Controlled atmosphere, controlled humidity package for red-ripe tomatoes

Claim 1

A controlled atmosphere package containing at least one tomato comprising: a relatively rigid plastic enclosure, said enclosure comprising a tray having sidewalls and a bottom wall defining a chamber and containing at least one tomato, the at least one tomato having a stem soar, the side walls of said tray extending upwardly above said at least one tomato and defining an open mouth of the tray bounded by a flange around the upper edge of the side walls; said tray defining at least one means for cradling said at least one tomato in said chamber, with said at least one tomato being received in said at least one cradle means respectively; said bottom wall of said tray including a trough which opens toward the chamber; said trough containing a gas permeable packet containing a humectant material in an amount sufficient to maintain a substantially controlled relative humidity within the enclosure; said trough being configured to maintain the packet in close proximity to the at least one tomato stem scar with the at least one tomato positioned with its stem scar facing downwardly toward the at least one cradle means; said plastic enclosure further including an insert which rests on said flange; said insert further including depressions projecting downwardly and into contact with said at least one tomato; said depressions in conjunction with said at least one cradle means and said walls of said tray as well as said trough are configured to maintain said at least one tomato in a substantially fixed position with respect to the remainder of the package and to maintain the packet in substantially fixed, spaced relation with respect to and in close proximity to the at least one tomato stem scar regardless of the orientation of the package; said enclosure defining said chamber being structurally configured to provide sufficient mass transfer among all gaseous regions surrounding said at least one tomato to allow said at least one tomato to breathe; said package further including a relatively non-rigid gas permeable plastic film enclosing said insert and secured to said flange to seal said open mouth.