Hot-Filling Packaging System for Puree Food Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and ecological impact of packaging banana puree in opaque containers due to the need for sanitized equipment and specific caps, which are not always justified, result in expensive and resource-intensive packaging processes.
Innovation Solution
A hot and continuous packaging system using a heat-sealable film to form containers, pasteurize food, and seal them at high temperatures, eliminating the need for sanitized caps and reducing material usage, while incorporating inert gas injection and cooling to preserve food quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold packaging with sanitized bags and sterile caps is used, then food safety is improved, but packaging cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the packaging process from cold (room temperature) to hot (above 80°C). This parameter change allows the use of simple heat-sealable bags without requiring complex sanitized installations or sterile caps, while still ensuring food safety through thermal processing that eliminates bacterial growth risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, reusable sanitized bags and sterile caps with simple, disposable heat-sealable bags. These bags are made from inexpensive materials that can be sealed by heat, eliminating the need for complex sterilization infrastructure and reusable components that require maintenance and validation.
2Reliability
If cold packaging with large capacity bags is used, then hygiene control is improved, but material consumption and carbon footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing from cold to hot packaging parameters, the invention enables the use of thinner, less material-intensive bags that can be safely sealed and disposed of after single use, eliminating the need for thick-walled reusable containers required by cold packaging systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adopts disposable single-use bags that are optimized for the hot filling process, replacing large-capacity reusable bags. This eliminates the need for excessive material thickness and metal containers, reducing overall material consumption and ecological impact.
3Reliability
If sanitized bags and sterile caps are used, then food preservation is improved, but operating cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the packaging temperature parameter to above 80°C, which allows food preservation through thermal processing rather than requiring costly sanitized infrastructure and sterile single-use components. The hot filling process itself ensures preservation while using simple equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive sanitized bags and sterile caps with inexpensive heat-sealable disposable bags. The cost of these simple bags is significantly lower than the combination of sanitized infrastructure, sterile caps, and their associated validation and maintenance costs.
4Reliability
If specific sterile caps are used for each bag, then sealing reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to frequent cap changes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sealing function directly into the bag structure itself through heat-sealable material and integrated sealing flanges. This eliminates the separate cap component entirely, allowing continuous sealing operations without the need to change caps between fills, thereby maintaining sealing reliability while dramatically improving productivity.
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 system significantly reduces costs, simplifies operations, minimizes material usage, and enhances productivity while maintaining food preservation, thus making banana puree packaging more affordable and environmentally friendly.
Implementation Method 1
A system for closing by heat-sealing each container filled with said given quantity
Implementation Method 2
the hot-filling device being arranged to dispense said given quantity of pasteurized food at a temperature above 80°C
Implementation Method 3
a food pasteurization system, equipped with a device for hot-filling each container
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a packaging system (1) for pureed and/or liquid foods. According to the invention, the system (1) comprises: - A system for continuously supplying (2) a heat-sealable film (21); - A device for sequentially forming containers (10) from the heat-sealable film (21); - A food pasteurization system (4), equipped with a hot-filling device (5) for each container (10) formed by the forming device (3), with a given quantity of pasteurized food, the hot-filling device (5) being arranged to distribute said given quantity of pasteurized food at a temperature above 80°C; and - A closure system (6) for heat-sealing each container (10) filled with said given quantity.