초록 ▼

A method for the shelf stable packaging of perishable liquid food products in hermetically sealed easy-to-open gable top cartons comprising the steps of cold filling liquid food products free from pathogenic and thermophilic organisms into gable top cartons, sealing the cartons over certain critical

A method for the shelf stable packaging of perishable liquid food products in hermetically sealed easy-to-open gable top cartons comprising the steps of cold filling liquid food products free from pathogenic and thermophilic organisms into gable top cartons, sealing the cartons over certain critical areas of the seal flaps while reducing or relieving sealing pressure over certain other specified areas, heating the sealed carton up to and holding the contents at a pasteurization hold temperature for a predetermined time and then cooling the contents of the carton.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for packaging a perishable liquid product free from pathogenic and thermophilic organisms in a shelf stable gable top carton which includes sealing flaps which comprise side flaps and inwardly folded end flaps, one set of which end flaps is outwardly foldable to form a spout, the process c

A process for packaging a perishable liquid product free from pathogenic and thermophilic organisms in a shelf stable gable top carton which includes sealing flaps which comprise side flaps and inwardly folded end flaps, one set of which end flaps is outwardly foldable to form a spout, the process comprising the sequential steps of: a) cold filling the gable top carton with the product; b) hermetically sealing the carton containing said liquid food product at substantially room temperature by applying a first predetermined amount of pressure to predetermined portions of the sealing flaps that is sufficient to create hermetic seals at these predetermined portions of said sealing flaps, and applying lesser amounts of pressure to other portions of the sealing flaps, said lesser amounts of pressure being sufficient to provide a seal at these other portions of the sealing flaps that in combination with the seal provided by the first predetermined amount of pressure results in an overall hermetic seal which prevents bacteria from entering the carton through said sealing flaps, but which lesser amounts of pressure would not alone be sufficient to prevent bacteria from entering the carton through the sealing flaps if applied across the entire sealing flaps, wherein the carton is easier to open than a carton in which all of the sealed portions of the sealing flaps have been sealed with the first predetermined amount of pressure; c) heating the product in the sealed carton to a pasteurization hold temperature which is above the pasteurization temperature of the product; d) maintaining the food product at the pasteurization hold temperature for sufficient time to provide an adequate kill of microorganisms in the sealed carton; and e) cooling the pasteurized product within the carton so that by filling the carton with product and then sealing the carton before the product is heated, no significant vacuum is created in the course of cooling the product.