Pouch-Packaged Crabmeat Product and Method
A packaged crabmeat product including a sealed flexible pouch, a first volume of crabmeat positioned in the sealed flexible pouch and a second volume of a gaseous component positioned in the sealed flexible pouch, the gaseous component including at least 2 percent by volume oxygen and at most 20 percent by volume oxygen, wherein the sealed flexible pouch is pasteurized.
1 . A packaged crabmeat product comprising:
a sealed flexible pouch;
a first volume of crabmeat positioned in said sealed flexible pouch; and
a second volume of a gaseous component positioned in said sealed flexible pouch, said gaseous component being manmade and comprising at least 2 percent by volume oxygen and at most 20 percent by volume oxygen,
wherein said sealed flexible pouch is pasteurized.
2 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said flexible pouch comprises a multi-layer film.
3 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said flexible pouch comprises a layered structure that comprises:
at least one layer of polyethylene terephthalate;
at least one layer of nylon;
at least one layer of aluminum; and
at least one layer of cast polypropylene.
4 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said gaseous component comprises at most 10 percent by volume oxygen.
5 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said gaseous component comprises at least 3 percent by volume oxygen.
6 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said gaseous component further comprises an inert gas.
7 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 6 wherein said gaseous component further comprises an active gas.
8 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said second volume is at most about 20 percent of said first volume.
9 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 1 wherein said second volume is at most about 10 percent of said first volume.
10 . A packaged crabmeat product comprising:
a sealed flexible pouch;
a first volume of crabmeat positioned in said sealed flexible pouch; and
a second volume of a gaseous component positioned in said sealed flexible pouch, said gaseous component being manmade and comprising at least 25 percent by volume oxygen,
wherein said sealed flexible pouch is pasteurized.
11 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said flexible pouch comprises a multi-layer film.
12 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said flexible pouch comprises a layered structure that comprises:
at least one layer of polyethylene terephthalate;
at least one layer of nylon;
at least one layer of aluminum; and
at least one layer of cast polypropylene.
13 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said gaseous component comprises at least 50 percent by volume oxygen.
14 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said gaseous component comprises at least 90 percent by volume oxygen.
15 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said gaseous component further comprises an inert gas.
16 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 15 wherein said gaseous component further comprises an active gas.
17 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said gaseous component consists essentially of oxygen.
18 . The packaged crabmeat product of claim 10 wherein said second volume is at most about 20 percent of said first volume.
19 . A method for packaging crabmeat comprising the steps of:
providing a flexible pouch;
providing a gaseous component comprising an oxygen content, wherein said oxygen content is different than an oxygen content of ambient air;
placing a first volume of crabmeat into said flexible pouch;
placing a second volume of said gaseous component into said flexible pouch;
sealing said flexible pouch; and
after said sealing step, pasteurizing said flexible pouch.
20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising, prior to said step of placing said second volume, determining a magnitude of said second volume based on said first volume and said oxygen content of said gaseous component.