Patent ID: 6667273
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: A23L

Abstract:
In a sealed container which contains a product which may be deleteriously affected by oxygen and which contains oxygen and carbon dioxide as a result of a carbon dioxide flush and which has a high moisture content, the improvement of a stable composition for absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide but which will not absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide until after it has been placed in said high moisture container which is subsequently sealed comprising by weight an iron-based component in an amount of between about 15% and 60%, a carbon dioxide releasing component in an amount of between about 8% and 50%, a solid electrolyte material, a dry acidifying component, and dry water-attracting means containing not more than about 3% moisture for maintaining said stable composition dry until it is placed into said high moisture container and thereafter adsorbing moisture from said high moisture content of said sealed container and providing said moisture to both said solid electrolyte material and said dry acidifying component to thereby activate said solid electrolyte material to combine with said iron-based component to absorb oxygen and also activate said acidifying component to combine with said carbon dioxide releasing component to cause it to release carbon dioxide, said activation of said solid electrolyte material and said dry acidifying component occurring only after said dry water-attracting means adsorbs sufficient of said moisture from said sealed container thus avoiding premature activation of said oxygen-absorbing component and said carbon dioxide releasing component.