Oxygen scavenging system

Abstract

The oxygen scavenging system of the subject invention contemplates a composition, system and appurtenant methodology for substantially eliminating elemental oxygen from packaged oxygen sensitive products. The composition or scavenging agent includes an oxidoreductase enzyme, a suitable energy source or substrate for the enzyme, and a buffer. The composition binds oxygen when exposed to moisture, thereby reducing the level of oxygen in a closed (e.g., sealed) space such as a food package or the like. More particularly and preferably, the composition includes glucose oxidase in an amount of between 1 and 100 activity units (U) per gram, catalase in an amount of between 1 and 300 activity units (U) per gram, dextrose in an amount of between about 20 and 99 percent by weight, and sodium bicarbonate in an amount of between about 1 and 80 percent by weight.

1 . A dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition for enhancing shelf-life of a packaged product, said composition comprising a plurality of dry ingredients including an enzyme system, a suitable energy source for said enzyme system, and a suitable non-aqueous neutralizing agent for neutralizing acid produced during enzymatic consumption of said energy source and maintaining a stable pH during said enzymatic consumption, said dry, organic composition being suitable for direct contact application to the product of the packaged product with no consumer detectable change in product character.  
   
   
       2 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 1  wherein said enzyme system comprises an oxidoreductase enzyme.  
   
   
       3 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 2  wherein said enzyme system further comprises catalase.  
   
   
       4 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 3  wherein said oxidoreductase enzyme comprises glucose oxidase.  
   
   
       5 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 3  wherein said oxidoreductase enzyme comprises hexose oxidase.  
   
   
       6 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 3  wherein said suitable energy source comprises a reducing sugar.  
   
   
       7 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 6  wherein said reducing sugar is selected from the group consisting of glucose, galactose, fructose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, rhamnose, maltose, isomaltose, lactose, and cellobiose.  
   
   
       8 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 7  wherein said suitable energy source comprises a glucose source.  
   
   
       9 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 8  wherein said glucose source comprises dextrose.  
   
   
       10 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 9  wherein said oxidoreductase enzyme comprises glucose oxidase.  
   
   
       11 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 9  wherein said oxidoreductase enzyme comprises hexose oxidase.  
   
   
       12 . The dry. organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 10  wherein said glucose oxidase is present in an amount of about 1 and 100 activity units (U) per gram.  
   
   
       13 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 8  wherein said catalase is present in an amount of about 1 and 300 activity units (U) per gram.  
   
   
       14 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 13  wherein said glucose source is present in an amount of about 20 to 99 weight percent.  
   
   
       15 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 14  wherein said suitable non-aqueous neutralizing agent is present in an amount of about 1 to 80 weight percent of said composition.  
   
   
       16 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 15  wherein said suitable non-aqueous neutralizing agent comprises sodium bicarbonate.  
   
   
       17 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 14  wherein a molar ratio of glucose to suitable non-aqueous neutralizing agent is in the range of about 0.5 to 1.  
   
   
       18 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 14  wherein a molar ratio of glucose to suitable non-aqueous neutralizing agent is in the range of about 10 to 1.  
   
   
       19 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 18  wherein said molar ratio of glucose to suitable non-aqueous neutralizing agent is in the range of about 2 to 1.  
   
   
       20 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 6  wherein said composition is contained in a water permeable enclosure.  
   
   
       21 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 20  wherein said enclosure is a bag.  
   
   
       22 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 20  wherein said enclosure is a resealable bag.  
   
   
       23 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 20  wherein said enclosure is a sachet.  
   
   
       24 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 6  wherein said composition is contained in laminate product receiving structure.  
   
   
       25 . The dry, organic oxygen scavenging composition of  claim 6  wherein said composition is embodied in a three dimensional form.  
   
   
       26 . A non-aqueous enzymatic oxygen scavenging composition in combination with a foodstuff susceptible to oxygen spoilage of a packaged foodstuff, said system comprising an effective amount of a dry neutralizing agent for buffering reaction products formed during enzymatic activity of said system subsequent to direct application upon said foodstuff in furtherance of oxygen scavenging.  
   
   
       27 . An organic oxygen scavenging composition for direct contact application to and or with food stuff of packaged food stuffs, said composition comprising non-aqueous ingredients, said ingredients including an enzyme system, an effective energy source for said enzyme system, and an effective neutralizing agent for neutralizing acid produced during enzymatic consumption of said energy source and maintaining an effective pH for continuation of initiated oxygen scavenging.  
   
   
       28 . In a food preservation process the steps comprising: 
 a) providing a foodstuff susceptible to oxygen degradation;    b) providing an organic oxygen scavenging composition comprising non-aqueous ingredients, said ingredients including an enzyme system, an effective energy source for said enzyme system, and an effective neutralizing agent for neutralizing acid produced during enzymatic consumption of said energy source; and,    c) packaging said composition with said foodstuff within a container for said foodstuff, said composition thereby in direct contact with said foodstuff in said container.