Packaging

Abstract

A method of packaging live seafood including the steps of providing a sealable container, wherein the container includes a plastic tray having an interior volume and an upper peripheral edge, placing the live seafood in the container, and replacing the atmospheric gas in the container with a gas mixture including only CO2 and O2, with an O2 content of at least 50% by volume, and a CO2 content of at least 20% by volume, and sealing the container with a layer of flexible film including a sheet of flexible sealable film sealed to the upper edge of the tray, the flexible film having an Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) of at least 1500.

1 . A method of packaging live seafood comprising the steps of providing a sealable container, wherein said container comprises a plastic tray having an interior volume and an upper peripheral edge, placing said live seafood in said container, and replacing the atmospheric gas in said container with a gas mixture comprising only CO 2  and O 2 , with an O 2  content of at least 50% by volume, and a CO 2  content of at least 20% by volume, and sealing said container with a layer of flexible film comprising a sheet of flexible sealable film sealed to the upper edge of said tray, said flexible film having an Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) of at least 1500. 
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the OTR of said film is from 1500 to 15000. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the OTR of said film is about 10000. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said live seafood is mussels. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said live seafood is lobster. 
     
     
         6 . A package for use with live seafood comprising a tray with a flat floor and side walls extending upwardly from the floor, the side walls being of a sufficient height to accommodate a predetermined number of live organisms, said side walls being contiguous with one another and said floor to define a leak proof open tray, and the upper edges of said side walls formed flat lip extending around the peripheral edge of said tray; and a layer of flexible sealable film sealed to the upper edge of said tray to enclose a modified atmosphere comprising at least 20% CO 2  and at least 50% O 2 , said flexible film having an Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) of at least 1500 cm 3 O 2 /m 2 /day bar. 
     
     
         7 . A package as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the tray is substantially rectangular, and the corners of said rectangular tray are rounded. 
     
     
         8 . A package as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said tray is molded from plastic. 
     
     
         9 . A package as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said film, has an OTR in the range of 1500 to 15000 cm 3  O 2 /m 2 /day bar. 
     
     
         10 . A package as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the OTR of said flexible film is about 10,000 cm 3  O 2 /m 2 /day bar to above 250,000 cm 3  O 2 /m 2 /day bar.