Microperforated Packaging Sheet for Cheese Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging sheets for cheese products have issues with direct contact between cheese and paraffin, potential health hazards from paraffin use, and inadequate control of water and air flow, necessitating a paraffin-free solution that maintains product freshness.
Innovation Solution
A packaging sheet with a microperforated internal plastic layer and a non-plastic water-absorbing layer, featuring randomly distributed microperforations for controlled air and water exchange, and an external layer with varying permeability to manage moisture and prevent dehydration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If paraffin is used in the internal membrane to prevent mold growth, then mold prevention is improved, but health safety deteriorates due to potential health issues from paraffin contact with food
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes paraffin from the internal membrane structure entirely, extracting the harmful substance while maintaining the protective function through alternative means (microperforations with controlled air permeability between 15-2000 mL/min Bendtsen that allow air flow to prevent mold without requiring paraffin coating)
Solution Approach 2:
The internal membrane incorporates microperforations creating a porous structure that enables controlled air permeability. This porous design allows air to pass through to prevent mold growth naturally, eliminating the need for paraffin while maintaining reliability in mold prevention
2Reliability
If the internal membrane is made impermeable to prevent contamination, then protection is improved, but water and air flow control deteriorates leading to poor freshness maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The internal membrane features microperforations providing controlled porosity with air permeability of 15-2000 mL/min Bendtsen. This porous structure enables selective permeability that protects against contamination while allowing necessary air and moisture exchange to maintain product freshness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the air permeability parameter of the internal membrane to a specific range (15-2000 mL/min Bendtsen, preferably 15-200 mL/min Bendtsen). This parameter control enables the membrane to provide protection while maintaining freshness through regulated gas and moisture flow
3Productivity
If microperforations are made larger to improve air flow, then air permeability is improved, but water loss increases causing cheese dehydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the microperforation dimensions, specifying that the greatest dimension ranges from 10-500 μm (preferably 50-200 μm). This parameter optimization enables sufficient air permeability (15-2000 mL/min Bendtsen) while maintaining pore sizes small enough to prevent excessive water loss and cheese dehydration
Solution Approach 2:
The microperforations are distributed in a random pattern rather than uniform arrangement, creating local variations in flow paths. This random distribution with controlled size (10-500 μm) allows air to flow through while water molecules, being larger and subject to surface tension, are retained, achieving selective permeability
4Ease of manufacture
If the packaging sheet uses a simple single-layer structure, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but control of water and air flow deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging sheet is segmented into two functional layers: an internal membrane with microperforations for air permeability control (15-2000 mL/min Bendtsen) and an external membrane for moisture management. This segmentation enables sophisticated flow control while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a relatively straightforward laminated structure
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 solution effectively controls air and water flow, prevents dehydration, and extends the conservation time of cheese products while avoiding health risks associated with paraffin, ensuring a safer and more effective packaging solution.
Implementation Method 1
the air permeability of the internal membrane is comprised between 20 and 50000 mL/min Bendtsen, in particular between 15 and 2000 mL/min Bendtsen, and more particularly between 15 and 200 mL/min Bendtsen
Implementation Method 2
allows for a good control of the air and water exchanges through the packaging sheet
Implementation Method 3
The first water-absorbing layer retains the water transferred from the cheese product through the microperforations of the internal membrane
Implementation Method 4
This allows for a sufficient evacuation of the water in liquid and vapor state without drying out the cheese
Data Source
AI summary
Packaging sheet (1) intended for packaging a food product, in particular a cheese product, the packaging sheet (1) comprising:an internal membrane (5) comprising at least one internal plastic layer (7) intended to be oriented towards the product to be packaged; anda printable external surface (10), the external surface (10) being intended to be oriented away from the product to be packaged,characterized in that the or each internal plastic layer (7) has a plurality of microperforations (8, 9) arranged in a random fashion on the or each internal plastic layer (7) in such a manner that the air permeability of the internal membrane (5) is comprised between 20 mL/min Bendtsen and 50000 mL/min Bendtsen.