Gas flush high pressure pasteurization packaging and associated methods

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for packaging perishable foods. A packaging method in accordance with several embodiments of the disclosure can include, for example, mating a tray with a product. The tray can include a compartment having a generally similar shape as the shape of the product. The method can further include gas flushing an internal atmosphere around a product, and sealing the product and the internal atmosphere between a lid and the tray. Additionally, the method can include pasteurizing the product with an application of substantially uniform high pressure to a surface area of the package (e.g., high pressure pasteurization).

1 . An at least partially automated method of packaging a perishable product, comprising:
 mating a tray with a product, the tray having a compartment, the compartment and the product having generally similar shapes, and wherein the product is substantially in the compartment;   gas flushing the product in the compartment with an internal atmosphere; hermetically sealing the internal atmosphere and the product between the tray and a lid to form a package; and   pasteurizing the product with an application of substantially uniform high pressure to a surface area of the package.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 mating the tray with the product includes positioning the product in the compartment of the tray; 
 gas flushing includes removing at least a portion of oxygen from around the tray and the product and adding a gas at a pressure less than an external pressure to slightly collapse the lid to the product; and 
 pasteurizing the product includes positioning the package in an enclosure, applying a pressure of at least 80,000 psi to the surface area of the package, and removing the package from the enclosure, the package having a volume including at least 10% free space. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein mating the product with the tray further comprises:
 selecting the product, the product having a first volume; and 
 forming the compartment in the tray, the compartment having a shape generally similar to a shape of the product, and the package having a second volume at least 10% greater than the first volume. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein mating the product with the tray further comprises:
 selecting the tray, the compartment of the tray having a second volume; and 
 selecting a product, the product having a first volume at least 10% less than the second volume, and having a shape generally similar to the compartment. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein gas flushing the internal atmosphere further comprises:
 removing at least a portion of oxygen from around the product; and 
 adding the internal atmosphere in a free space between the product and an interior surface of the compartment, the free space comprising at least 10% of a volume of the package. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein adding the internal atmosphere further includes adding a gas at a pressure less than an external pressure to at least partially collapse the lid to the product. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one of an easy open feature and a reseal feature at a surface of the package, wherein the easy open feature is configured to separate the lid from the tray after pasteurization, and wherein the reseal feature is configured to at least substantially seal the product from an external atmosphere after pasteurization. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the product is a first product, the compartment is a first compartment, the lid is a first lid, the internal atmosphere is a first internal atmosphere, the package is a first package, and the method further comprising:
 mating a second product in a second compartment of the tray, the second compartment and the second product having at least generally similar shapes; and 
 hermetically sealing a second internal atmosphere and the second product between the tray and a second lid to form a second package. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the internal atmosphere is a first internal atmosphere, and the method further comprising adding a second internal atmosphere in a free space between the second product and an interior surface of the compartment, the free space comprising at least 10% of a volume of the second package. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein pasteurizing the product further includes applying at least 80,000 psi to the package without breaking the hermetic seal. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching the lid to a portion of the tray, wherein the lid covers the product in the compartment. 
     
     
         12 . An at least partially automated method of packaging a perishable product, comprising:
 positioning a product substantially in a cavity of a container, the cavity and the product having generally similar shapes, and wherein the product has a first volume and the cavity has a second volume at least 10% greater than the first volume;   gas flushing an internal atmosphere into a free space, the free space being defined by the difference between the first and second volumes and comprising at least 10% of the second volume;   attaching a cover to a portion of the container, the cover and the container enclosing the product to form a package;   sealing the cover to the container; and   applying substantially uniform high pressure to an exterior surface of the package to pasteurize the product.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 selecting the container, the cavity of the container having a first shape; and   selecting the product, wherein the product has a shape generally similar to the first shape.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 selecting the product, the product having a second shape; and   forming the cavity in the container to have a shape generally similar to the second shape.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein gas flushing the internal atmosphere further comprises adding a gas around the product at a pressure less than an external pressure to at least partially collapse the cover to the product. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein applying substantially uniform high pressure further comprises applying at least 80,000 psi to the package without destroying the seal of the package. 
     
     
         17 . A packaged perishable product, comprising:
 a container having a peripheral surface and a cavity spaced below the peripheral surface, the cavity having a first shape;   a perishable product positioned at least partially within the cavity, the product having a first volume and a shape is at least generally similar to the first shape, wherein the compartment is configured to mate with the product;   a cover sealed to the container, wherein the cover and the container form a package having a second volume, and wherein the package is configured to withstand substantially uniform pressure of at least 80,000 psi; and   an internal atmosphere at least partially filling the difference between the first volume and the second volume.   
     
     
         18 . The packaged perishable product of  claim 17  wherein the first volume is at least 10% smaller than the second volume. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The packaged perishable product of  claim 17 , further comprising an easy open feature on at least one of the container and the cover, the easy open feature being configured to open the package. 
     
     
         21 . The packaged perishable product of  claim 17 , further comprising a reseal feature on at least one of the container and the cover, the reseal feature being configured to at least substantially seal the product from exposure to an external atmosphere.