Packaging additives and methods

Abstract

Improved packaging system wherein a single absorber is sealed and attached to the product (e.g., food) container. The container may be a bag, trays, etc. The absorber would be attached by: a) placing an absorber on film while the film is being converted into a bag, or b) the bag customer could insert pod style absorber by sticking to an inner wall of bag. There could be two main styles of absorber pod: a) one that pod is premade and then either adhesive is used to attach to package or the pod is heat sealed to package, or b) individual pods are manufactured, and the user could install them inside the container in the same manners.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A consumer package, comprising:
 a flexible package forming an inner cavity for containing a perishable item and having a removable sealed opening to prevent an external atmosphere from reaching the inner cavity;   a packaging additive pod with an active element therein positioned and secured on an inside wall of the package, the packaging additive pod having a gas-impermeable barrier separating the active element from the package inner cavity, the barrier having a portion that may be compromised, after opening the sealed opening, to expose the active element to the inner cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element is an oxygen absorber. 
     
     
         3 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of desiccants, humectants, rust inhibitors and fragrances. 
     
     
         4 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element is selected from the group consisting of desiccants, humectants, rust inhibitors and fragrances. 
     
     
         5 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the wall of the package on the inside of which the packaging additive pod is positioned includes a transparent window, and the packaging additive pod is positioned so that the active element is visible through the window from outside the package. 
     
     
         6 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , further including a film layer that forms the gas-impermeable barrier having outer edges secured to the inside wall of the package and forming a volume in which the active element is located. 
     
     
         7 . The consumer package of  claim 6 , wherein the film layer is secured to the inside wall of the package with a peelable adhesive so at least a portion of the film layer may be peeled away manually to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         8 . The consumer package of  claim 7 , wherein the active element is contained in a sachet which is also adhered to the inside wall of the package under the film layer. 
     
     
         9 . The consumer package of  claim 7 , wherein the film layer has an edge region that is left unattached to the inside wall of the package that forms a pull tab for grasping and peeling away the film layer. 
     
     
         10 . The consumer package of  claim 6 , wherein the film layer includes a strip contiguous with the film layer via weakened outer edges such that the strip can be partly or wholly separated from the film layer to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         11 . The consumer package of  claim 10 , wherein the strip has a pull tab that is not adhered to the inside wall of the package that facilitates grasping and separating the strip from the film layer. 
     
     
         12 . The consumer package of  claim 6 , wherein the film layer includes a line of weakness that can be ruptured to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         13 . The consumer package of  claim 12 , wherein the line of weakness comprises a perforated line in the film layer. 
     
     
         14 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element is held in place by a protective gas-permeable overlay adhered to the inside wall, the overlay being covered by a peelable layer of material that forms the gas-impermeable barrier so at least a portion of the peelable layer may be peeled away manually to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         15 . The consumer package of  claim 14 , wherein the overlay is a mesh material. 
     
     
         16 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element is directly attached to the inside wall and covered by a peelable layer of material that forms the gas-impermeable barrier so at least a portion of the peelable layer may be peeled away manually to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         17 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element is held in a space between a barrier material underlayer and a peelable layer of material that forms the gas-impermeable barrier so at least a portion of the peelable material may be peeled away manually to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier, the underlayer being secured to the package inside wall. 
     
     
         18 . The consumer package of  claim 17 , wherein the active element is held against the underlayer by a protective gas-permeable overlay adhered to the underlayer. 
     
     
         19 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , wherein the active element comprises a sublayer adhered to the inside wall and having a gas-impermeable peelable layer that forms the gas-impermeable barrier adhered thereover. 
     
     
         20 . The consumer package of  claim 19 , wherein the peelable layer has a tab that remains unattached to the inner wall and which can be grasped and pulled to peel all or a portion of the peelable layer away from the active element sublayer to compromise the gas-impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         21 . The consumer package of  claim 1 , further including a vacuum port provided in a wall of the package enabling engagement of a vacuum pump to remove oxygen from the inner cavity.