BANANA STORAGE AND SHIPPING BAGS
A film for wrapping respiring produce is disclosed. The film comprises from about 60% to about 90% of an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mixture which consists of (for example, from about 75% to about 90%) ethylene vinyl acetate and (for example, from about 10% to about 25%) vinyl acetate, with the balance of the film selected from food-safe, EVA-compatible, thermoplastic resins, such as low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, and mixtures of those materials. A bag for storage and shipment of respiring produce, such as bananas, made from that film material, as well as a method for shipping and storing respiring produce, such as bananas, avocados, salad components or flowers, utilizing that bag, are also disclosed.
1 . A film for wrapping respiring produce comprising from about 60% to about 90% of an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mixture which consists of ethylene vinyl acetate and vinyl acetate, and the balance of the film comprising a second resin selected from food-safe EVA-compatible thermoplastic resins, the film having a thickness of from about 0.5 to about 5 mils.
2 . The film according to claim 1 wherein the second resin is selected from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.
3 . The film according to claim 2 which includes micro-perforations going through the film.
4 . The film according to claim 2 which comprises about 80% of the ethylene vinyl acetate mixture, and wherein the second resin comprises linear low density polyethylene.
5 . The film according to claim 1 wherein the EVA mixture consists of about 75% to about 90% ethylene vinyl acetate and from about 10% to about 25% vinyl acetate.
6 . The film according to claim 1 which is not a laminate.
7 . The film according to claim 2 which comprises from about 10% to about 40% of the second resin.
8 . A bag for the shipment of respiring produce comprising a rectangular top sheet and a rectangular bottom sheet joined together along at least three of their edges, at least a portion of said top sheet and said bottom sheet made from a film comprising from about 60% to about 90% of an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) mixture which consists of ethylene vinyl acetate and vinyl acetate, and the balance of the film comprising a second resin selected from food-safe, EVA-compatible thermoplastic resins.
9 . The bag according to claim 8 wherein the second resin is selected from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, and mixtures thereof.
10 . The bag according to claim 9 wherein the complete top and bottom sheets are made from the defined film.
11 . The bag according to claim 9 wherein the film is not a laminate.
12 . The bag according to claim 10 which is from about 8″ to about 52″ in length, and from about 3″ to about 40″ wide.
13 . The bag according to claim 12 wherein the film used to make the bag has a thickness of from about 0.5 to about 5 mils.
14 . The bag according to claim 13 wherein the second resin comprises linear low density polyethylene.
15 . The bag according to claim 14 which comprises about 80% of the ethylene vinyl acetate mixture.
16 . The bag according to claim 8 wherein the EVA mixture consists of from about 75% to about 90% ethylene vinyl acetate and from about 10% to about 25% vinyl acetate.
17 . The bag according to claim 8 wherein one or both of the sheets includes micro-perforations through the film material.
18 . The bag according to claim 17 which includes from about 1 to about 100 micro-perforations per sheet, each micro-perforation being from about 0.1 to about 12.5 mm in diameter.
19 . A method for shipping respiring produce comprising the steps of placing said produce in one or more bags according to claim 8 , and shipping said produce from an origination point to a destination point.
20 . The method according to claim 19 wherein the produce is bananas.
21 . The method according to claim 20 wherein the fourth edge of the bag is sealed after the bananas are placed in the bag and prior to shipping.
22 . The method according to claim 21 wherein the bananas are gassed with ethylene prior to the sealing of the bag.
23 . The method according to claim 20 wherein the fourth edge of the bag is sealed after the bananas reach their destination point.
24 . The method according to claim 20 wherein the bag is formulated such that the atmosphere within the sealed bag of bananas during at least a portion of shipping, includes from about 2% to about 12% oxygen and from about 3% to about 13% carbon dioxide.
25 . The process according to claim 20 wherein the film used to make the bag has a thickness of from about 0.5 to about 5 mils.
26 . The process according to claim 25 wherein the second resin in the film used to make the bag comprises linear low density polyethylene.
27 . The process according to claim 26 wherein the film used to make the bag includes micro-perforations through the film.
28 . The process according to claim 27 wherein the bag includes from about 1 to about 100 micro-perforations per sheet, each micro-perforation having a diameter of from about 0.1 to about 12.5 mm.