Oxygen-Reduced Food Packaging via Liquid Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for packaging oxygen-sensitive non-liquid food products, such as vegetables, in containers with low oxygen content are inefficient, requiring low machine speeds, expensive non-oxidizing gases, and strong packaging, while also struggling with reproducibility and high industrial investments.
Innovation Solution
A method involving filling containers with products under an uncontrolled atmosphere, expelling air with a liquid, placing them in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere, and sealing while maintaining the gas inside, which can be implemented on a continuous production line using a tunnel filled with non-oxidizing gas, allowing for thinner containers and higher production rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If vacuum packaging is used to reduce oxygen content, then oxygen content is reduced, but machine speed must be reduced and packaging strength must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by filling the container with nitrogen gas (or other non-oxidizing gas) to displace oxygen, rather than using vacuum. This allows the container to be filled at high speeds while maintaining low oxygen content through the inert gas environment, resolving the contradiction between oxygen reduction and production speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a liquid filling process where liquid is introduced to expel air from the container, then the container is sealed. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach allows rapid filling and air expulsion at industrial speeds, eliminating the need for slow vacuum packaging while achieving low oxygen content through subsequent inert gas filling.
2Quantity of substance
If vacuum packaging is used to reduce oxygen content, then oxygen content is reduced, but packaging thickness must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
By using inert gas atmosphere instead of vacuum, the packaging does not need to withstand significant pressure differentials. This eliminates the requirement for thick packaging walls (at least 0.18 mm) that would be needed to resist vacuum implosion, allowing thinner, more economical packaging while maintaining low oxygen content.
3Quantity of substance
If non-oxidizing gas is blown at head space to reduce oxygen, then oxygen content is reduced, but gas consumption increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses liquid filling to expel air from the container before sealing, rather than relying solely on gas blowing. This liquid-based air expulsion method is more efficient and consumes less non-oxidizing gas, reducing both gas consumption and associated costs while achieving effective oxygen reduction.
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
This method achieves a significant reduction in oxygen content within the packaging, achieving concentrations of less than 12 ppm, and can be implemented with lower industrial investments, using less expensive packaging and maintaining product integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the air is expelled from the container by filling with a liquid to refusal
Implementation Method 2
the container is emptied of the liquid, in whole or in part, under a non-oxidizing atmosphere while maintaining the said products in the said container so that the said at least one non-oxidizing gas replaces the said liquid in the said container
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for packaging non-liquid food products, particularly those sensitive to oxygen, such as vegetables, in a container with a low oxygen content, said container including an opening. The invention is characterised in that the method comprises the following steps: the container is filled with the products, in a non-controlled atmosphere; the air is removed from the container by filling same to capacity with a liquid; the full container is placed in a non-oxidising atmosphere formed by at least one non-oxidising gas; the liquid is fully or partially emptied from the container in a non-oxidising atmosphere while the food products are kept in the container, such that the at least one non-oxidising gas replaces the liquid in the container; and the above-mentioned container opening is closed in a gas-tight manner in a non-oxidising atmosphere. The invention also relates to a unit for carrying out said method.