Patent ID: 6746630
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: A23L,C09K,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of detecting seal breakage or incomplete seal formation in a package, said method comprising the steps of:(i) providing said package, prior to sealing, with a strip or ring of an indicator comprising an oxygen scavenging composition which includes a source of labile hydrogen or electrons and at least one reducible organic compound, wherein said strip or ring is located on an internal surface adjacent to where a seal is to be formed, (ii) treating the strip or ring with visible or ultraviolet light of a predetermined intensity or wavelength or &ggr;-rays, corona discharge, an electron beam or heat so as to reduce the reducible organic compound to a reduced form which is oxidizable by ground state molecular oxygen reguardless of the presence of a transition metal catalyst and such that, when oxidised, there is a detectable change in a characteristic of said composition selected from the group consisting of: colour, fluorescence emission and UV-visible, infrared or near-infrared absorption, (iii) subjecting said packaging to a sealing process intended to seal the package, and (iv) detecting, in the sealed package, a change in said characteristic of said composition, wherein any detected change is indicative of seal breakage or incomplete seal formation; wherein steps (ii) and (iii) may be carried out in either order.