Package for preserving respiring produce and apparatus for making the same

Abstract

The invention relates to a package ( 1 ) for preserving respiring produce ( 2 ), in particular vegetables, fruit, and herbs, comprising a packaging material, in particular a polymer film ( 1 A), provided with at least one opening ( 3 ) enabling gas exchange with the atmosphere surrounding the package ( 1 ). The package ( 1 ) contains a scavenger ( 4 ).

1 . Package for preserving respiring produce contained in the package, in particular vegetables, fruit, and herbs, the package comprising:
 a packaging material provided with at least one opening enabling gas exchange with the atmosphere surrounding the package, and   one or more scavengers.   
     
     
         2 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more scavengers are scavengers for oxygen, carbon dioxide and/or ethylene. 
     
     
         3 . Package according to  claim 2 , wherein the one or more scavengers are or include a scavenger for oxygen and wherein the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to remove only part of the oxygen contained the package. 
     
     
         4 . Package according to  claim 3 , wherein the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to reduce the concentration of oxygen to within a range of from 0, 2 to 10%. 
     
     
         5 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the scavenger is integrated in the packaging material or contained in a sachet, strip or label adhered to the packaging material. 
     
     
         6 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening is a micro-perforation. 
     
     
         7 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening is covered by a membrane that is permeable to oxygen and/or carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         8 . Package according to  claim 1  containing produce. 
     
     
         9 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the scavenger is contained inside the package. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus for making a package for preserving respiring produce contained in the package, the package comprising a packaging material provided with at least one opening enabling gas exchange with the atmosphere surrounding the package, and a scavenger, the apparatus comprising:
 a supply reel for the packaging material,   a take-up reel for the packaging material,   a beam generator for making openings in the packaging material, and   a supply reel for tape comprising adhesive elements containing the scavenger to be applied to the packaging material.   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the elements include sachets, strips or labels to be adhered to the inner wall of the package. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the supply reel for tape his offset relative to the beam generator. 
     
     
         13 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material comprises a polymer film. 
     
     
         14 . Package according to  claim 1 , wherein the produce comprises vegetables fruits, and herbs. 
     
     
         15 . Package according to  claim 4 , wherein the amount of the scavenger for oxygen is selected to reduce the concentration of oxygen to within a range of from 0, 5 to 7%. 
     
     
         16 . Package according to  claim 8 , wherein the produce comprises vegetables fruits, and herbs. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the openings are micro-perforations. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the packaging material comprises a polymer film.