A MILK PRODUCT PACKAGE

Abstract: The present invention relates to a milk product package useful for indicating milk acidity. This container is comprised of any (standard type of) milk product container, a transparent (impermeable) window (4) integrated into any side of the container (where the interior side of the window is in contact with the milk product and the exterior side of the window may be observed without opening the container), and a color changing acidity indicator located on the interior side of the window.

Description: A MLLK PRODUCT PACKAGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a milk product package useful for indicating milk acidity. More specifically, the present invention relates to a milk product package having a transparent impermeable window through which a color changing acidity indicator, located in contact with the milk product, may be observed. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Consumption of spoiled milk products is unhealthy. This has caused most milk product distributors to place a final date for marketing on iriilk products. Use of such a final date alleviates part of the problem, since under proper refrigeration conditions the milk product will not spoil before this date. However, much un-spoiled milk is destroyed by reason of having reached this date. Furthermore, there remain many cases where the careless lack of refrigeration of milk products (as part of their distribution cycle) leads to the existence of milk product spoilage prior to the market expiration date. The change of the acidity level of milk products (beyond a predetermined level) is normally indicative of spoilage. This phenomenon is well known to the public, and is a used laboratory procedure in commercial dairy product processing. Furthermore, color changing acidity indicators are well known to modern chemists, including many which are non-toxic (e.g. litmus paper, cotton cloth impregnated with red cabbage extract concentrate, etc.). Surprisingly, these color changing acidity indicators have never been incorporated into distribution containers used to market milk products. The present invention brings together these factors for the public convenience, and also contributes to the saving of much un-spoiled milk from destruction. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a milk product package useful for indicating milk acidity. This container is comprised of any (standard type of) milk product container, a transparent (impermeable) window integrated into any side of the container (where the interior side of the window is in contact with the milk product and the exterior side of the window may be observed without opening the container), and a color changing acidity indicator located on the interior side of the window. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the context of the present invention, a "container" relates to the hollow holding ' section of a vessel wherein a milk product is distributed for sale, or to the cover used for closing such a vessel. This cover may be of the replaceable type (for opening and re-closing of the container) or the cover may be integrally attached to the vessel (for one time opening of the vessel). A "milk product" (according to the present invention) relates to any edible substance which contains some dairy contents and which spoils by souring. Examples of such products include whole milk, skim milk, chocolate milk, butter milk, gamma irradiated milk, cream, soft cheese, cottage cheese, hard cheese, whey, yogurt (flavored, sweetened, or un-flavored), butter, dairy margarine, sandwich spreads formulated using powdered milk, etc., any watery discharge therefrom, or any watery separation thereof. According to the present invention a milk product container is any container used for the distribution of milk products or for the sales of milk products; such as a waxed carton, a plastic bottle, a plastic cup, a foil cover, a cardboard cover, a plastic cover, a plastic bag, a plastic tube, a foil bag, a foil tube, a thin film wrapper, a glass bottle, a bottle cap, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a "color changing acidity indicator" relates any non-toxic chemical having a color change threshold in the vicinity (at the approximate measurement value) wherein the acid level of the designated milk product is either unacceptable for sales or unacceptable for consumption. It is also a necessary condition for the indicator to remain active and concentrated in the location desired for observation - even when the indicator has been in continuous contact with the milk product for the entire product freshness life (or shelf life); which may be less than a week for a fresh milk product or may be over a year for a gamma irradiated milk product. It is also preferred that this active and concentrated condition (of the acidity indicator) does not cause a change in the color, taste, or smell of the milk product (for most applications). According to the present invention, "contact" relates either to the continuous touching of some portion of the milk product with the color changing acidity indicator, or to the occasional touching of some portion of the milk product with the color changing acidity indicator. For example, continuous touching occurs in a box of milk when the indicator is located below the upper surface of the milk as it normally sits in the upright container, and occasional touching occurs from placing the indicator above this normal orientation upper surface so that the box need be tilted to wet (or re-wet) the indicator. Occasional touching may also occur when the indicator is placed in the containers cover (forcing the container to be inverted in order to activate or to re-activate the indicator). The present invention relates to a milk product package useful for indicating milk acidity, comprised of a milk product container having an impermeable transparent window (located such that the interior side of the window is in contact with the milk product and the exterior side of the window may be observed without opening the container), and a color changing acidity indicator located on the interior side of the window. There are many embodiments provided according to the package of the present invention whereby the indicator is incorporated into the package such as to simultaneously fulfill the conditions of contact with the milk product and visibility from outside. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the color changing acidity indicator is integral to the interior surface of the window. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the container has a perforated or permeable membrane affixed on it's edges to the interior surface of the window, such that the color changing acidity indicator is located in the space formed between the window and the membrane. This is a convenient embodiment for bottle caps and other container covers. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the window is affixed over a perforated section of the container, such that the color changing acidity indicator is located in the space formed between the window and the container. This embodiment is convenient for the retro-fitting of the window onto a classical container such as a waxed carton for milk or a plastic shrink wrapper for whey exuding cheese. Furthermore, there are numerous intermediate embodiments of the present invention. For example, one where the color changing acidity indicator is integral to the interior surface of the window and simultaneously where this window is affixed to the outside of the container with the indicator brought in contact with the milk product by perforating of the container (as part of the manufacture process) opposite the window. According to another intermediate embodiments of the present invention, cap portion (covering member) of the package is comprised of the window, the indicator, and a perforated or permeable membrane (affixed on it's edges to the interior surface of the window). Accordmg to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, symbols are printed onto the outside of the window, and the color of these symbols is either the color of the indicator in contact with a fresh milk product or the color of the indicator in contact with a spoiled milk product. For example, if the indicator changes from blue in a neutral milk acid environment to red in a sour (acid) milk environment, then symbols (such as a happy face or the word "FRESH") are printed in red so as to be visible only when juxtaposed against the blue indicator background and/or symbols (such as a sad face or the word "SPOILED") are printed in blue so as to be visible only when juxtaposed against the red indicator background. The present invention will be further described and clarified in detail by Figures 1-3. These figures are solely intended to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. Figure 1 illustrates a frontal view of a milk carton having milk acidity indicator window. Figure 2 illustrates a side view of a milk carton having milk acidity indicator window. Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a milk cation having two milk acidity indicator windows. Figure 1 illustrates a frontal view of a milk carton having milk acidity indicator window. A front surface (1) and a top surface (2) of a waxed cardboard milk carton are shown. The top surface also has an integrated re-seal-able spout (3). Integrated into the front surface is a transparent window (4). The interior side of the window is in contact with the milk and the exterior side of the window may be observed without opening the milk carton. A color changing acidity indicator is located (integrated) on the interior side of the window. For the expected product life of contained milk, the indicator will either be color "one" (when the milk is fresh) or color "two" (when the milk is sour). Printed onto the outside of the window is the word "FRESH" (5) in color "two" and the word "SPOILED" (6) in color "one". Thus if the milk is fresh then the word "FRESH" appears in color "two" on a color "one" (indicator) background, and if the milk is sour then the word "SPOILED" appears in color "one" on a color "two" (indicator) background. Figure 2 illustrates a side view of a milk carton having milk acidity indicator window. A side surface (7) and a top enfolded surface (8) of a waxed cardboard milk carton are shown. Integrated into the side surface is a transparent window (9). The interior side of the window is in contact with the milk and the exterior side of the window may be observed without opening the milk carton. A color changing acidity indicator is located (integrated) on the interior side of the window. For the expected product life of contained milk, the indicator will either be color "one" (when the milk is fresh) or color "two" (when the milk is sour). Printed onto the outside of the window is the word "FRESH" (5) in color "two" and the word "SPOILED" (6) in color "one". Thus if the milk is fresh then the word "FRESH" appears in color "two" on a color "one" (indicator) background, and if the milk is sour then the word "SPOILED" appears in color "one" on a color "two" (indicator) background. Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a milk carton having two milk acidity indicator windows. A front surface (1), a top surface (2), a side surface (7), and a top enfolded surface (8) of a waxed cardboard milk carton are shown. The top surface also has an integrated re-seal-able spout (3). Integrated into the front and side surfaces are transparent windows (4) (9). The interior side of each window is in contact with the milk and the exterior side of each window may be observed without opening the milk carton. A color changing acidity indicator is located (integrated) on the interior side of each window. For the expected product life of contained milk, the indicators will either be color "one" (when the milk is fresh) or color "two" (when the milk is sour). Printed onto the outside of each window is the word "FRESH" (5) in color "two" and the word "SPOILED" (6) in color "one". Thus if the milk is fresh then the word "FRESH" appears in color "two" on a color "one" (indicator) background, and if the milk is sour then the word "SPOILED" appears in color "one" on a color "two" (indicator) background.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A milk product package useful for indicating milk acidity, comprising a milk product container having an impermeable transparent window and the interior side of said window is in contact with the milk product and the exterior side of said window may be observed without opening said container, and a color changing acidity indicator located on the interior side of said window. 2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the milk product container is selected from a waxed carton, a plastic bottle, a plastic cup, a foil cover, a cardboard cover, a plastic cover, a plastic bag, a plastic tube, a foil bag, a foil tube, a thin film wrapper, a glass bottle, a bottle cap, or any combination thereof. 3. A package according to claim 1 wherein the color changing acidity indicator is integral to the interior surface of the window. 4. A package according to claim 1 having a perforated or permeable membrane affixed on it's edges to the interior surface of the window, such that the color changing acidity indicator is located in the space formed between said window and said membrane. 5. A package according to claim 1 wherein the window is affixed over a perforated section of the container, such that the color changing acidity indicator is located in the space formed between said window and said container. 6. A package according to claim 1 wherein symbols are printed onto the outside of the window, and the color of said symbols is either the color of the indicator in contact with a fresh milk product or the color of the indicator in contact with a spoiled milk product. 7. A milk product package useful for indicating milk acidity, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.

Inventors: CARMEL AVI, LEV ARI AMIT, LIBERMAN AMIR, CARMEL, AVI, LEV ARI, AMIT, LIBERMAN, AMIR
Applicants: CARMEL AVI, LEV ARI AMIT, LIBERMAN AMIR, CARMEL, AVI, LEV ARI, AMIT, LIBERMAN, AMIR
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65D79
IPC codes: B65D79