Films comprising a liquid-absorbant inner layer, an antimicrobial material and an impermeable outer layer

1. A laminate film comprising (i) an inner layer; (ii) at least one antimicrobial agent; and (iii) an outer layer; wherein the film is biaxially oriented; the inner layer is a block copolyether ester polymer and has absorbed therein or therewith a solution of the antimicrobial agent; the outer layer is a single film layer, a laminate, or a multilayer film comprising or produced from at least one polymer layer and optionally at least one tie layer; and the polymer layer comprises or is produced from a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamide, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyvinylidene chloride, polyolefins, and combinations of two or more thereof.

2. The film of claim 1 wherein the inner layer consisting of the copolyether ester has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of at least about 1200 g·25 μm 2 ·24 hrs, or from about 1200 to about 20000 g·25 μm 2 ·24 hrs.

3. The film of claim 2 wherein the inner layer is obtained from an ethylene oxide and propylene oxide copolyether glycol having a molecular weight of about 2150.

4. The film of claim 2 wherein the film is a blown film or a cast film.

5. The film of claim 1 wherein

the antimicrobial agent is (1) a combination of one or more bacterial polypeptides and one or more hop extracts, (2) a combination of a bactericidal compound and beta hops acid or beta hops acid derivative or both, (3) a combination comprising natamycin, dialkyl dicarbonate and a sorbate preservative, or (4) a combination comprising (a) calcium lactate and (b) a sequestering agent, a heat-treated lactic acid, a heat-treated glycolic acid, an antibiotic, lysozyme, pediocin, lacticin, immobilized lactoferrin, chitosan, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, or combinations of two or more thereof;

wherein the sequestering agent is citric acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, oxalic acid, ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, phosphoric acid, a salt thereof, or combinations of two or more thereof; and

the bactericidal compound is lantibiotic, pediocin, lacticin class bacteriocin, lytic enzyme, or combinations of two or more thereof.

6. The film of claim 2 wherein the antimicrobial agent is chitosan, benzoic acid, citric acid, nisin, or combinations of two or more thereof.

7. The film of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent is chitosan, benzoic acid, citric acid, or combinations of two or more thereof.

8. An article comprising a laminate film comprising wherein the film is as recited in claim 1 and the article is a foodstuff, tubular casing, a thermoformed film, a vacuum skin film, box, blister, pouch, or bag.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein the inner layer of the film is obtained from an ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide copolyether glycol having a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of at least about 1200 g·25μ/m 2 ·24 hrs, or from about 1200 to about 20000 g·25μ/m 2 ·24 hrs.

10. The article of claim 9 wherein the film is a blown film or a cast film.

11. The article of claim 8 wherein

the inner layer has absorbed therein or therewith a solution of the antimicrobial agent; and

the antimicrobial agent is nisin, chitosan, benzoic acid, citric acid, or combinations of two or more thereof.

12. A process comprising contacting a film with a solution comprising at least one antimicrobial agent to produce an antimicrobial film; optionally producing an article from the antimicrobial film; contacting the antimicrobial film or the article with foodstuff to produce a foodstuff containing antimicrobial agent; and optionally heating the foodstuff wherein the film is as recited in claim 1 .

13. The process of claim 12 wherein

the article is tubular casing, a thermoformed film, a vacuum skin film, box, pouch, or bag;

the inner layer has absorbed therein or therewith a solution of the antimicrobial agent;

the antimicrobial agent is (1) nisin, (2) chitosan, (3) benzoic acid, (4) citric acid, (5) a combination of one or more bacterial polypeptide and one or more hop extracts, (6) a combination of a bactericidal compound and beta hops acid or beta hops acid derivative or both, (7) a combination comprising natamycin, dialkyl dicarbonate and a sorbate preservative, or (8) a combination comprising (a) calcium lactate and (b) a sequestering agent, a heat-treated lactic acid, a heat-treated glycolic acid, an antibiotic, lysozyme, pediocin, lacticin, immobilized lactoferrin, chitosan, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, or combinations of two or more thereof;

wherein the sequestering agent is citric acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, oxalic acid, ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, phosphoric acid, a salt thereof, or combinations of two or more thereof; and

the bactericidal compound is lantibiotic, pediocin, lacticin class bacteriocin, lytic enzyme, or combinations of two or more thereof.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the film is a blown film or a cast film.

15. The process of claim 12 wherein the antimicrobial agent is nisin, chitosan, benzoic acid, citric acid, or combinations of two or more thereof.

16. The process of claim 12 wherein the foodstuff is fresh meat, carcass meat, ready to eat meat, hot dog, or sausage.

17. The process of claim 15 wherein the foodstuff is fresh meat, carcass meat, ready to eat meat, hot dog, or sausage.