Food Package Mineral Oil Barrier Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current food packaging materials fail to effectively prevent the migration of mineral oils from recycled paper or cardboard into food products, posing a risk of contamination.

Innovation Solution

A food package design featuring an inner packaging material made from cellulose-containing natural fibers with a coating of platy pigments and binding agents, such as acrylate latex, styrene butadiene latex, and polyvinyl alcohol, which acts as a barrier to mineral oil migration, allowing the use of recycled materials while ensuring food safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If recycled cardboard or paper is used for the outer package, then environmental friendliness and cost are improved, but mineral oil migration into food occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemineral oil migrationVSAvoiduse of recycled materials
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an inner package as an intermediary barrier between the recycled outer package and the food. This inner package is specifically designed with coating layers that prevent mineral oil migration while allowing the outer package to use recycled materials for environmental and economic benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The packaging system is divided into separate functional layers: an outer package for structural support and environmental benefits, and an inner package with specialized coating layers for preventing mineral oil migration. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If conventional plastic barriers are used to prevent mineral oil migration, then food safety is improved, but environmental friendliness and recyclability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood safetyVSAvoidenvironmental impact
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inner package uses composite material structures with multiple coating layers including clay-based barriers and organic coatings. These composite materials provide effective mineral oil migration prevention while maintaining compatibility with recyclable paper and cardboard substrates, avoiding conventional plastics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical and physical parameters of paper-based materials through specialized coating applications. By changing the surface properties and barrier characteristics of the inner package through coating layers, it achieves plastic-level protection against mineral oil migration while maintaining recyclability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a complex multi-layer coating system is used to prevent mineral oil migration, then barrier effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemineral oil barrier effectivenessVSAvoidcoating system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different coating layers with specific properties to different locations and functions within the inner package structure. Each coating layer is optimized for its specific role in the barrier system, providing targeted protection where needed while simplifying other areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The inner packaging material effectively prevents the migration of mineral oils, enabling the use of recycled fibers and inks, thereby ensuring food safety and allowing for environmentally friendly packaging that can be recycled or composted.

Implementation Method 1

a coating on at least one surface of the base paper, the coating comprising a coating layer that contains platy coating pigment and binding agent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

The inner packaging material effectively prevents the migration of mineral oils

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP2872330B1Package for foodstuff
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 UPM SPECIALTY PAPERS OY
  • EP2872330B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2872330B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2872330B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a food package comprising an outer package (1 b) that contains mineral oil, and an inner package (1 b) which is placed inside the outer package (1 b). The inner package (1a) contains at least 50% of inner packaging material (2) that contains from 0 to less than 2 g/m2 of biopolymers, and base paper (4). The base paper contains a coating (3) that comprises one or more platy coating pigments, and binding agent comprising acrylate latex, styrene butadiene latex, styrene acrylate latex, and/or polyvinyl alcohol. 20 to 60 wt-% of the total dry weight of said platy coating pigment and polyvinyl alcohol consists of polyvinyl alcohol. Moreover, the total dry weight of said platy coating pigment and binding agent constitutes at least 70 wt-% of said coating (3). The invention also relates to inner packaging material and the use of inner packaging material.