Patent ID: 7798359

Claim:
A heat-sealed, peelable lidding membrane for retort packaging comprising: a top layer wherein said top layer prevents tearing of said membrane during removal from a container; a foil layer laminated to said top layer with a first adhesive layer; a co-extruded layer affixed directly to said foil layer with a second adhesive layer, said co-extruded layer having a plastic body co-extruded with a heat-sealable sealing resin layer, wherein said heat-sealable sealing resin layer is adapted to sealingly engage a container rim surrounding a container opening; and wherein said co-extruded plastic body of said co-extruded layer has a low density polyethylene layer and a linear medium-density polyethylene layer, wherein said low density polyethylene layer is co-extruded between said co-extruded linear medium-density polyethylene layer and said co-extruded heat-sealable sealing resin layer, wherein said plastic body of said co-extruded layer prevents tearing of said co-extruded layer and causes fracture and delamination of said heat-sealable sealing resin layer from said container rim when said heat-sealed peelable lidding membrane is removed from said container rim.