Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
  • B65D85/34—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for fruit, e.g. apples, oranges or tomatoes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/02—Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
  • B65B25/04—Packaging fruit or vegetables
  • B65B25/041—Packaging fruit or vegetables combined with their conservation
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/24—Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants

Definitions

• This invention relates to the packaging of bananas.
• a respiring material should be stored in a container whose permeability to O 2 and CO 2 is correlated with (i) the atmosphere outside the package, (ii) the rates at which the material consumes O 2 and produces CO 2 , and (iii) the temperature, to produce the desired atmosphere within the container.
• CAP controlled atmosphere packaging
• MAP modified atmosphere packaging
• Bananas are respiring biological materials whose storage and ripening present the most serious problems because
• a serious disadvantage of the conventional procedure is the need to harvest the bananas a good while before they are fully grown. It would be desirable to harvest the bananas at a later time, when they are larger. However, the later the bananas are picked, the greater the propensity for their climacteric to be triggered by small concentrations of ethylene, and experience has shown that if the bananas are harvested later than the presently established timetables, this results in prematurely ripe bananas when the bananas are shipped in vented bags, and in so-called "green-ripe" bananas when the bananas are shipped in sealed bags. Green-ripe bananas soften, but remain green, and have an unpleasant flavor.
• Another serious disadvantage of the conventional procedure is that, in order to ripen the green bananas by exposing them to ethylene, it is necessary to open each of the shipping bags if, as in most cases, the bags have been sealed during shipping.
• Another serious disadvantage of the conventional procedure is that the heat generated by the ripening of the bananas is generated over a relatively short period of time, which heats the bananas to an extent that causes dehydration of the bananas and/or increases the demand on the refrigeration equipment used to keep the bananas cool.
• the present invention mitigates or overcomes one or more of these disadvantages by packaging bananas in a bag (or other container) having designed permeabilities to oxygen (O 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and in many aspects of the invention, also to ethylene.
• Some embodiments of the invention make it possible to maintain bananas, before and/or after their climacteric in a packaging atmosphere which enables storage and/or ripening of green bananas in a controlled fashion.
• Other embodiment of the invention make it possible to store bananas, after their climacteric, within a desired range of color stages (e.g. within the range most attractive for retail sale) for a longer period than is possible under conventional practice.
• the containers used in the present invention preferably, but not necessarily, include at least one atmosphere control member which provides a pathway for O 2 and CO 2 , and which comprises a gas-permeable membrane comprising
• this invention provides a container which is suitable for packaging bananas and which has at least one, and preferably both, of the following characteristics
• this invention provides a method of ripening green bananas which comprises
• this invention provides a method of ripening green bananas which comprises
• this invention provides a method of storing green bananas which comprises
• this invention provides a package which is stored in air and which comprises
• this invention provides a package which comprises
• this invention provides a method of ripening green bananas which comprises
• this invention provides a method of ripening green bananas which comprises
• this invention provides a method of storing green bananas which comprises
• this invention relates to the use, in packaging bananas, of a container including at least one permeable control member which provides a pathway for O 2 and CO 2 , and which comprises a gas-permeable membrane comprising
• OTR O 2 permeability
• COTR CO 2 permeability
• EtTR ethylene transmission rate.
• OTR, COTR and EtTR values are given in ml/m 2 .atm.24 hrs; in some cases, the equivalent in cc/100 inch 2 .atm.24 hrs is given in parentheses.
• OTR and COTR values referred to herein can be measured using a permeability cell (supplied by Millipore) in which a mixture of O 2 , CO 2 and helium is applied to the sample, using a pressure of 0.7 kg/cm 2 (10 psi) except where otherwise noted, and the gases passing through the sample were analyzed for O 2 and CO 2 by a gas chromatograph.
• the cell could be placed in a water bath to control the temperature.
• the abbreviation P 10 is used to denote the ratio of the oxygen permeability'at a first temperature T 1 °C to the oxygen permeability at a second temperature T 2 , where T 2 is (T 1 -10)°C, T 1 being 10oC and T 2 being 0oC unless otherwise noted.
• R or R ratio is used to denote the ratio of CO 2 permeability to O 2 permeability, both permeabilities being measured at 20°C unless otherwise noted. Pore sizes given in this specification are measured by mercury porosimetry or an equivalent procedure. Parts and percentages are by weight, except for percentages of gases, which are by volume; temperatures are in degrees Centigrade, and molecular weights are weight average molecular weights expressed in Daltons.
• T o is used to denote the onset of melting
• T p is used to denote the crystalline melting point
• ⁇ H is used to denote the heat of fusion.
• T o , T p and ⁇ H are measured by means of a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) at a rate of 10°C/minute and on the second heating cycle.
• DSC differential scanning calorimeter
• T o and T p are measured in the conventional way well known to those skilled in the art.
• T p is the temperature at the peak of the DSC curve
• T o is the temperature at the intersection of the baseline of the DSC peak and the onset line, the onset line being defined as the tangent to the steepest part of the DSC curve below T p .
• sealing bags containing bananas can be, but generally is not, hermetic sealing.
• Conventional methods for sealing bags of bananas can conveniently be used in this invention. Such conventional methods include, for example, the use of a cable tie to seal the neck of the bag.
• a moon seal made by conventional methods is not a hermetic seal, and has the advantage that it permits equilibration of the pressures inside and outside the bag. If the bag is sealed hermetically, it will generally be desirable to include one or more pinholes in the bag, to achieve such equilibration.
• this invention preferably makes use of an atmosphere control member comprising (a) a microporous polymeric film, and (b) a polymeric coating on the microporous film.
• the microporous polymeric film preferably comprises a network of interconnected pores having an average pore size of less than 0.24 micron, with at least 70% of the pores having a pore size of less than 0.24 micron.
• the pores in the microporous film constitute 35 to 80% by volume of the microporous film.
• Preferred microporous films comprise a polymeric matrix comprising (i) an essentially linear ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 18 deciliters/g, or (ii) an essentially linear ultrahigh molecular weight polypropylene having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 6 deciliters/g, or (iii) a mixture of (i) and (ii).
• the microporous film may contain 30 to 90% by weight, based on the weight of the film, of a finely divided particulate substantially insoluble filler which is distributed throughout the film.
• a preferred process for preparing suitable microporous films comprises
• the polymeric coating on the control member preferably comprises a crystalline polymer having a peak melting temperature Tp of -5 to 40 °C, e.g. 0 to 15°C, or 10 to 20 °C, an onset of melting temperature T o such that (T p -T o ) is less than 10 °C, and a heat of fusion of at least 5 J/g.
• the polymer preferably comprises a side chain crystalline polymer moiety comprising, and optionally consisting of, units derived from (i) at least one n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate (or equivalent monomer, for example an amide) in which the n-alkyl group contains at least 12, preferably at least 14, for example 16-50, preferably 16-22, carbon atoms, for example in amount 35-100%, preferably 50-100%, often 80-100%, and (ii) one or more comonomers selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid in which the esterifying group contains less than 10 carbon atoms.
• the polymer can be a block copolymer in which one of blocks is a crystalline polymer as defined and the other block(s) is crystalline or amorphous.
• Preferred block copolymers comprise polysiloxane polymeric blocks, and (ii) crystalline polymeric blocks having a T p of -5 to 40oC.
• Such a polymer can be prepared by copolymerizing a mixture of reactants which comprises (i) at least one n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate in which the n-alkyl group contains at least 12 carbon atoms and (ii) a polysiloxane having a copolymerizable group at one end thereof.
• polymers which can be used to the coat the microporous film include cis-polybutadiene, poly (4-methylpentene), polydimethyl siloxane, and ethylene-propylene rubber.
• the gas-permeable membrane preferably has one or more of the following properties
• control member comprises
• the permeability of the container can be influenced by perforating the container in order to make a plurality of pinholes therein.
• green bananas are ripened while in a sealed container.
• This method can be carried out in a conventional ripening room containing ethylene, typically but not necessarily at a concentration of 500 to 1000 ppm. It was surprising to discover that, when using suitable containers, it was unnecessary to follow the conventional practice of opening the bags, and that the bananas would ripen satisfactorily in this way.
• An important advantage of this method of ripening bananas is that the ripening takes place in a more controlled fashion, resulting in lower peak temperatures in the bananas, which in turn results in reduced dehydration of the bananas and reduced demand upon the refrigeration equipment when the ripening is carried out at temperatures below room temperature.
• the temperature at which ripening is carried out and the concentration of ethylene in the atmosphere influence the rate at which ripening takes place. In general, slower ripening results in bananas which remain in a desired range of color stage for a longer period. On the other hand, this must be balanced against delivery dates required by retail outlets and inventory constraints. Generally the ethylene-containing atmosphere will be maintained at the temperature less than 22 °C, preferably less than 20 °C, for example 16-21 °C.
• the atmosphere within the bags will change substantially during the ripening process, as the bananas consume O 2 and generates CO 2 .
• the packaging atmosphere for at least part of the period before the bananas reach their climacteric, contains at least 10% preferably at least 12%, particularly 14 to 19%, of O 2 , and less than 10%, preferably less than 4%, of CO 2 , with the total quantity of O 2 and CO 2 being less than 20 %, preferably less than 17 %.
• the packaging atmosphere preferably contains at least 0.8%, preferably 1.5 to 6%, especially 1.5 to 3%, of O 2 , and less than 15%, preferably less than 7%, of CO 2 , with the total quantity of O 2 and CO 2 being less than 16%, preferably less than 10 %.
• green bananas are ripened by means of a source of ethylene placed with the bananas in the sealed container.
• This aspect of the invention is particularly useful for ripening bananas while they are being transported, for example on a ship.
• the ripening process can be controlled so that the bananas are at a desired color stage when the bananas reach their destination. During the ripening process, there is no need to alter the normal atmosphere in which the bags of bananas are being transported (though the invention does not exclude the possibility that a controlled atmosphere is used).
• the source of ethylene can make ethylene available immediately after packaging the bananas, or after a desired delay.
• relatively slow ripening of the bananas is generally desired, and in consequence the temperature around the bags of bananas is generally controlled, during at least part of the ripening process, at a temperature less than 18 °C, preferably less than 16 °C, for example at 14-15 °C.
• 2CPA 2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid
• 2CPA can be used in the form of an aqueous solution, for example of concentration 3-4%.
• the rate at which 2CPA generates ethylene increases with increasing pH of the aqueous solution, which can be adjusted, for example to more than 4, particularly more than 7, by the addition of suitable materials, for example buffer solutions and/or sodium bicarbonate solutions.
• a 2CPA solution and any pH adjuster are adsorbed on the same or different absorbent pads, e.g. paper pads, and the pad(s) placed in the bottom of the bag and covered with a polymeric sheet before the bananas are placed in the bag.
• a solution of 2CPA is applied to the green bananas, for example by dipping or spraying, before the bananas are placed in the bag.
• the atmosphere within the sealed bags containing the source of ethylene will change during the ripening process.
• the atmospheres in the bag, for at least part of the periods before and after the climacteric, are preferably as stated above when the bananas are ripened in an ethylene-containing atmosphere.
• the invention can in principle be used for any quantity of bananas. However, when the invention is used for ripening bananas, or for storing green bananas, it is particularly valuable when relatively large quantities are involved. Thus it is generally preferred that the sealed container contains at least 4 kg, preferably least 15 kg, especially 16 to 22 kg of bananas. However, in the sixth aspect of the invention, much smaller quantities (1 to 2.5 kg (2 to 5 lb.) are used in order to increase the shelf life of the bananas at a desired color stage.
• the invention is illustrated in the following Examples, a number of which are comparative Examples, designated by the letter C before the number of the example.
• the bananas, bags and control members used in the Examples were as follows.
• the bananas were Cavendish bananas, from Ecuador in Examples 1A-B, C11-12, 2, C2, 4A-B and C41-42, from Costa Rica in Examples 5 A-C and C5, and from Colombia in the other Examples.
• the large bags were about 0.96 m (38 in.) wide and about 1.2 m (50 in.) long, and were made from polyethylene film about 0.056 mm (2.2 mil) thick (available from Roplast Industries under the tradename RA 3030).
• the polyethylene film had an OTR at 13 °C of about 2915 (188) and at 22 °C of about 4,650 (300), and EtTR at 13 °C of about 11,400 (735) and at 22 °C of about 18,100 (1,170), an R ratio of about 4.5, and a P10 ratio (between 0 and 10 °C.) of about 1.76.
• the small bags were about 0.3 m (12 in.) wide and about 0.46 m (18 in.) long, and were made from the same polyethylene film.
• the Type S control members were as described in copending commonly assigned U.S. Application Serial No. 09/121,082 and corresponding International Publication No. WO 00/04787 and comprised a microporous polyethylene film coated with a polysiloxane/SCC block copolymer.
• the Type S members had an OTR at 13 °C of about 3,803,850 (245,410) and at 22 °C of about 5,000,000 (324,000), an EtTR at 13 °C of about 16,280,000 (1,050,300) and at 22 °C of about 19,500,000 (1,260,000), an R ratio of about 3.8, and a P10 ratio (between 0 and 10 °C.) of about 1.8.
• the microporous polyethylene film contained 50-60% silica, had a thickness of about 0.18 mm (0.007 inch), a tear strength of about 90g, a porosity of about 65%, an average pore size of about 0.1 micron and a largest pore size of 4-10 microns (available from PPG industries under the tradename Teslin SP 7).
• the block copolymer was prepared by the reaction of a polydimethyl siloxane terminated one end only by a methacryloxypropyl group (available from Gelest under the tradename MCR M17), 40 parts, dodecyl acrylate, 26.8 parts and tetradecyl acrylate, 33.2 parts, as described in Example A7 of U.S. Application Serial No. 09/121,082 and corresponding International Publication No. WO 00/04787.
• the Type A control members were as described in copending commonly assigned U.S. Application Serial No. 08/759,602 and corresponding International Publication No. WO 96/38495, and comprised the same. microporous polyethylene film coated with an SCC polymer of dodecyl acrylate, 42 parts, tetradecyl acrylate, 53 parts, and acrylic acid, 5 parts.
• the Type A members had an OTR at 22 °C of about 1,705,000 (110,000), an R ratio of about 4, and a P10 ratio (between 0 and 10°C.) of about 1.4.
• control member was secured to a portion of the bag in which one or more round holes had been cut.
• the effective area of the control member is about equal to the area of the hole or holes in the portion of the bag to which the control member is attached.
• the periphery of the control member was heat sealed to the interior of the bag, thus creating a control member of the kind described in United States Patent No. 6,013,293.
• the control member was secured to the exterior of the bag by means of a layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive on the peripheral margin of the control member.
• Color stage Description 1 95% green 2 80% green, 20% slightly yellow 3 50% yellow, 50% green 4 80% yellow, 20% light green 5 95% yellow, with slight green color at stem and blossom end 6 100% yellow 7 100% yellow with brown sugar spots Bananas are preferably at color stage 3.5 to 5 when put on retail sale.
• each bag has one S-type control member placed under two or more holes in the bag.
• the control member had an area of 1935 mm 2 (3 in 2 ) and was placed under two holes, each of diameter 20.6 mm (0.81 in.).
• Example 1 A the control member had an area of 6450 mm 2 (10 in 2 ) and was placed under 6 holes, each of diameter 20.6 mm (0.81 in.).
• the control member had an area of 12,900 mm 2 (20 in 2 ) and was placed under 6 holes, each of diameter 28.7 mm (1.13 in).
• Each bag was packed with about 20 kg (44 lb) of green bananas.
• Example 2 The bananas had been harvested at week 11 and maintained at 13-14 °C for about 11 days after harvest before being packed. Except in Examples C12 and C2, excess air was extracted from the bags using a vacuum pump, and the bags were then sealed using tie wraps. In Examples C12 and C2, the bags were left open. The bags were maintained at 13 °C. for an extended time, Examples 1A, 1B, C11 and C12 being terminated at day 62, and Examples 2 and C2 being terminated at day 40. The results are given in Table 1 below. In Example 2, traces of ethylene (generated by the ripening of the bananas) remained in the test chamber from Example 1 and caused the bananas to ripen more rapidly than in the otherwise substantially identical Example 1 B.
• Example No. C11 1A 1B C12 2 C2 Control member yes yes yes no yes no Total area of holes in bag under control members (mm 2 ) 670 2000 3880 - 3880 - Color stages first change at day > 62 44 44 12 26 15 days to change from 3.5 to 4.5 - - - - 4.5 days to change from 3.5 to 5 - ** 11 7 Weight loss (%) on day 26 - - - - 0.35 3.7 on day 41 0.38 0.45 0.60 4.73 - - Taste and texture on day 40 - - - - - Exct on day 62 UGH Exct Exct Overripe - % O 2 (approximate) at day 7 5.1 11.9 13.8 atm - atm at day 8 - - - atm 14.35 atm at day 47 (after climacteric) 5.0 0.96 2.2 atm 2.15
• each bag has one S-type control member placed under one or more holes in the bag.
• the control member had an area of 967 mm 2 (1.5 in 2 ) and was placed under a single hole of diameter 20.6 mm (0.81 in.).
• the control member had an area of 1935 mm 2 (3 in 2 ) and was placed under 2 holes, each of diameter 20.6 mm (0.81 in.).
• the control member had an area of 3225 mm 2 (5 in 2 ) and was placed under 4 holes, each of diameter 19 mm (0.75 in.).
• Example 3 the control member had an area of 12,900 mm 2 (20 in 2 ) and was placed under 6 holes, each of diameter 25 mm (1 in.).
• Example C34 the bag did not have a control member.
• Each bag was packed with about 18.1 kg (40 lb) of green bananas. The bananas had been harvested at week 13, and maintained at 13-14°C for about 11 days after harvest before being packed. Except in Example C34, excess air was extracted from the bags using a vacuum pump, and then securely tied (the bags were not, however, as completely sealed as in Examples 1 and 2). In Example C34, the bags were left open. The sealed bags were cooled to about 13 °C and shipped to Gulfport, Mississippi, and then to San Francisco, California, maintaining the temperature at about 13 °C.
• each bag has one A-type control member placed over four or five holes in the bag.
• the control member had an area of 145 mm 2 (5.7 in 2 ) and was placed over four holes each of diameter 19 mm (0.75 in.).
• the control member had an area of 4516 mm 2 (7 in 2 ) and was placed over 5 holes, each of diameter 19 mm (0.75 in.).
• the control member and the holes under it were as in Example 4A, except that the control member was an uncoated microporous film.
• the bag was intact except for 200 pinholes each about 0.5 mm (26 gauge) in diameter.
• Example C42 Each bag was packed with about 1.35 kg (3 lb) of green bananas which had been maintained at 13-14 °C for about 11 days after harvest Except in Example C42, excess air was extracted from the bags using a vacuum pump, and the bags were then securely tied. In Example C42, the bags were left open. After three days, to allow the packaging atmosphere to equilibrate, the bags were exposed to ethylene (500-1000 ppm) in a ripening room. The results are shown in Table 3 below. These Examples demonstrate that small quantities of bananas can be ripened in a suitably designed bag, and can remain in the bag in excellent condition for several days longer than bananas exposed to the air.
• Example C5 Each control member was placed over a single hole in the bag, the hole having an diameter of 70 mm (2.75 in.) in Example 5A, 74.4 mm (2.93 in.) in Example 5B, and 78.7 mm (3.1 in.) in Example 5C.
• the bag was perforated so that the bananas were surrounded by air.
• the bags were then sealed with rubber bands.
• the sealed bags were placed in a refrigerated room at about 13 °C. After about 84 hours, the temperature of the room was raised to about 16.7 °C and after about 12 hours, an ethylene generator was used to provide an initial ethylene concentration in the room of 500-1000 ppm. About 24 hours after the generation of ethylene had begun, the room was vented.
• the temperature of the bananas was monitored for about 15 days, and reached a peak at about 60 hours after the generation of ethylene had begun. At that time, the concentration of O 2 and CO 2 was measured. The results are shown in Table 4 below. It will be seen that the peak temperature was substantially lower in the bags containing control members than in the perforated bag. Example No.
• Each of these Examples uses a large bag having two S-type control members, each control member having an area of 11,300 mm 2 (17.5 in 2 ). Each control member was placed over seven holes in the bag, each hole of diameter 25.4 mm (1 in). A paper pad about 300 x 400 mm (12 x 16 in.) impregnated with an aqueous solution of 2CPA (3.9%) was placed in the bottom of each bag and covered with a sheet of polyethylene. The amount of the solution varied from Example to Example, and is shown in Table 5 below. About 18.1 kg (40 lb.) of green bananas were then placed in each bag, and the bags were sealed with rubber bands. The green bananas had been maintained at 13-14 °C for about 11 days after harvest.
• Examples 8A-J and C 81-83 followed the same procedure as Examples 7A-C and C71-74 except for the changes noted below.
• Example 6 The procedure of Example 6 was followed, except for the changes noted below.
• Comparative Example C91 is the same as the comparative Example C71. The results obtained are shown in Table 8 below.
• Example No. 9A 9B C91 C92 Control Member yes yes no yes Concentration of 2CPA (ppm) 1116 128 1116 0 Days to color stage 4 11.9 14.6 10 11.9 11 Days to color stage 5.5
• Table 9 shows, for each of the bags in Examples 5A-C, 6A-E and 7A-E, the permeability of the bag to O 2 and to ethylene ("Et" in Table 9), and the respective contributions of the control member and the remainder of the bag.
• the size of the bag, after sealing was assumed to be 0.96 x 1.04 m (38 in. x 41 in.), i.e. to have a total area of 2 m 2 (3115 in 2 ).
• Example No. Perm. of bag (mUatm.24hr) at 13°C Perm. of bag at 13°C /kg of bananas Hole area (m 2 ) Perm. Of ACM at 13°C Perm.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)
• Storage Of Fruits Or Vegetables (AREA)
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