Vacuum packaged products and methods for making same
View Patent ↗A vacuum packaged product and method for reducing tensile strength loss associated with sterilization of polyolefin-based products by gamma radiation, and reducing odors commonly produced by such sterilization.
1. A method of sterilizing a product in a package to reduce tensile strength loss of the product after sterilization by radiation, comprising the steps of
providing a package comprising a layer having an oxygen transmission rate equal to or less than about 0.2 cubic centimeter of oxygen per 100 inches squared per 24 hours, and having an interior,
placing a product in the interior of the package,
creating a vacuum in the package containing the product to a pressure equal to or less than about 100 millibars, thereby forming a vacuum packaged product, and
sterilizing the vacuum packaged product with radiation, thereby forming a sterilized package containing the product,
wherein the product, when removed from the sterilized package, has a reduction in its tensile strength less than about 20% where the reduction in tensile strength is measured by the following equation:
%
tensile
strength
loss
=
(
1
-
tensile
strength
post
radiation
tensile
strength
pre
radiation
)
×
100
%
.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum created in the vacuum packaged product is to a pressure of equal to or less than 10 millibars, wherein the product, when removed from the sterilized package has a reduction in its tensile strength less than about 14%.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the radiation is gamma radiation.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the layer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the layer comprises a polyolefin material.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the polyolefin material is a nonwoven polypropylene material.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation is gamma radiation.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises a polyolefin material.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the polyolefin material is a nonwoven polypropylene material.
11. A method of sterilizing a product in a package to reduce tensile strength loss of the product after sterilization by radiation, comprising the steps of
providing a package comprising a layer having an oxygen transmission rate equal to or less than about 2.3 cubic centimeter of oxygen per 100 inches squared per 24 hours, and having an interior,
placing a product in the interior of the package,
creating a vacuum in the package containing the product to a pressure equal to or less than about 10 millibars, thereby forming a vacuum packaged product, and
sterilizing the vacuum packaged product with radiation, thereby forming a sterilized package containing the product,
wherein the product, when removed from the sterilized package, has a reduction in its tensile strength less than about 17% where the reduction in tensile strength is measured by the following equation:
%
tensile
strength
loss
=
(
1
-
tensile
strength
post
radiation
tensile
strength
pre
radiation
)
×
100
%
.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the radiation is gamma radiation.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol.
14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises a polyolefin material.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the polyolefin material is a nonwoven polypropylene material.