IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE STORAGE OF FOOD

Abstract: Food is prepared for storage in a deep freeze cabinet (10) by placing portions of a first variety of meat in respective plastics bags having the same colour, placing portions of a second variety of meat in respective plastics bags having the same colour as one another, but differing from the colour of the first bags, the colour for each variety of meat being selected in accordance with a predetermined code represented on a chart (19).

Description: Title: "Improvements relating to the Storage of Food" Description of Invention According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a collection of food packages in a deep freeze food storage cabinet wherein the collection includes several sets of packages, each package comprising an envelope of sheet material and a quantity of food in the envelope, the food in all packages of each set having a common characteristic which distinguishes that food from the food in the packages of the other sets and the envelope of all packages of each set being of the same colour but different in colour from the envelopes of the packages of the other sets. Selection of a package containing a particular kind of food from the collection is facilitated by the colours of the envelopes, since it is necessary merely to locate a package of a particular colour, in order to retrieve a particular kind of food. There is preferably associated with the collection of food packages a chart on which there are associated, with samples of the colours of the envelopes, respective characteristics of the food in the packages of each set. The chart may be mounted on a surface presented by the cabinet or on a structure adjacent to the cabinet. Conveniently, the chart is mounted on an external surface of a wall of the cabinet. There is also provided in accordance with the invention a collection comprising a plurality of sets of coloured plastics bags, the bags of each set being of a common colour which is different from the colours of the bags of the other sets, and a chart in which there are associated, with samples of the colours of the bags, respective characteristics of food. According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of storing food wherein portions of food having a common characteristic are placed in respective bags of a single colour, further portions of food having a different common characteristics are placed in respective bags of a different colour, the colours being selected according to a predetermined code in which said characteristics are represented by respective colours and storing the bagged portions together in a deep freeze cabinet. Thus a bag of food having a selected one of said characteristics may be selected by identifying the colour of the bag and be removed from the cabinet for use. The invention is especially useful with meat. It is common for portions of meat derived from different animals to be stored together in a single deep freeze cabinet. The portions are normally sealed inside respective plastic bags. The bags are of transparent material and skilled persons can recognise the type of meat, that is whether the meat is beef, pork or lamb, for example, by visual inspection of the meat through the plastics bag, when the meat is first placed therein. However, when the meat has been frozen, recognition is more difficult. After being stored for a period in a deep freeze cabinet, each package of meat will have acquired a coating of frost and this can prevent even skilled persons recognizing the kind of meat in a particular packcge. In application of the present invention, there is established a code in which different colours represent different kinds of meat. Bags formed of plastics sheet material in corresponding colours are provided and ecch portion of meat is packed in a bag selected in accordance with the code. The colour of the bag may represent not only animal from which the meat has been derived but additional characteristics also, for excmple the cut of the meat. The code may include representation by particular colours of other kinds of food, for example fruit and vegetables. For example, bags of one colour may be used for containing raspberries whilst bags of another colour are used for containing strawberries. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing, there is ilustrated a deep freeze cabinet containing a collection of food packages in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; and In Figure 2, there is represented a package containing several sets of bags and a chart suitable for use in a method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The deep freeze cabinet 10 shown in figure I may be any known deep freeze cabinet. On an external surface of the cabinet there is mounted a chart 19 bearing a colour code for different varieties of food. For example, the chart may associate the colour red with beef, the colour blue with pork and the colour green with lamb. The variety of meat, may be identified by a word, an illustration or both. Additional varieties of food may be coded, for example the colour red being associated also with strawberries, the colour blue being associated also with raspberries and the colour green being associated also with cherries. I Q The deep freeze cabinet 10 contains a number of sets of packages. Each package comprises an envelope of plastics sheet material and a quantity of food in the envelope. The food in each envelope is all of the same variety. Furthermore, the food in ail envelopes of one set is all of the same variety but is of a variety different from that of the food in the other sets. The 5 envelopes of the packages are coloured in accordance with the code on the chart 19. Thus, for example, the packages 1 1 and 18 may be red and may contain beef, the packages 12 and 13 may be blue and contain pork, the packages 14 and 15 may be green and contain lamb, the package 17 may be red and contain strawberries and the package 16 may contain raspberries. o Even after the packages have become frosted, they can still be distinguished by colour. The envelopes of the packages I I to 18 are bags of pigmented polyethylene film and are manufactured in a known manner. Figure 2 illustrates a package comprising an outer envelope 20, which may also be a 5 bag of plastics film, a chart 19 and a number of sets of coloured bags 21 , 22 and 23. The sets of bags and the chart are all contained within the envelope 20. Preferably, the chart is in a folded condition whereas each of the bags is flat. All of the bags of the sets 21 ,22 and 23 may be of the same size. 0 Alternatively, each set may include bags having respective different sizes. The bags of each set are the same colour and are different in colour from the bags of the other sets. It will be understood that, whilst only three sets of bags have been illustrated, a greater number, for example six sets, may be provided. 5 When food is prepared for storage in the deep freeze cabinet 10, each portion of food is placed in a bag selected from the contents of the envelope 20 in accordance with the code on the chart 19 and the bag is closed in a known manner. The packages thus formed are placed together in the deep freeze cabinet. It will be understood that a portion of a selected variety of food can subsequently be retrieved relatively easily, using the colour code. It is unnecessary for different varieties of food to be stored in different compartments of the freezer cabinet. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims: CLAIMS:- 1. A collection of food packages in a deep freeze food storage cabinet ( 10) wherein the collection includes several sets of packages ( I I to 18), the each package comprising an envelope of sheet material and a quantity of food in the envelope, the food in all packages of each set having a common characteristic which distinguishes that food from the food in the packages of the other sets and the envelope of all packages of each set being of the same colour but different in colour from the envelopes of the packages of the other sets. 2. A collection of food packages according to Claim I wherein at least two of said sets include respective envelopes having the same size but being of different colour. 3. In association with a col lection of food packages according to Claim I , a chart on which there are associated, with samples of the colours of the envelopes, respective characteristics of the food in the packages of each set, the chart being mounted on the ccbinet containing the food packages. 4. A collection comprising a plurality of sets of coloured plastics bags (21 ,22,23), the bags of each set being of a common colour which is different from the colours of bags of the other sets, and a chart ( 1 ) in which there are associated, with samples of the colours of the bags, respective characteristics of different foods. 5. A pack comprising an outer envelope (20) containing a plurality of sets of coloured plastics bags (21 ,22,23), the bags of each set being of a common colour which is different from the colours of the bags of the other sets. 6. A pack according to Claim 5 further comprising a chart ( 19) in which there are associated, with samples of the colours of the bags, respective characteristics of different food, the chart also being within the envelope. 7. A method of storing food wherein portions of food having a common characteristic are placed in respective bags of a single colour, further portions of food having a different common characteristic are placed in respective bags of a different colour, the colours being selected according to a predetermined code in which said characteristics are represented by respective colours, and wherein the bagged portions are stored together in a deep freeze cabinet. 8. A method according to Claim 7 wherein selected portions of food are retrieved in accordance with said code. 9. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.

Inventors: WHEELDON STEPHEN ROBERT, WHEELDON, STEPHEN, ROBERT
Applicants: WHEELDON STEPHEN ROBERT, WHEELDON, STEPHEN, ROBERT
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B65D33
IPC codes: B65D30, B65D33, B65G1, G09F3