, up to 8 months, up to 9 months, up to 10 months, up to 11 months, up to 12 months, or even up to 24 months. The shelf-life is dependent upon one or more variables including: the product packaged, the storage conditions of the packaged product and the barrier of the packaging components. As used herein, the shelf-life of a packaged product is the time period in which the product maintains quality (i.e. , taste and appearance) acceptable for consumer use. The shelf-life may be determined due to degradation of product color, taste or suitability for consumption (i.e., microbial growth).

[0064]

[0060] In some embodiments, the packaged product is refrigerated during storage and distribution (i.e., during the packaged product shelf-life). In other embodiments, the packaged product may be stored at non-refrigerated or room temperature conditions. It has been found that refrigerated storage of the packaged product may assist in prolonging the time frame in which a substrate that is fiber-based can maintain high barrier, thus lengthening the shelf-life of the packaged product.

[0065]

[0061] The formable liner and package articles disclosed herein are particularly useful for packaged product formats and / or product types which result in significant product residue remaining in the package after consumer use. The packaged product may be of a style or configuration that inhibits / prohibits complete removal of the product. The packaged product may be of a style or configuration that inhibits / prohibits cleaning the package after use. The product packaged may be one that tends to cling or adhere to the package. In these cases, the package should not be recycled because the product residue contaminates the recycling process. In these cases, composting is an excellent solution as the product residue may promote the decomposition process. In other cases, the package may be constructed in a layered assembly that allows for removal of the food / product contact area prior to disposal.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A formable liner for use in packaging food products that require the maintenance of an aerobic atmosphere, the formable liner comprising: an outer layer; a barrier layer, the barrier layer adjacent the outer layer and being a barrier to volatile molecules comprising at least one polymer selected from the group of COC, PETg, aPLA, aPA, PA, PLA, PHA, PE, EVOH, PVOH, PU, copolyamide, copolyesters, or combinations and blends thereof; an inner layer, the inner layer adjacent the barrier layer; wherein the outer layer, barrier layer, and inner layer are coextruded; and wherein the formable liner has a controlled level of barrier to oxygen from within a range of about 10 to about 1 ,000 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH according to ASTM D3985, and a MOSH / MOAH barrier with a MOSH (C17) and MOAH (Anthracene and Perylene) both with a value of less than 1% of breakthrough, to support the aerobic atmosphere. .

2. The formable liner of claim 1 , wherein at least one tie layer is present, the at least one tie layer positioned between the outer layer and the inner layer.

3. The formable liner of claim 1 to 2, wherein the outer layer is selected from at least one polymer from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof.

4. The formable liner of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner layer is at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof.

5. The formable liner of claims 1 to 4, wherein the formable liner material is selected to enable for both recycling and composting, allowing for categorization as a dual-end of life packaging component.

6. The formable liner of claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer layer is cross-linked.

7. The formable liner of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inner layer is optimized and preselected to bond with the substrate.

8. The formable liner of claims 1 to 7, wherein the formable liner is formed to a substrate, the substrate is selected from a group comprising a paper, a fiber, a plastic, or a combination and blend thereof.

9. A package comprising: the formable liner of claim 8; a lid; and the product, wherein the product is protected from an anoxic condition due to the controlled level of barrier to oxygen within the package.

10. A container configured for use with products requiring the maintenance of aerobic respiration during packaging, the container comprising: a substrate; a lid; a polymeric based liner comprising: an outer layer; a barrier layer, the barrier layer being a volatile barrier layer and comprising at least one polymer selected from the group of COC, PETg, aPLA, aPA, PA, PLA, PHA, PE, EVOH, PVOH, PU, copolyamide, copolyesters, or combinations and blends thereof;an inner layer; and at least one tie layer, the at least one tie layer positioned between the outer layer and the inner layer; and wherein the outer layer, the barrier layer, the at least one tie layer, and the inner layer are coextruded; wherein the polymeric based liner is formed to the substrate; wherein the lid is secured to enclose a space; and wherein the container has a controlled level of barrier to oxygen from within a range of about 50 to about 12,000 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH according to ASTM D3985 and a MOSH / MOAH barrier with a MOSH (C17) and MOAH (Anthracene and Perylene) both with a value of less than 1% of breakthrough to support aerobic respiration of the live food product.11 .The container of claim 10, wherein the polymeric based film outer layer is selected from at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof.

12. The container of claims 10 to 11 , wherein the polymeric based film inner layer is at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof.

13. The container of any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the substrate is three- dimensional and selected from a group comprising a paper, a fiber, a plastic, or combination and blends thereof.

14. The container of any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the outer layer is crosslinked.

15. The container of any of claims 10 to 14, wherein the polymeric based film and substrate material is selected to enable for both recycling and composting allowing for categorization as a dual-end of life packaging component.

16. A fiber-based container adapted for packaging food products that require the maintenance of aerobic respiration, the fiber-based container comprising: a three-dimensional substrate, the three dimensional substrate comprising at least 50% fiber; a lid; a polymeric based liner comprising: an outer layer; a barrier layer, the barrier layer being a volatile barrier layer and comprising at least one polymer selected from the group of COC, PETg, aPLA, aPA, PA, PLA, PHA, PE, EVOH, PVOH, PU, copolyamide, copolyesters, or combinations and blends thereof; an inner layer; and at least one tie layer, the at least one tie layer positioned between the outer layer and the inner layer; wherein the outer layer, the barrier layer, the at least one tie layer, and the inner layer are coextruded; and wherein the polymeric liner is formed to the three-dimensional substrate; wherein the lid is secured to the outer layer to enclose a space; and wherein the container has a controlled level of barrier to oxygen from within arange of about 50 to about 12,000 cc / m2 / day at 23°C / 50% RH according to ASTM D3985 and a MOSH / MOAH barrier with a MOSH (C17) and MOAH (Anthracene and Perylene) both with a value of less than 1 % of breakthrough to support aerobic respiration of the food product.

17. The fiber-based container of claim 16, wherein the polymeric based film outer layer is selected from at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof.

18. The fiber-based container of any of claims 16 to 17, wherein the polymeric based film inner layer is at least one polymer selected from the group of polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyolefin copolymers, PE, compostable types, or combinations thereof.

19. The fiber-based container of any of claims 16 to 18, wherein the fiber-based container material is selected to enable for both recycling and composting allowing for categorization as a dual-end of life package.

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