SACHET THAT ABSORBS ETHYLENE OR OTHER GASES FOR CONTAINERS OF FRESH PRODUCE INTENDED FOR THE RETAIL MARKET

Abstract

The invention relates to a sachet that absorbs ethylene or other gases for containers of fresh produce intended for the retail market which is formed by two sheets welded together at the edges (4), at least one of the sheets, for example, the bottom sheet (2), being made with a porous, water-repellent, breathable material and optionally combined with another sheet (3) of waterproof material, and ethylene-absorbing granules (5) contained therein to absorb gases or other volatile substances produced by fresh produce incorporated in small packages (6), said granules (5) consisting of a substrate impregnated with potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate at a high concentration of between 0.25% and 2%, optionally mixed with activated carbon, such that when the sachet (1) is in contact with moisture generated by the produce, the risk of spotting and contamination by the active ingredient is minimal and absorption efficiency is maintained.

Claims

1. A sachet (1) that absorbs ethylene or other gases for containers of fresh produce intended for the retail market which is formed by two sheets, a bottom sheet (2) and another top sheet (3), which are welded together at the edges (4), at least one of the sheets (2), being made with a porous, water-repellent, breathable material and optionally combined with another sheet (3) of waterproof material, and with granules (5) of ethylene-absorbing material contained therein applicable for the absorption of said type of gases or other volatile substances produced by fresh produce incorporated in a package (6) in order to prevent said produce from early deterioration, characterized in that said granules (5) comprise of a substrate impregnated with permanganate at a concentration of between 0.25% and 2%, such that when the sachet (1) is in contact with moisture generated by the fresh produce incorporated in the packages (6), even when the sachet (1) opens accidentally, the risk of spotting and contamination by an active ingredient is reduced while contaminating gas absorption efficiency is maintained; wherein the granules (5) contained therein are made up of a clayey base impregnated with potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate at said concentration of between 0.25% and 2% and have an approximate grain size distribution of between 2 and 0.125 mm and an approximate density of between 1.1 and 0.8 g/ml.

2. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the clayey base is a clinoptilolite- or heulandite-type natural zeolite clay.

3. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the clayey base is a natural clay selected from sepiolite, bentonite, smectite, vermiculite, kaolinite, illite, or attapulgite

4. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the clayey base is a base with synthetic zeolites and activated alumina or hydrated alumina.

5. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the concentration range for the impregnation of the granules (5) with potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate is between 0.25 and 1%.

6. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the concentration for the impregnation of the granules (5) with potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate is 0.5%.

7. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the granules (5) are mixed with an amount of granular activated carbon ranging from 1 to 45% of the total weight of the granules in the sachet.

8. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the granules (5) are mixed with an amount of granular activated carbon being 30% of the total weight of the granules in the sachet.

9. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein the size of the sachet (1) is comprised between 40×46 mm and 50×46 mm.

10. The sachet according to claim 1, wherein an outer face of one of the two sheets (2, 3) has an adhesive for adhering said sachet (1) to said package (6).

11. The sachet according to claim 10, wherein said sachet (1) is adhered to said package (6) by a machine or by hand.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] To complement the description that is being made and for the purpose of helping to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to the present specification as an integral part thereof in which the following is depicted in a non-limiting, illustrative manner:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section view of an example of a sachet that absorbs ethylene object of the invention, in which the main elements it comprises can be seen.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a graph comparing the ethylene absorption capacity of clinoptilolite granules impregnated with potassium permanganate at concentrations of 0.25% (Z0.25), 0.5% (Z0.5), and 1% (Z1) with conventional granules impregnated at 4% (Z4).

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an example of a basket-type container with a housing in the cover to incorporate the absorbent sachet which is then covered by the label of said container.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Therefore, as observed in FIG. 1, the sachet (1) in question consists, as is known, of a container formed by two sheets, a bottom sheet (2) and another top sheet (3), which are welded together at the edges (4), at least one of said sheets, for example, the bottom sheet (2), is made of a porous, water-repellent, breathable material, and the other sheet (3) is made of an optionally waterproof material, and the sachet contains therein granules (5) of ethylene-absorbing material, which granules (5) consist of a substrate impregnated with potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate, said sachet being distinguished by the fact that said granules (5) are impregnated at a low concentration, specifically in a way such that when the sachet (1) is in contact with moisture generated by the fresh produce incorporated in small packages (6) for which it is intended, even when the sachet (1) opens accidentally, the risk of spotting and contamination by the active ingredient is very low and at the same time contaminating gas absorption efficiency is maintained.

[0034] More specifically, the granules (5) contained in the sachet of the invention are made up of a high-purity natural clayey base impregnated with potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate at a concentration of between 0.25% and 2% and have an approximate grain size distribution of between 2 and 0.125 mm and an approximate density of between 1.1 and 0.8 g/ml.

[0035] The clayey base is preferably zeolite, particularly clinoptilolite- or heulandite-type zeolite, but the possibility to also use other natural clays, such as sepiolite, bentonite, smectite, vermiculite kaolinite, illite, or attapulgite, as well as synthetic zeolites and activated alumina or hydrated alumina, is not ruled out.

[0036] Preferably, the preferred concentration range for the impregnation of the granules (5) with potassium permanganate is 0.25 to 1% and the preferred formulation is the 0.5% formulation.

[0037] These granules (5) can be used alone, and optionally or for high moisture applications, mixed with an amount of granular activated carbon which can range from 1% to 45% of the total weight of the granules in the sachet. The preferred mixture is that having 30% of the weight of the mixed granules.

[0038] Moreover, the size of the sachet (1) is preferably comprised between 40×46 mm and 50×46 mm, without ruling out other sizes that are already known on the market .

[0039] The sachets can be presented individually as well as in strips so that they can be used in automatic cutting and gluing machines for insertion in the packages (6) of produce.

[0040] Furthermore, optionally said strips of sachets or the sachets (1) themselves can be made such that the outer face of one of the two sheets (2, 3) forming same contains an adhesive, so that they can be applied, by means of a machine or by hand, in small packages (6).

[0041] In any case, the sachet (1) of the invention is intended to be incorporated inside the different types of packages (6) existing on the retail market.

[0042] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the sachet can be housed in the outer part of the cover (7) of closed basket-type packages (6), in a space (8) created to that end on said cover (7) with grooves (9) that open towards the inside of the package (6), the sachet in said space (8) being covered in the upper portion thereof by the label (10) which is applied right on top. FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of the mentioned elements so as to allow observing same.

[0043] The sachet (1) can furthermore perform two functions, protecting the fresh produce by means of removing ethylene and other volatile compounds, and providing information to the customer by working as a label. To that end, the packages (6) are transparent, and information about the type of fresh produce and the origin thereof can be printed on one face of the sachet (1), the face of the waterproof sheet (3), and standard information about the safety of the sachet can be printed on the other face, the face of the porous sheet (2).

[0044] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to expand on this explanation so that one skilled in the art will understand its scope and the advantages derived from it, hereby stating that within its essential nature, the invention may be carried out to practice in other embodiments which differ in detail from that indicated by way of example and which will likewise attain the protection that is sought provided that its fundamental principle is not altered, changed, or modified.