A sealing plate for use with a packaging machine that integrates a seal formed indicia into a portion of a package seal. A package having a seal formed indicia integrated into the package seal, which when the package is opened undergoes undergo a visual transformation, and a method of making the same.

The current invention covers an improved meat-packaging procedure and machine for packaging meat cuts for long-term storage at temperatures of between 28 and 42 F. The process includes sealing meat cuts or full poultry birds or bird pieces within a master bag containing (i) oxygen scavenger materials capable of reducing the residual oxygen content of the atmosphere within the bag to 0 ppm within 96 hours of sealing, and (ii) a CO2 generator capable to generate CO2 in the amount of at least 100 mL per pound of meat or poultry within 7 days of sealing. Gas is injected into the master bag to form a CO2-rich storage environment of at least 50% CO2. Depending upon the gas-volume and oxygen scavengers design in the master-bag to maintain diffusion, the CO2 generators may not be needed in the master-bag. The over-wrap of the meat or poultry trays, if meat or poultry are packed in trays, can be perforated so that gas exchange occurs within the master bag between the interior and exterior of the meat tray to absorb the residual oxygen inside the meat trays. For meat trays containing meat with poor color stability, oxygen scavengers are preferably placed within the meat trays. For cuts with good color stability, the oxygen scavengers may be placed outside the meat trays. Meat can be stored by this system for up to 10 weeks and up to twelve days of retail display life. Poultry can be stored for 28+ days by this system. Poultry can be treated with PAA or without PAA and can either be air-chilled or water-chilled with or without PAA: in both instances substantial shelf-life extension is obtained. PAA treated poultry tend to show high microbial growth when compared with non-PAA treated poultry.

A digital pressure canner and related methods of operation that provide for improved safety and consistency during a food canning process by reducing temperature over and undershoot. The digital pressure canner includes a digital control operating with inputs from digital sensors to accurately control the canning temperature during the canning process. By reducing over and undershoot of canning temperatures, foods within the pressure canner are maintained at temperatures sufficient to kill any bacteria or microorganisms for the entire canning cycle. In order to verify operation of the digital canner at sufficient canning temperatures, mechanical safety devices, for example, a pressure relief valve can be utilized in conjunction with digital controllers and sensors to provide audible and visual feedback to a user during the canning process.

An example embodiment includes a pouch. The pouch includes pouch material that defines an inner cavity. The pouch further includes a consumable item in the inner cavity. The pouch further includes an oxygen scavenger, at least one first portion of the oxygen scavenger being in the inner cavity. These and other pouch embodiments are disclosed, as well as methods of forming pouches.

A method for providing long-shelf life sliced rare, medium rare, and medium cooked roast beef comprises providing whole beef portions; cooking the whole beef portions to an internal temperature of from about 130 to 160 F. to form cooked roast beef portions; slicing the cooked roast beef portions to form sliced cooked roast beef having an average thickness of from about 0.5 mm to 10 mm; disposing the sliced cooked roast beef into a trayless gas impermeable package formed from flexible film, flushing the trayless gas impermeable package with an inert gas comprising carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and from about 0.1% to about 30% carbon monoxide; and sealing the trayless gas impermeable package. Packaged sliced rare, medium rare, and medium cooked roast beef provided in trayless gas impermeable packages in an inert gas comprising carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and from about 0.1% to about 30% carbon monoxide are also described.

Embodiments herein relate to food products and food product carriers for electromagnetic wave food processing systems and methods. In an embodiment, a carrier for holding food products during a sterilization or pasteurization process is included. The carrier can include a lower housing portion defining a central peak and an upper housing portion configured to fit over the lower housing portion. The upper housing portion can define a central peak. The carrier can be configured to receive a flexible food package between the lower central peak and the upper central peak. Other embodiments are also included herein.

A method for preparing food having at least a solid food component. The method comprises, during a high-temperature, short-time stage (HTST stage), cooking a surface of the solid food component at a temperature (HTST temperature) of greater than 140 C. The method further comprises, during a low-temperature, long-time stage (LTLT stage), cooking the solid food component at a temperature (LTLT temperature) of between 40 and 100 C. The method also comprises placing the food into packaging to form a sterile food package containing the food.

A system and method are disclosed for inhibiting or preventing the growth of microbes and/or for killing microbes in a closed package or container in which a good (optionally a food product) is held or stored. The system and method optionally include use of an entrained polymer article, preferably a film, that includes an antimicrobial releasing agent.

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to preparation, modified atmosphere and high pressure pasteurization steps for treatment of retail fresh protein preparations. Protein is prepared and subsequently packaged in a modified atmosphere lacking significant amounts of oxygen and then exposed to high-pressure pasteurization. During preparation the protein may be exposed to aqueous ozone further reducing the microbial load, extending shelf-life, and increasing product safety.

An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.