MOLD INHIBITOR BAG.

Abstract

Methods for producing a bag for a food product involve providing a multi-layered substrate, which includes one or more polymers. The method also involves extruding a polymer film onto the substrate surface to form an elongated sheet. The polymer film may include a mold inhibitor. The method further involves cutting the elongated sheet into smaller individual sheets and joining pairs of these sheets along their periphery to form the bag configured to receive the food product. The polymer film may line the inner surface of the finished bag.

Description

IOXBIDÓB& MOLD BAG Field of Xa Invention Implementations refer to packaging materials configured to inhibit mold growth and the materials used to form and use them. Specific implementations include: multi-layered animal feed bags containing calcium propionate. Background of Inveneicm Mold growth in various food products is a widespread problem for producers and consumers. Even food products properly packaged according to strict industry standards can be susceptible to mold growth, especially when the food products contain moderate to high levels of moisture. To prevent mold growth, current methods typically involve incorporating various mold-inhibiting agents directly into the food products during production. These approaches remain vulnerable to mold growth, however, due to the penetration of external moisture into the bags used to contain the food product, and due to the release of moisture from within the food itself, which can then remain. 2S trapped inside the bags after sealing. Pre-fill contamination of the bags can also lead to unwanted mold growth. Therefore, improved techniques are needed to inhibit mold growth in food products and other consumables. Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag according to the principles of the present description. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a modality of a Bag material according to the 10 principles of the present description, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of another modality of a bag material according to the principles of the present description. Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for producing bag material in accordance with the principles of the present description. Brief Description of the Invention La®: implements hundreds of methods to produce a bag for a food product. In some examples, one method involves providing a multi-layered substrate. The substrate may comprise one or more polymers. The method may also involve extruding a polymer film onto a substrate surface to form an elongated sheet. The polymer film may include a mold inhibitor. The method may further involve cutting the elongated sheet into smaller individual sheets and joining pairs of the individual sheets along a periphery thereof to form the bag configured to receive the food product. The polymer film may line the inner surface of the finished bag. In some examples, the multi-layer substrate may comprise a film-extruded product and a fabric. A lamination-extruded product may be included between the film-extruded product and the fabric. In some embodiments, the film-extruded product comprises axially oriented polypropylene. In some examples, the fabric comprises polypropylene. In some embodiments, the fabric is woven fabric. In some examples, the fabric is non-woven fabric. In some embodiments, the polymer film comprises a layer of polypropylene and polyethylene. In some examples, the method further involves thoroughly mixing the mold inhibitor with a material comprising the polymer film before extruding the polymer film onto the substrate surface. In some embodiments, the mold inhibitor comprises granular or liquid calcium propionate. In some examples, the method also involves depositing the mold inhibitor onto a polymer film surface to form a coating. In some embodiments, the mold inhibitor comprises propionic acid. In some examples, the polymer film contains approximately 0.1% by weight to approximately 5% by weight of the mold inhibitor. In some given embodiments, the food product does not include the mold inhibitor. In some examples, the bag is configured to hold from approximately 2.26 kg (0.5 lb) to approximately 22.68 kg (50 lbs) of the feed product. In some embodiments, the multi-layer substrate comprises a finished bag material that lacks mold-inhibiting properties. In some examples, the feed product includes pellets or nibs extracted for cattle, mackerel, deer, or domestic pets. According to the embodiments of the present description, a method for inhibiting mold growth within a bag for a food product may involve adding the food product to the bag, wherein the food product is added at an elevated temperature and an elevated humidity level. The method may further involve sealing the bag containing the food product at the elevated temperature and elevated humidity level. The method may also involve allowing the food product to cool and release moisture within the bag. The bag may comprise a mold inhibitor embedded within or applied to an inner layer thereof. According to the method, at least three weeks after adding the food product to the bag, no mold growth is observed within the bag. In some examples, the mold inhibitor comprises calcium propionate. In some embodiments, the elevated temperature may vary from approximately 80°F (261°C) to approximately 150°F (65°C). In some examples, the elevated moisture level varies from approximately 11% by weight to approximately 13% by weight. In some embodiments, the food product comprises extracted granules or pellets. According to the modalities of the present description, a bag for a food product may comprise a bag material formed from two or more sheets joined together to form a cavity configured to receive the food product. Each sheet may comprise a multi-layer substrate and a polymer film. The polymer film may comprise calcium propionate and may line an interior surface of the cavity. In some examples, calcium propionate can be embedded within the polymer film. In some examples, the calcium propionate may comprise a coating adhered to a surface of the polymer film. In some examples, the bag may further include a bonding agent or carrier configured to secure the coating to the surface of the polymer film. In some embodiments, the polymer film may include a blend extruded from polypropylene and polyethylene. In some examples, the multi-layer substrate may comprise an extruded product comprising axially oriented polypropylene. The extruded film product may serve as an outer layer of the bag material with respect to the cavity. The multi-layer substrate may also include a fabric comprising woven polypropylene. In some examples, the bag further comprises an extruded adhesive lamination product placed between the film-extracted product and the fabric. In some embodiments, the bag material lacks a mold inhibitor. In some examples, the polymer film comprises approximately 1% by weight to approximately 5% by weight of calcium propionate. Detailed Description of the Invention Rafts or bags with mold-inhibiting properties and methods for their production and use are described. The material comprising the bags contains a mold inhibitor or antifungal agent, such as calcium propionate. By adding the mold inhibitor directly to the bag material, the incorporation of the inhibitor into the bag's contents, for example, animal feed, can be reduced or even eliminated. The bag material may include multiple separate layers, each layer comprising one or more polymers. As provided herein, the mold inhibitor is not naturally present in the polymer or polymers but is integrally blended with or coated onto them, for example, through an extruded film product.Including the mold inhibitor within the bag material instead of or in addition to the contents can significantly improve mold inhibition in ways not previously considered. For example, pre-existing approaches to inhibiting mold growth often rely on incorporating a mold-inhibiting agent or preservative directly into a food product, for example, as a food additive. These approaches can be used in an attempt to protect every food particle from mold growth and can be rooted in the common understanding that mold can only be effectively inhibited by including a mold-inhibiting agent directly into a food product.The approaches described can achieve the same or even a higher level of mold inhibition without incorporating a mold inhibitor within the food products, which can improve the palatability of the food products and / or allow a wider variety of food products to be included within the same or similar bags, for example, food products that contain, or lack, a mold-inhibiting agent. The bags described herein can be configured to hold large quantities of animal feed, for example, 25 or 9.07 kg (20 lbs), but are not limited to these applications. For example, the contents of the bag may vary and may include granulated or extracted animal feed products, products for human consumption, or non-food products susceptible to mold and mildew growth, to name just a few. The specific mold inhibitor incorporated into the bag material may also vary. For ease of illustration, calcium propionate is described in accordance with the examples provided herein. At least one additional mold inhibitor may be used, or calcium propionate may serve as the sole mold inhibitor included in the bag material. Bag Materials: The bags described herein may comprise sheets of a multi-layered bag material, including calcium propionate, which may be trapped, embedded in, or applied to at least one layer of the bag material. One or more layers may comprise a woven or non-woven fabric, and each layer may comprise a distinct composition, which may include a combination of one or more polymers. One or more coatings may line the innermost portion of the bag material to prevent leakage of various substances present in or within the bag contents, for example, molasses, oil, or water. The multi-layered bag material may be produced in flat sheets or films. As shown in Figure 1, sheets of equal size 102, 104 may be joined at their periphery to form a flap 100 that defines an internal volume 106. The innermost layer of the bag material, with respect to the contents within the bag, may comprise a film-extracted product formed from polymer resin. The number and type of polymers included within the innermost layer may vary. For example, the innermost layer may comprise polypropylene, polyethylene, or a mixture of polypropylene and polyethylene. Additional components, such as various additives, may also be included. The innermost layer may contain or be coupled with calcium propionate. For example, in some embodiments, calcium propionate may be embedded within the innermost layer. Granular forms of calcium propionate may remain in their original form, while liquid forms of calcium propionate (propionic acid) may be dried after inclusion within the innermost layer. Regardless of the form, the calcium propionate may be integrally mixed with the material comprising the innermost layer during production, i.e., before the material is extruded and applied to the other layers of bag material. In specific examples, calcium propionate may be incorporated into the polymer resin composition prior to the film extrusion coating of the bag material.The combination of calcium prapiGnate with the polymeric resin used to preserve the film-extracted product can ensure the homogeneous mixing of the two components, so that all portions of the bag material exhibit consistent mold inhibition. Alternatively, calcium propionate can be deposited as a coating on the inner surface of the innermost layer after extrusion. In accordance with these examples, a liquid form of calcium propionate, e.g., propionic acid, can be used, which can be applied to the innermost layer of the extruded product by spray coating or corrugation. A calcium propionate coating can provide an additional seal to prevent the leakage of various liquids, e.g., oil, from the bag contents into the outer layers of the bag material, where the substances can cause structural damage to the bag. An adhesive, carrier, and / or bonding agent can be used to ensure long-lasting bonding of the calcium propionate coating to the innermost layer.The bonding agent can be integrally mixed with the liquid calcium propionate before application to the innermost layer of the bag material, or the bonding agent can be applied between the innermost potato and the calcium propionate coating. 25. the amount of calcium propionate deposited or II embedded within the innermost cap may vary, along with the concentration of the calcium propionate source. In various modalities, the concentration of calcium propionate within the innermost layer may vary from approximately 50 <l a aproximadamente 5% en. peso, aproximadamente 012 a aproximadamente 3% en peso, aprGximad.am.ente 0.3a aproximadamente 2% en peso, aproximadamente 0.4a aproximadamente 1¾ en peso, aproximadamente 0.5a aproximadamente :0.9% en pesó, aproximadamente (1.6 a 10 aproximadamente 0.8i en peso o aproximadamente 0.71 en peso eó» base en el peso de la capa mas interna. The outermost layer of the bag, again with respect to its contents, may comprise a polypropylene product, which may be biaxially oriented. To facilitate the printing of various product labels on the same bag, for example, product name, nutritional information, and / or graphics, the particular features of the outermost layer of the bag may comprise a reverse-printed, flexographic polypropylene film (BOFE) extrusion, biaxially oriented. The term biaxially oriented, as used herein, may refer to bag material, for example, polypropylene, that has been elongated or stretched in two directions at elevated temperatures, followed by fixing in the elongated configuration by cooling the material while substantially retaining the elongated dimensions. Stretching the material in this manner can provide a relatively thin and flat surface ideal for printing.In some examples, the outer layer of the bag also includes calcium propionate, which can be mixed with extrusion materials before extrusion, or applied to the extruded product after extrusion. The outermost layer of the bag can be positioned adjacent to a fabric layer, sandwiched between the outermost and innermost layers, which may comprise polypropylene fabric in various forms. The fabric may include one or more materials in addition to or instead of polypropylene. For example, the fabric may comprise high-density polyethylene and ultra-high-density polyethylene. Together, the outermost layer and the fabric can be resistant to the abrasive and puncture forces commonly exerted against the bags described herein, for example, during shipping and handling. A woven fabric layer can be stronger and more durable than a non-woven fabric layer. The woven fabric can comprise at least two yarns, the warp and weft yarns, interlaced at perpendicular angles of 90°. The number of warp and weft yarns included per weft can vary and can be equal, thus creating a square pattern, so that the woven fabric comprises 4.9 weft yarns, 5 weft yarns, 7.5 weft yarns, or 10 weft yarns, for example. In some examples, the fabric layer may include calcium propionate instead of one or more layers of the bag. According to these modalities, calcium propionate may be present as an internal and / or external coating, or as an integral part of the fabric threads. The calcium propionate present in or within the fabric layer may reduce the amount of moisture-derived bacteria that pass through the fabric. In some examples, the outermost layer can be laminated directly to the fabric layer. These examples may include an additional layer sandwiched between the outermost layer and the fabric layer. This additional layer, which may be referred to as a bonding layer, may comprise a product extracted from a configured adhesive lamination to prevent delamination of the outermost fabric layer. The bonding layer may include one or more components that also comprise the outermost and / or fabric layers. An additional bonding layer may be included between the fabric layer and the innermost layer in some examples, thereby providing additional adhesion. The total number of bonding layers may increase with the increase in film layers. One or more bonding layers may also include a quantity of calcium propionate to enhance the mold inhibition properties of the bag. Examples may also include one or more slip agents incorporated into at least one layer of the bag material. The slip agent can reduce friction between layers, which can improve the integrity of the bag material during and after production. Slip agents may include various fluoroelastomers, silicates, and / or amides. The specific configurations of the bag material may include two, three, four, five, six, or more layers. As described above, the bag material may comprise 10 various constructed polymer® layers, including an outermost layer and an innermost layer (with respect to the bag's contents) and at least one layer sandwiched between these. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of an example of a bag material 200. As shown, this particular embodiment includes four layers. The outermost layer 202 may comprise biaxially oriented polypropylene. Moving inward, the second layer 204 may comprise an adhesive laminate sandwiched between the outermost layer 202 and a fabric layer 206. The second layer 204 may be configured to couple the outermost layer 202 to the fabric layer 206, preventing delamination of the two components. The fabric layer 206 may comprise a woven fabric, which may impart most of the bag material's overall strength. The fourth, innermost layer 208 may include yet another laminate or film, which may be a mixture of polypropylene and polyethylene. As shown further, the innermost layer 208 may also contain calele propionate.Granular 210, whose size is enlarged ©oh for illustrative purposes* When included within the innermost layer 208, the calcium propionate may be granular, as shown for illustration in Figure 2. The calcium propionate may also or alternatively be included as a molten resin or liquid solution within the material(s) constituting the innermost layer 208, so that the calcium propionate is visually indistinguishable and / or inseparable from the material(s). Regardless of its physical form, the calcium propionate may also be incorporated within one or more additional layers, such as layer 20.2, 204 and / or 200. 1:5 Additionally or alternatively, the innermost layer 208 can provide a scaffold or substrate for the calcium propionate, provided that the calcium propionate can comprise a separate inner coating 212. The uncoated calcium propionate 21D can be included together with the inner coating 2© of calcium propionate 312 to further inhibit mold growth. Alternatively, the embedded or coated calcium propionate may be sufficient to effectively inhibit mold growth. The multi-layered bonding discs shown in Figure 2 can be uniquely configured to prevent the infiltration of oils, greases, and other liquid substances into the woven fabric layer 20S, where such substances could penetrate and spread, thereby compromising the integrity of the fabric layer and the bag material as a whole.For example, one or more of the outermost layer 202, second layer 204, innermost layer 208 or inner coating 212 may be resistant to degradation by oils, greases and other liquid substances, thus preventing their contact with the fabric layer. One or more perforations may also be included within the bag material. Therefore, the bag material described herein may be continuous or, alternatively, may have structural modifications such as perforations, through-holes, and / or slits. Optional perforations may improve the breathability of the bag, for example, by providing a ventilation pathway for condensation produced when cooling sealed food products within the bag. In this way, the perforations may release moisture otherwise trapped within the bag while also speeding up the cooling and drying process. In several embodiments, the perforations may be defined only by the innermost layer of the bag material. In some embodiments, the perforations may extend through each layer.In further variations, the perforations can extend through each layer except the fabric layer. According to these variations, the needle or similar device used to perforate the bag can pierce through each layer of the beret, but will slide between the threads of the fabric layer, thus improving the operability of the bag without compromising the integrity of the fabric. In some examples, the number and / or size of perforations can be reduced due to the inclusion of calcium propionate in the bag material. According to the examples, the mold inhibition achieved through calcium propionate can significantly eliminate the need to reduce the moisture content of the food product. In addition to simplifying the bag production process, the examples can allow food products with higher moisture levels to be included in the bags, and / or can allow food products to be stored inside the bags for longer periods of time compared to pre-existing bags containing calcium propionate. The number of perforations included within the bags can be reduced by at least 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or more. regarding pre-existing bags that lack calcium propionate. The effectiveness of calcium propionate can also be enhanced by incorporating perforations to reduce moisture inside the bag. According to these methods, the inhibitory effect of calcium propionate can be achieved primarily through direct contact with the food product inside the bag. By inhibiting mold growth through a combination of moisture reduction and direct mold inhibition, these methods can also allow the loading of high-moisture food products that might not be suitable for inclusion in pre-existing bags lacking calcium propionate. These methods can also allow food products, such as low-, moderate-, and / or high-moisture products, to be contained within the bags for longer periods and / or under warmer and more humid conditions compared to pre-existing bags lacking calcium propionate. In alternative formulations, the inclusion of perforations can decrease the effectiveness of calcium propionate. According to these formulations, calcium propionate can exert a mold-inhibiting effect by creating an aerospheric environment within the bag that is not conducive to mold growth. By allowing air to escape, the inclusion of perforations in these formulations can therefore disrupt or dilute the mold-inhibiting environment within the bag. The mode of action of calcium propionate may depend on several factors, including how it is applied to the bag material and / or its concentration within the bag material. For example, an internal coating of calcium propionate may 1. Calcium propionate can exert mold-inhibiting properties by direct contact with the food product, while calcium propionate embedded within one or more layers can exert mold-inhibiting properties by generating an anti-mold atmospheric environment. Moderate to high concentrations of calcium propionate can exert mold-inhibiting properties by direct contact and / or by generating an anti-mold atmospheric environment. Therefore, the bags described herein may include no perforations, a reduced number and / or quantity of perforations, or the same number of perforations as bags without mold-inhibiting agents.In at least one or all of the modalities, the inclusion of calcium propionate can significantly improve the mold inhibition properties of the bags described, thus allowing a wider variety of food products to be packaged inside the bags for a longer period of time and / or under a wider range of environmental conditions. Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view 2Q of another example of a bag material 300, this time comprising three distinct layers. Together, the layers shown in Figure 3 may constitute a polylaminated film. In some embodiments, the outermost layer 302 may comprise biaxially oriented polypropylene, and the second layer 25 may comprise a nonwoven fabric layer 304. The innermost layer 306 can provide a sealant layer comprising one or more polymers, such as ethylene-vinyl acetate or the like. As shown, calcium propionate 308 can be incorporated into the innermost layer 306 or deposited as a coating 310 on an inner surface of the innermost layer 3061. The bags can be configured to hold various amounts of filling. For example, a bag can be configured to hold food products that weigh approximately 5 to approximately 7.5 lbs, approximately 10 to approximately 65 lbs, approximately 15 to approximately 55 lbs, approximately 20 to approximately 45 lbs, or approximately 25 to approximately 35 lbs. The total weight of the bag's contents may dictate the required bag size. The overall strength of the bag can vary, ranging from approximately 80 to approximately 150 gsm (grams per square meter), approximately 90 to approximately 140 gsm, or approximately 100 to approximately 130 gsm. The strength can vary based on the number of layers comprising an individual sheet of bag material and the contents of each layer. In specific examples, the strength of a single layer of woven fabric can vary fromabout 30 to about 8 0 gsm, about 55 to about 25 75 gsm, and about 60 to about 70 gsm. Production methods The bag material described herein can be produced by extracting a film containing calcium propionate directly onto a substrate. Alternatively, the bag material can be produced by depositing a coating of liquid calcium propionate, which may or may not be applied together with a carrier and / or bonding agent, onto the substrate. The substrate may comprise one or more layers of polymers, fabric, laminates, and / or various additives (e.g., layers 202-206 in Figure 2) which together constitute a finished bag material, although they lack mold-inhibiting properties.Therefore, the production methods may involve the conversion of a preformed bag material into a mold-inhibiting bag material by adding a calcium propionate extract or coating, or the production of a bag material that includes calcium propionate within or on one or more layers thereof. As described above, the calcium propionate layer may be added to the interior of the substrate, with respect to the food components. The substrate may be formed simultaneously with or prior to the formation of the calcium propionate extract and / or coating. The bag material, or its substrate, can be produced by a melt extrusion or blow molding process, which may involve extruding molten polymer resin into a continuous tube. One or more layers, such as a product made from adhesive laminate. <por ejemplo, capa 2C4) o la capa más interna que contiene propionato de calcio (por ejemplo, , se pueden aplicar mediante un aparato de ondulación. En algunos ejemplos, se pueden usar 10. múltiples extrusoras además del aparato dé ondulación, lo que permite la extrusión por separado: de capas de material de pulsa, distintas. Las modalidades también pueden implicar la coextrusión de múltiples capas usando el misma aparato extruscr, nuevamente junto con un aparato de ondulación.These methods generally involve introducing the resins and any additives, such as calcium propionate or slip agents, into an extruder, where the resins are melt-plasticized by heating and then transferred to an extrusion (or co-extrusion) die for forming into a tube. The methods may involve extruding a polymer resin containing calcium propionate directly onto a multi-layer substrate. The extruder and die temperatures may depend on the particular components used to form the bag material. The compounds can be prepared from a composition process, which involves melting one or more of the polymers and incorporating one or more additional components, including additives such as calcium propionate. The form of the calcium propionate after composition can vary. For example, calcium propionate can be provided in granular or liquid form. The concentration of calcium propionate added to the resin can also vary. For example, the addition of 2% by weight calcium propionate to a 1 lb FP / PE resin blend can provide an extruded pellicle layer comprising approximately calcium propionate. 0.7% by weight. In different forms, the concentration of calcium propionate within the resin used to manufacture the product Film extrusion can vary from approximately 0.1 to approximately 5% by weight, approximately 0.2 to approximately 4% by weight, approximately 0.1 to approximately 3.5% by weight, approximately 0.4 to approximately 3% by weight, approximately 0.5 to approximately 2.5% by weight, approximately 0.6 to approximately 2% by weight, approximately 0.7 to approximately 1.5% by weight. approximately 0.8% by weight, approximately 1.5% by weight, approximately 2.5% by weight, approximately 1.8% by weight, approximately 2.2% by weight, approximately 2.1% by weight. Figure 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method 400 for producing a film-extracted product having a Mohs inhibitor, for example, calcium propionate, incorporated therein, according to certain implementations. As shown: One or more polymer resins, which may be in granular form, may be fed into a hopper of an extruder 410. The resin granules... Resin compounds or aggregates, simultaneously with granular calcium propionate, propionic acid, and / or a solution of 10% calcium propionate, for example, can be fed into the hopper at selected speeds to ensure that the correct proportion of components for the final product is present. The granules are mixed to generate a homogeneous mixture. The homogeneous mixture can then be heated into a molten resin (420). The mixture can then be passed through an extruder, where friction and the heat generated by the extruder cause the granules to melt, and the molten contents are forced through a die to form a tube (430). The tube can be inflated (440), for example, to increase its diameter. During the inflation step, the tube can be moved away from the die, for example, by means of an upper pressure roller. The tube, sometimes referred to as a bubble, can be cut (450) and then opened.The open tube of the blown bag material can then be flattened 25 (460) to pass the frames. The film can be drawn through knees, pressure, over idle rollers and / or fed to a winder to produce a finished roll of extruded calcium propionate product, which can then be applied to the inner surface of a substrate. Together, the extruded calcium propionate product and the substrate can constitute a multi-layered bag material configured to inhibit mold growth. Examples may also involve spray coating and / or cork coating of a calcium propionate and / or propionic acid solution or resin onto an inner layer of a bag material. The resulting inner coating may replace or supplement the propionate coating. <s'3' re .1 n, o más capas del material de bolsa. Ejemplos adicionales o alternativos pueden: implicar atar o recubrir propionato de calcio o ácido propiónioo dentro de los hilos utilizados- para formar una o más capas de tela de un material de bolsa, por ejemplo, capa de tela 206 que se muestra en la figura 2, métodos de Uso 2Q The bags described herein can be filled and sealed with various contents, which can then be shipped and stored for extended periods. For ease of illustration, the animal feed is described according to the examples provided herein. 25 Animal feed may include feed formulated for cattle, horses, deer, or domestic pets, among others. The form of the animal feed may also vary, including pellets, cubes, nuggets, etc., and may be an animal feed product extracted from... The animal feed can be added to the bags immediately after production, or after a short cooling period. Therefore, the feed may be warm, even hot, when it is placed inside each bag. For example, in some formulations, the food may be at a temperature ranging from approximately 110 to approximately 200°F, approximately 130 to approximately 190°F, approximately 140 to approximately 180°F, or approximately 150 to approximately 110°F immediately after production. In one particular example, the food exits a mill or extruder at these temperatures and is placed in the bag. The food may be cooled periodically before being added to each bag. Depending on the cooling processes used, for example, active cooling or simply air drying, the food temperature may be reduced to approximately 10 to approximately 15°F below the ambient temperature of the packaging facility. Consequently, food produced in ambient temperatures of approximately 100°F (37 to 77°C) may be cooled to a temperature of approximately 85 to approximately 90a'F {32.22°C before packaging. In some cases, the cooling period may be approximately 1-5 minutes, and while the animal feed can cool naturally, it remains at a high temperature relative to ambient conditions. Animal feed at the time of bagging may also contain substantial levels of moisture, which can be released as the feed cools. In some examples, the feed may contain moisture levels at the time of filling that vary from approximately 5 to approximately 20% by weight, approximately 7 to approximately 18% by weight, approximately 9 to approximately 16% by weight, or approximately 11 to approximately 13% by weight. The moisture content at filling may decrease over time as the feed cools, for example, from approximately 1 to approximately 10% by weight, or any level in between. As a result, condensation may form inside the bags, increasing the likelihood of mold growth and spoilage.The bags described, however, can prevent or at least reduce mold growth, due to the inclusion of calcium propionate within and adjacent to the innermost layer of the material comprising the bags. Furthermore, they eliminate the need for... 4. By including a mold inhibitor within or on the animal feed itself, the bags can, therefore, increase the rate of animal feed production by eliminating the need to cool and dry the feed for extended periods of time before placing it inside the bags. The bags described can also inhibit mold growth more effectively than bags lacking calcium propionate, even if a mold inhibitor is included within or on the feed product. Consequently, the animal feed may be free of mold inhibitors such as calcium propionate or propionic acid, or the components may be present in the animal feed in an amount or form that is insufficient to serve as a mold inhibitor.For example, when a feed component such as a nutrient, vitamin, or mineral is present in animal feed where the component can also be considered a mold inhibitor, the feed component is present either in a form that does not serve as a mold inhibitor or would be ineffective for mold inhibition (e.g., it is present in an amount that is ineffective as a mold inhibitor). The bags described herein may be especially advantageous for preventing mold growth on larger food products, such as 25-inch buckets with a diameter of up to approximately 1.3125 inches (3.33375 cm), which can hold more moisture and take longer to cool, and on food products stored at elevated temperatures (e.g., > 80°F (26.66°C)) and / or humidity levels (e.g., > 80%). These conditions can accelerate or otherwise increase the likelihood of mold growth. The size of food products held within the bags described herein may vary. For example, the diameter of individual feed granules or cubes can vary from approximately 0.1 to approximately 3 inches (0.254 cm to 7.62 cm), approximately 0.25 to approximately 2.5 inches (0.635 cm to 6.35 cm), approximately 0.5 to approximately 2 inches (1.27 cm to 5.08 cm), approximately 0.7.5 to approximately 1.75 inches (1.905 cm to 4.445 cm), approximately 1 to 15 approximately 1.5 inches (2.54 cm to 3.81 cm), approximately 1.25 to approximately 1.4 inches (3.175 cm to 3.556 cm) or approximately 1.5 inches (3.81 to) < approximately 1.4 inches (3.175 cm), approximately 1.3 inches (3.302 cm), approximately 1.2 inches (3048 cm), 20 approximately 1.1 inches (2.794 cm), approximately 1 inch (2.54 cm), or less than 1 inch (2.54 cm), or more than 3 inches (7 < .62). Edeaiplós pxQductp 1 Test This product trial was conducted to evaluate the MCHO inhibition properties of the bag material described herein. Small bags comprising the bag material described herein were formed. The first group of test bags comprised a bag material having an inner layer of polypropylene / POM and embedded calcium propionate. The second group of test backpacks comprised a bag material in which a calcium propionate coating was deposited on the inner surface of the innermost layer, which again comprised a product extracted from polypropylene / polyethylene. A control group of backpacks included the same bag material as the test groups, but without the calcium propionate embedded within or applied to a surface of the innermost layer. The animal feed product, comprising cubed cattle feed, was ground to a reduced size and placed inside each of the bags. At the time of filling, the feed contained approximately 90 to 95% dry matter by weight. The filled bags were then sealed and placed in a chamber containing conditions favorable to accelerated mold growth. These conditions included elevated temperature (32°C) and humidity (>80%). After three weeks in the chamber, all 25 control bags showed visible mold growth, while none of the calcium propionate test bags showed visible mold growth. Therefore, the test bags effectively inhibited mold growth. The environmental conditions maintained within the chamber during the test period may reflect the usual environmental conditions in various animal feed production and packaging plants. As used herein, the term “approximately” that modifies, for example, the amount of a component in a composition, concentration, and ranges of the Ms®, employed in the description of the description modalities, refers to the variation in numerical quantity that may occur, for example, through customary measurement and handling procedures used to make compounds, fields, concentrates, or formulations for use; through inadvertent error in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the starting materials or components used to carry out the methods; and similar considerations.The term "approximately" also encompasses amounts that differ due to the aging of a formulation with a particular initial concentration or mixture, and amounts that differ due to the mixing and processing of a formulation with a particular initial concentration or mixture. When modified by the term "approximately", the appended claims hereto include equivalents to these amounts. Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the preceding description of modalities, several features are sometimes grouped together into a single modality in order to simplify the description and aid in understanding one or more of the various aspects. These methods of description, however, should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly mentioned in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, inventive aspects are contained in at least all the features of an individual modality described above, and each modality described herein may contain more than one inventive feature. Although the present description makes reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for producing a bag for a food product, the method comprising:

1. Providing a multi-layered substrate, the substrate comprising one or more polymers; extruding a polymer film onto a surface of the substrate to form an elongated sheet, wherein the polymer film includes a mold inhibitor; 2. Cutting the elongated sheet into smaller individual sheets; and 3. Joining pairs of the individual sheets along a periphery thereof to form the bag configured to receive the food product, wherein the polymer film covers an inner surface of the bag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-layer substrate comprises: an extruded film product; and a fabric.

3. The method: of claim 2, further comprising an extruded lamination product between the extruded film product and the fabric.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrally mixing the mold inhibitor with a material comprising the poultry film before extruding the polymer film onto the substrate surface, 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mold inhibitor comprises granular or liquid calcium propionate.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing the mold inhibitor onto a polymer film surface to form a coating.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold inhibitor comprises propionic acid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer film comprises approximately 0.1% by weight to approximately 10% by weight of the mold inhibitor.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the food product does not include the mold inhibitor or other mold-inhibiting agent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the food product includes extruded pellets or nuggets for cattle, horses, deer, or domestic pets.

11. A method for inhibiting mold growth within a bag for a food product, the method comprising: adding the food product to the bag, wherein the food product is added at an elevated temperature and an elevated humidity level; sealing the bag containing the food product at the elevated temperature and elevated humidity level; and allowing the food product to cool and release moisture within the bag, wherein the bag comprises a mold inhibitor embedded within or attached to an inner layer thereof, wherein at least approximately three weeks after adding the food product to the bag, no mold growth is observed within the bag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mold inhibitor comprises calcium propionate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the elevated temperature. varies from approximately 25.65 °C (SCTE) to approximately 55.55 °C (150 °F).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the elevated moisture level varies from approximately 11% by weight to approximately 13% by weight.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the food product comprises extracted granules or nuggets.

16. A bag for a food product, the bag comprising: a bag material formed from two or more sheets joined to form a cavity configured to receive the food product, each sheet comprising: a multi-layer substrate; and a polymer film comprising calcium propionate, wherein the polymer film covers an inner surface of the cavity.

17. The bag of claim 16, wherein the calcium propionate is embedded within the polymer film 18. The raft of the ral vindication 16, wherein the calcium prapionate comprises a coating adhered to a polymer film surface. 5 19. The bag of claim 16, wherein the multi-layer substrate comprises: an extruded film product comprising biaxially oriented polypropylene, wherein the extruded film product serves as an outermost layer of the bag material with respect to the cavity; and a fabric comprising woven polypropylene.

20. The bag of claim 16, wherein the polymer film comprises approximately 0.1% by weight to approximately 5% by weight of calcium propionate. 2Q