초록 ▼

A container capable of creating within it preselected CO2, O2, and moisture concentrations in the presence of respiring fresh fruit, vegetables, or flowers is constructed of a substantially gas-impermeable material having a gas-permeable panel that is substantially impermeable to moisture in one or

A container capable of creating within it preselected CO2, O2, and moisture concentrations in the presence of respiring fresh fruit, vegetables, or flowers is constructed of a substantially gas-impermeable material having a gas-permeable panel that is substantially impermeable to moisture in one or more of its walls to provide a controlled flow of CO2 and O2 through its walls and a cellophane panel that is substantially impermeable to the flow of CO2 and O2 in one or more of its walls to provide a controlled flow of moisture through its walls. The gas-permeable panel is a uniaxially or biaxially oriented film where the size of the area it covers is a function of its permeance, the amount and respiration rate of the contents, and the desired steady-state oxygen concentration. The size of the cellophane panel is a function of its permeance to water vapor and the desired rate of removal of water vapor from the package.

대표청구항 ▼

A container for retarding the maturation of respiring fresh produce selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, or flowers contained therein by creating within the container preselected carbon dioxide, oxygen, and moisture concentrations in the presence of said respiring fresh fruit, v

A container for retarding the maturation of respiring fresh produce selected from the group consisting of fruits, vegetables, or flowers contained therein by creating within the container preselected carbon dioxide, oxygen, and moisture concentrations in the presence of said respiring fresh fruit, vegetables, or flowers, said container being constructed of a substantially gas-impermeable material completely enclosing said fresh fruit, vegetables, or flowers, said gas impermeable material having both a gas-permeable panel that is substantially impermeable to moisture in one or more of its walls to provide a controlled flow or flux of CO2 and O2 through its walls and a cellophane panel that is permeable to moisture while being substantially impermeable to the flow of O2 and CO2 in one or more of its walls to provide a controlled flow of moisture through its walls, wherein the gas-permeable panel is a microporous plastic membrane that is a uniaxially or biaxially oriented film of a polymer selected from a homopolymer, copolymer, or blends thereof of a polymeric material, sais oriented film having an oxygen and carbon dioxide permeance between about 5,000 and 10,000,000 cc/100 in2-atm-day, the permeance and area of the membrane being such as to provide both a flux of O2 and CO2 approximately equal to the predicted O2 to CO2 respiration rates for not more than 3.0 kg of the enclosed fruit, vegetable, or flower, and having an O2 to CO2 permeance ratio of about 1 sufficient to maintain retardation of the maturation process of said produce for said 3.0 kg of enclosed produce, said cellophane panel having a water vapor permeance of from about 2-30 grams/100 in2-day and area sufficient to vent from said container excess moisture liberated from said respiring produce to prevent slimy wet surfaces on said produce without inducing excessive drying out of said produce.