Modified Atmosphere Packaging Reducing Headspace Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging methods for meat products, particularly those using modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), face challenges in maintaining the red meat color and uniformity due to excessive headspace requirements and the need for secondary packaging, which increases costs and reduces shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A packaging method using a specialized gas mixture of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen (N2) to reduce the headspace within the package, combined with a formable and shrinkable film to create trays, allowing for a smaller package size and improved color retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a permeable film is used to maintain red meat color, then the meat color is preserved, but the shelf life is very short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere packaging by filling the package headspace with a gas mixture of nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). This inert environment displaces oxygen and prevents oxidative reactions that would otherwise occur during storage, thereby extending shelf life while maintaining the bloomed red meat color through the presence of CO and O2 equilibrium.
2Reliability
If a motherbag (secondary packaging) is used to create low oxygen atmosphere, then the shelf life is prolonged, but the handling complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the primary packaging function with the atmosphere modification function into a single integrated system. Instead of using a separate motherbag for atmosphere control and a separate inner pack for the product, the invention combines both functions in one package structure that is filled with the protective gas mixture, thereby simplifying the overall packaging system and reducing handling complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If high oxygen packages (60-80% oxygen) are used to maintain bloomed red meat color, then the color is preserved, but other oxidative reactions reducing shelf life are induced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the atmospheric composition parameters by using a controlled gas mixture rather than pure oxygen or air. The specific formulation of nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) in defined proportions creates an optimal atmosphere that maintains the bloomed red color through CO-myoglobin formation while limiting oxidative reactions through reduced oxygen content and the presence of antimicrobial CO2.
4Strength
If excessive headspace is provided in the package, then the product is protected from collapse, but the packaging material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes pneumatic pressure from the gas mixture (N2, CO2, CO) to maintain structural integrity of the package. The gas pressure exerted by the atmosphere inside the package provides the necessary support to prevent collapse of the tray and film structure, eliminating the need for excessive headspace while still protecting the product. This allows reduction of film and sheet material quantities.
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 approach reduces packaging costs, maintains the bloomed red meat color, and extends shelf life by minimizing oxidative reactions and eliminating the need for secondary packaging, while ensuring homogeneous color distribution within the package.
Implementation Method 1
The reduction of the headspace is accompanied by the usage of a special gas mixture to surround the product. This gas mixture comprises carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2).
Implementation Method 2
The usage of carbon monoxide which helps preserving the bloomed red meat color and which is applied in small concentrations of less than 5% with respect to the volume.
Implementation Method 3
the carbon dioxide has antimicrobial effects
Implementation Method 4
the covering sheet material is a formable film, which can be for example a material that can be used to form trays, but also for example a shrinkable material
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a package with an inner volume of the package containing a headspace volume and a volume taken by the product, and a packaging machine. To allow the reduction of the size of such a package, the package is formed providing a product to be packaged inside the package; providing a tray with its height being smaller than the maximum height of the product; placing the product into the tray; replacing the atmosphere surrounding the product by a gas mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen; covering the tray containing the product by a formable sheet material; forming the formable sheet material and sealing tray together with the formable sheet material, so that the headspace volume containing the gas mixture makes at most half of the volume taken by the product inside the package.