IMPROVED NET MATERIAL

Abstract: An improved net material for wrapping meat products is described which comprises a plurality of long chain yarns (made from a monofilament material such as polyester) which are stable at high temperatures. The long chain yarns are knitted with elasticated cross-yarns, the monofilament yarn and the cross yarn being stable up to a temperature of about 200 - 210 DEG C.

Description: IMPROVED NET MATERIAL The present invention relates to a net particularly, but not exclusively, for wrapping meat products. There is a constant demand for netting for wrapping meat products and one type of netting commonly used has an inelastic long yarn and an elasticated cross-yarn which is generally circular or spirally wound in the net and which retains the meat on its rolled or wrapped shape. There has been a demand for red nets because certain meat products look more attractive than when packed in normal uncoloured netting. Red netting exists which is made from materials which are stable up to boiling temperature, that is 100° C, however, if the temperature is increased above 100° C for example the 170° to 180° as occurs in roasting then there is a considerable migration of dye colour from the yarn onto the meat product. In addition some of the materials used in certain existing nettings are unstable at roasting temperatures, and degrade or melt and these characteristics are highly undesirable from the consumer's viewpoint. Furthermore, any materials in use with with food must conform to the Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 1987. Copending UK patent applcation filed on even date herewith discloses a solution to the problem of obtaining a yarn which is colourfast at roasting temperatures and which is also stable at these temperatures. However, it is in some cases desirable to be able to produce an uncoloured net which is also stable at high temperatures so that the appearance of the meat product is as if it were skilfully wrapped by tying only string, white or red around the meat, so that the wrapped meat appears attractive to the consumer. This is not possible with existing netting because the long chain yarns are opaque and the net has a 'net 1 appearance. Also other existing clear long chain yarns such as polypropylene or lOpolyethelene are unstable at roasting temperatures and melt or otherwise degrade. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved netting which obviates or mitigates at least one of the aforesaid disadvantages. 5 This is achieved by using a long chain yarn stable at high temperature and a elasticated cross yarn stable at high temperature, with the long chain yarn being made of a monofilament material. According to one aspect of the present invention there 0 is provided a net for wrapping a meat product, said net comprising a plurality of long chain yarns which are stable at high temperatures made from a monofilament material knitted with elasticated cross yarns, the monofilament yarn and the cross yarn being stable up to a 5 temperature about 200 - 210°C Preferably the long chain yarn is a clear monofilament polyester. Preferably also the cross knitted yarn is viscose material, when the yarn is to be coloured. Alternatively the cross-knitted yarn is polyester. Preferably the long chain monofilament polyester yarn is substantially inelastic. Conveniently the cross-knitted yarn is pigment dyed viscose. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing netting for wrapping a meat product, said method comprising the steps of selecting a monofilament yarn which is stable up to about 200 - 210° as the long chain yarn, and knitting the monofilament yarn together with an elasticated cross-yarn stable up to about 200 - 210°C to form a meat netting. Preferably the method includes the step of incorporating a pigment dyed yarn as the cross yarn. Preferably also the method includes the step of manufact¬ uring the long chain yarn from a clear monofilament polyester material. These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which includes examples of net in accordance with the above aspects of the invention. In general it will be understood that meat netting must conform to the above mentioned Food Regulations 1987, and the following examples of products made in accordance with the present invention have met the statutory requirements of the above mentioned Food Regulations 1987 and certification from the appropriate authorities has been obtained. Example 1 An example of an elasticated netting is to be sold under the trademark Scotnet Bacon Roast which consists of long chains of clear monofilament polyester which is knitted with cross-yarns of red viscose. The clear monofilament polyester is stable up to about 200 - 230°C appears in use to be transparent and almost invisible when the meat is wrapped in this netting so that the overall appearance is of a meat product elegantly wrapped only in red elasticated cross-yarn. The red viscose is also stable and colourfast up to temperatures of about 200 - 210°C. Example 2 An elasticated meat netting to be sold under the trade mark (Scotnet Clear) consists of long chains of clear monofilament of polyester yarn knitted with cross-yarns of white polyester. The monofilament yarn and elasticated white polyester yarn are stable at elevated cooking temperatures up to about 200 - 230°C. Consequently these net products are suitable for wrapping meat products which are to be roasted. it will be understood that various modifications may be made to the nets disclosed in the above examples without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the long chain monofilament yarn and cross chain yarns may be made of any suitable high temperature material which can be knitted into a net for use for all foreseeable cooking conditions that is up to about 200°C to 210°C. Examples of such materials are KEVLAR (trade mark), MYLAR (trade mark). In addition the cross-yarn should be made of a material which is readily pigment dyed and which remains dyefast when in contact with animal or vegetable fats over all foreseeable cooking conditions. Advantages of the above examples of the present invention are that the nets are stable over a wide range of cooking temperatures, up to about 200 - 210°C and, if dyed netting is in contact with animal or vegetable fats at roasting temperature, up to 200° to 210°C there is no leaching or migration of the dye from the dyed yarn onto the food product.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. a net for wrapping a meat product, said net comprising a plurality of long chain yarns which are stable at high temperatures made from a monofilament material knitted with elasticated cross yarns, the monofilament yarn and the cross yarn being stable up to a temperature about 200 - 210°C 2. A net as claimed in claim 1 wherein the long chain yarn is a clear monofilament polyester. 3. A net as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cross knitted yarn is viscose material. 4. A net as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cross-knitted yarn is polyester. 5. A net as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the long chain monofilament polyester yarn is substantially inelastic. 6. A net as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cross-knitted yarn is pigment dyed viscose. 7. A method of manufacturing netting for wrapping a meat product, said method comprising the steps of selecting a monofilament yarn which is stable up to about 200 - 210° as the long chain yarn, and knitting the monofilament yarn together with an elasticated cross-yarn stable up to about 200 - 210°C to form a meat netting. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the method includes the step of incorporating a pigment dyed yarn as the cross yarn. 9. A method as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the method includes the step of manufacturing the long chain yarn from a clear monofilament polyester material. 10. A net as substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to exaple 1 or example 2. 11. A method of manufacturing a net substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to example 1 or example 2.

Inventors: WICKLOW TREVOR, WICKLOW, TREVOR
Applicants: WICKLOW TREVOR, WICKLOW, TREVOR
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A22C13
IPC codes: A22C13