Patent ID: 9101157
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: A23L,B32B,B65B,D21J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for packaging and stabilizing a food product consisting essentially of the steps of: providing an open container from a sheet or web comprising a laminate including a base layer formed from a liquid absorbing material selected from the group consisting of paper and cardboard, at least one outer layer comprising a first polymeric material and facing the outside of said container, at least one inner layer comprising a second polymeric material and facing the inside of said container and at least one barrier layer comprising aluminum between said base layer and said inner layer, said open container being formed by heat sealing the sheet or web to itself; adding a food product to the inside of the open container under non-aseptic conditions; closing the container opening and thereby sealing the inside of the container from exposure to external microbial attack; exposing the outside of the container to moist heat at autoclaving temperature; maintaining said exposure to said moist heat for a time sufficient to heat said container and said food product to a temperature providing stabilization of said food product via sterilization while simultaneously retaining a level of dimensional stability and mechanical strength in said container for transport and subsequent storage of said container; and thereafter allowing the container and the food product contained therein to cool, wherein said polymeric material in said inner and outer layers each has a melting point sufficiently high to withstand exposure to said moist heat in a manner consistent with said dimensional stability and mechanical strength of said sealed container, and wherein said inner layer polymeric material and said outer layer polymeric material are selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and oriented polypropylene.