Granted Patent B2

US 7,244,481 · App. 10/142,160 · Granted Jul 17, 2007

Abstract

Claims (20)

1. A tubular, biaxially stretched, heat shrinkable, multilayer film, food casing comprising:

(a) from at least about 8% to about 15% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an inner layer comprising a polyamide that is meat-adhering;

(b) from at least about 15% to about 20% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an inner adhesive layer adjacent to said inner layer, comprising a LLDPE or blend of LLDPE and EVA;

(c) from at least about 3% to about 5% by weight of the total weight of the casing, a core layer adjacent to said inner adhesive layer comprising EVOH;

(d) from at least about 15% to about 20% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an outer adhesive layer adjacent to said core layer, comprising a LLDPE or blend of LLDPE and EVA; and

(e) from at least about 45% to about 55% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an outer layer comprising a copolyamide;

wherein said multilayer film has a shrinkage value of at least 15% in both the transverse direction and the machine direction at 90° C.

2. A casing, as defined in claim 1 , wherein said film has a shrinkage value of at least 15% to about 20% at 90° C.

3. A casing, as defined in claim 1 , wherein said layers (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are coextruded.

4. A casing, as defined in claim 1 , wherein said multilayer film has a thickness of between about 40 to about 60 microns.

5. A casing, as defined in claim 1 , wherein said inner layer (a) comprises nylon 6.

6. A casing, as defined in claim 1 , wherein said outer layer (e) comprises nylon 6/66.

7. A casing as defined in claim 1 , wherein said inner adhesive layer and said outer adhesive layer are comprised of a maleic anhydride grafted LLDPE.

8. An encased foodstuff comprising a heat processed fat containing and protein containing foodstuff encased in a tubular, biaxially stretched, heat shrinkable, multilayer film, food casing comprising:

(a) from at least about 8% to about 15% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an inner layer comprising a polyamide that is meat-adhering;

(b) from at least about 15% to about 20% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an inner adhesive layer adjacent to said inner layer, comprising a LLDPE or blend of LLDPE and EVA;

(c) from at least about 3% to about 5% by weight of the total weight of the casing, a core layer adjacent to said inner adhesive layer comprising EVOH;

(d) from at least about 15% to about 20% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an outer adhesive layer adjacent to said core layer, comprising a LLDPE or blend of LLDPE and EVA; and

(e) from at least about 45% to about 55% by weight of the total weight of the casing, an outer layer comprising a copolyamide;

wherein said multilayer film has a shrinkage value of at least 15% in both the transverse direction and the machine direction at 90° C., wherein said foodstuff is in direct contact with said inner layer (a) and adheres thereto.

Assignments (18)