US5047253A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multilayer film tube for cook-in meat adhesion and method of making
Assignee: Viskase Corp
•
Filing: 1990-03-05
•
Granted: 1991-09-10
•
Expires: 2010-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A flexible multilayer film tube has an inner layer comprising a blend of thermoplastic polymer and starch particles in protruding relationship with the inside surface which, after oxidation, develops improved meat adhesion during in situ cooking.
Inventors
- 👤 Roger L. Juhl
- 👤 Jeffrey M. Schuetz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:03
CPC Classifications
A; A22; A22C; A22C13/00; A22C13/0013; A22C2013/0053; A22C2013/0059; A22C2013/0083; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/1324; Y10T428/1334; Y10T428/1341; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31855; Y10T428/31909; Y10T428/31913; Y10T428/3192
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
In a flexible tube formed of multilayer film of at least three layers comprising an inner layer, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer and an outer layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said barrier layer, the improvement comprising an inner layer formed of a blend comprising thermoplastic polymer and starch particles substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 4 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least said inside surface being oxidized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a flexible tube formed of multilayer film of at least three layers comprising an inner layer, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer and an outer layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said barrier layer, the improvement comprising an inner layer formed of a blend comprising thermoplastic polymer and starch particles substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 4 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least said inside surface being oxidized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is ethylene vinyl acetate having between about 3% and about 18% by weight vinyl acetate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A flexible tube according to claim 2 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is a blend of said ethylene vinyl acetate and polyethylene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein said inside surface is oxidized by irradiation at dosage of at least about 2 MR.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein said inside surface is oxidized by corona treatment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein said starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 10 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein said starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein the core layer is a vinylidene chloride copolymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A flexible tube according to claim 8 wherein the core layer is a vinylidene chloride-methyl acrylate copolymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein the core layer is a hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein the outer layer is ethylene vinyl acetate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A flexible tube according to claim 11 wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate outer layer has between about 6% and about 18% by weight vinyl acetate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A flexible tube according to claim 2 wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate in said inner layer has a vinyl acetate weight content between about 6% and about 18%.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A flexible tube according to claim 2 wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate in said inner layer has a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 wherein the inner layer blend has between about 25% and about 70% by weight of an unneutralized copolymer of an alpha olefin having the formula RHC═CH 2 wherein R is H or C 1 to C 8 alkyl and an alpha, beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A flexible tube according to claim 15 wherein in said unneutralized copolymer, the olefin is ethylene and the carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A flexible tube according to claim 15 wherein said unneutralized copolymer is ethylene acrylic acid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A flexible tube according to claim 4 wherein the entire multilayer film is irradiated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
148 words
A flexible tube formed of multilayer film comprising an inner layer, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer and an outer side of said barrier layer, said inner layer formed of a blend comprising ethylene vinyl acetate having vinyl acetate weight content between about 6% and about 18%, and starch particles substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, and at least said inner layer is irradiated at dosage of at least about 2 MR.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
148 words
A flexible tube formed of multilayer film comprising an inner layer, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer and an outer side of said barrier layer, said inner layer formed of a blend comprising ethylene vinyl acetate having vinyl acetate weight content between about 6% and about 18%, and starch particles substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, and at least said inner layer is irradiated at dosage of at least about 2 MR.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
229 words
A method for preparing a cooked meat product comprising the steps of: a) providing a flexible tube formed of multilayer film of at least three layers comprising an inner layer comprising a blend of thermoplastic polymer and starch, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer, and an outer layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said barrier layer, said starch being substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 4 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least said inner layer being oxidized; b) sealing one end of said tube and stuffing said tube with uncooked meat so that the meat outer surface is in direct contact with said inside surface of the starch-containing inner layer; c) sealing the open end of the uncooked meat-containing tube; and d) cooking said meat in the sealed tube by contacting the stuffed tube outer surface with a heated aqueous medium and simultaneously adhering the cooking meat outer surface to the tube inside surface.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
229 words
A method for preparing a cooked meat product comprising the steps of: a) providing a flexible tube formed of multilayer film of at least three layers comprising an inner layer comprising a blend of thermoplastic polymer and starch, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer, and an outer layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said barrier layer, said starch being substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 4 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least said inner layer being oxidized; b) sealing one end of said tube and stuffing said tube with uncooked meat so that the meat outer surface is in direct contact with said inside surface of the starch-containing inner layer; c) sealing the open end of the uncooked meat-containing tube; and d) cooking said meat in the sealed tube by contacting the stuffed tube outer surface with a heated aqueous medium and simultaneously adhering the cooking meat outer surface to the tube inside surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is ethylene vinyl acetate having between about 3% and about 18% by weight vinyl acetate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is a blend of said ethylene vinyl acetate and polyethylene.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said inside surface is oxidized by irradiation at dosage of at least about 2 MR.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said inside surface is oxidized by corona treatment.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said starch within the inner layer is distributed across said inside surface in quantity of at least about 10 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said starch within the inner layer is distributed across said inside surface in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein the inner layer blend has between about 25% and about 70% by weight of an unneutralized copolymer of an alpha olefin having the formula RHC═CH 2 wherein R is H or C 1 to C 8 alkyl and an alpha, beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 27 wherein in said unneutralized copolymer, the olefin is ethylene and the carboxylic acid is acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 27 wherein said unneutralized copolymer is ethylene acrylic acid.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said meat product is boiled ham containing on a weight basis more than about 10% fat.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said meat product is boiled ham containing more than about 10% fat and more than about 5% collagen meat protein of the total available meat portion, all on a weight basis.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the vinyl acetate content of said ethylene vinyl acetate in said inner layer is between about 6% and about 18% on a weight basis.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 23 wherein the entire multilayer film is irradiated.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
274 words
A method for preparing a cooked meat product comprising the steps of: a) providing a flexible tube formed of multilayer film comprising an inner layer of a blend comprising starch and ethylene vinyl acetate having vinyl acetate weight, content between about 6% and about 18%, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer, and an outer layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said barrier layer, said starch being substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, and at least said inner layer is irradiated at dosage of at least about 2 MR; b) sealing one end of said tube and stuffing said tube with uncooked ham containing more than about 10% fat and more than about 5% collagen meat protein of the total available meat portion all on a weight basis, said stuffing being such that the ham outer surface is in direct contact with said inside surface of the starch-containing inner layer; c) sealing the open end of the uncooked ham-containing tube; and d) cooking said ham in the sealed tube by contacting the stuffed tube outer surface with a heated aqueous medium and simultaneously adhering the cooking ham outer surface to the tube inside surface.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
274 words
A method for preparing a cooked meat product comprising the steps of: a) providing a flexible tube formed of multilayer film comprising an inner layer of a blend comprising starch and ethylene vinyl acetate having vinyl acetate weight, content between about 6% and about 18%, an oxygen barrier layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said inner layer, and an outer layer with its inner side adhered to the outer side of said barrier layer, said starch being substantially uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, and at least said inner layer is irradiated at dosage of at least about 2 MR; b) sealing one end of said tube and stuffing said tube with uncooked ham containing more than about 10% fat and more than about 5% collagen meat protein of the total available meat portion all on a weight basis, said stuffing being such that the ham outer surface is in direct contact with said inside surface of the starch-containing inner layer; c) sealing the open end of the uncooked ham-containing tube; and d) cooking said ham in the sealed tube by contacting the stuffed tube outer surface with a heated aqueous medium and simultaneously adhering the cooking ham outer surface to the tube inside surface.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
161 words
A meat product package comprising an enclosing multilayer film having an inner layer and an insitu aqueous medium-cooked meat product with its outer surface in adhering relation to said inner layer, and with said multilayer film, comprising at least three layers an oxygen barrier layer as the core, said inner layer being formed of a blend comprising thermoplastic polymer and starch particles on one side of said barrier layer and an outer layer on the opposite side of said barrier layer, said starch particles being uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 4 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least said inside surface being oxidized.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
161 words
A meat product package comprising an enclosing multilayer film having an inner layer and an insitu aqueous medium-cooked meat product with its outer surface in adhering relation to said inner layer, and with said multilayer film, comprising at least three layers an oxygen barrier layer as the core, said inner layer being formed of a blend comprising thermoplastic polymer and starch particles on one side of said barrier layer and an outer layer on the opposite side of said barrier layer, said starch particles being uniformly distributed through said inner layer such that the starch at the inside surface of said inner layer is present in quantity of at least about 4 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface and also present in quantity and particle size so that a portion of said starch particles are proximate said inside surface in visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least said inside surface being oxidized.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
27 words
A meat product package according to claim 35 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is ethylene vinyl acetate having between about 3% and about 18% by weight vinyl acetate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
A meat product package according to claim 36 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is a blend of said ethylene vinyl acetate and polyethylene.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
23 words
A meat product according to claim 35 wherein said inside surface is oxidized by irradiation at dosage of at least about 2 MR.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
A meat product according to claim 35 wherein said inside surface is oxidized by corona treatment.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
A meat product package according to claim 36 wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate inner layer has a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
17 words
A meat product package according to claim 35 wherein the core layer is a vinylidene chloride copolymer.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
18 words
A meat product package according to claim 41 wherein the core layer is a vinylidene chloride-methyl acrylate copolymer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
16 words
A meat product package according to claim 35 wherein the outer layer is ethylene vinyl acetate.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
A meat product package according to claim 43 wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate outer layer has between about 3% and about 18% by weight vinyl acetate.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
A meat product package according to claim 44 wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate outer layer has a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
19 words
A meat product package according to claim 38 wherein the inner layer includes up to about 50 wt. %polyethylene.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
34 words
A meat product package according to claim 35 wherein said starch within the inner layer is distributed across said inside surface in quantity of at least at about 10 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
34 words
A meat product package according to claim 35 wherein said starch within the inner layer is distributed across said inside surface in quantity between about 10 and about 40 grams/1000 ft. 2 inside surface.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
14 words
A meat product package according to claim 38 wherein the entire film is irradiated.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
19 words
A meat product package according to claim 49 wherein the film is irradiated at less than about 5 MR.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
230 words
A boiled ham product package comprising an enclosing three layer film having an inner layer, and an insitu aqueous medium-cooked ham product containing more than about 10% fat and more than about 5% collagen meat protein of the total available meat portion all on a weight basis, the outer surface of said ham product being in adhering relation to said inner layer, said three layer film comprising a vinylidene chloride copolymer oxygen barrier layer as the core; an ethylene vinyl acetate inner layer on one side of said barrier layer having between about 3% and 18% by weight vinyl acetate, a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0, and at least about 10 grams/1000 ft. 2 of starch particles with said starch particles also being present in quantity and particle size within the inner layer being contiguously associated with and substantially uniformly distributed across the inside surface of said inner layer with a portion of said starch particles are visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least the distributed starch-containing ethylene vinyl acetate inner layer being irradiated at dosage of at least about 2 MR; and an ethylene vinyl acetate outer layer on the opposite side of said barrier layer having between about 3% and 18% by weight vinyl acetate and a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
230 words
A boiled ham product package comprising an enclosing three layer film having an inner layer, and an insitu aqueous medium-cooked ham product containing more than about 10% fat and more than about 5% collagen meat protein of the total available meat portion all on a weight basis, the outer surface of said ham product being in adhering relation to said inner layer, said three layer film comprising a vinylidene chloride copolymer oxygen barrier layer as the core; an ethylene vinyl acetate inner layer on one side of said barrier layer having between about 3% and 18% by weight vinyl acetate, a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0, and at least about 10 grams/1000 ft. 2 of starch particles with said starch particles also being present in quantity and particle size within the inner layer being contiguously associated with and substantially uniformly distributed across the inside surface of said inner layer with a portion of said starch particles are visually protruding but not physically penetrating relationship so that said inside surface is randomly uneven, at least the distributed starch-containing ethylene vinyl acetate inner layer being irradiated at dosage of at least about 2 MR; and an ethylene vinyl acetate outer layer on the opposite side of said barrier layer having between about 3% and 18% by weight vinyl acetate and a melt index between about 0.1 and about 1.0.
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