Myoglobin blooming agent containing shrink films, packages and methods for packaging
Heat shrinkable, oxygen barrier, packaging films, methods of packaging and packages are provided having a myoglobin blooming agent to provide, promote, enhance or maintain a desirable coloration on the surface of a myoglobin-containing meat product.
1. A heat-shrinkable food packaging film having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the film comprising:
(a) food contact layer comprising a myoglobin blooming agent,
wherein the myoglobin blooming agent is selected from the group consisting of: Fremy's salt, nitrate salts having the formula (MNO 3 ) and inorganic nitrites (MNO 2 ), where the counter ion (M+) is selected from the group consisting of: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, protonated primary, secondary or tertiary amines, quaternary amines and ammonium; and
(b) an oxygen barrier layer;
wherein the film has a free shrink value at 90° C. or less of at least 10% in at least one direction;
wherein the myoglobin blooming agent is present on the food contact layer surface in a concentration sufficient to produce a desirable surface coloration of the meat product and prevent undesirable extension of the color into the body of the meat product;
wherein the concentration of myoglobin blooming agent is between 0.001 to 0.900 mg/in 2 .
2. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the film has a total free shrink value at 90° C. or less of at least 60%.
3. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the oxygen barrier layer comprises PVDC, EVOH, polyamide, nanocomposite, PET, or a combination thereof.
4. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the film has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 310 cm 3 /m 2 /24 hours measured at 0% relative humidity and 23° C.
5. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the film has an oxygen transmission rate of less than about 75 cm 3 /m 2 /24 hours measured at 0% relative humidity and 23° C.
6. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the film has an oxygen transmission rate of less than 20.0 cm 3 /m 2 /24 hours measured at 0% relative humidity and 23° C.
7. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the film further comprises an exterior surface layer (c), and wherein the oxygen barrier layer (b) is positioned between layer (a) and layer (c).
8. A film, as defined in claim 7 , wherein the film is at least five polymeric layers and has a first tie layer (d) positioned between the food contact layer (a) and oxygen barrier layer (b) and a second tie layer (e) positioned between the oxygen barrier layer (b) and the exterior surface layer (c).
9. A film, as defined in claim 7 , wherein the exterior surface layer (c) comprises a homopolymer or a copolymer of nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefin, or blends thereof.
10. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer (a) comprises a homopolymer or a copolymer of a polyolefin or blends thereof.
11. A film, as defined in claim 7 , wherein at least one layer of the film is crosslinked.
12. A film, as defined in claim 7 , wherein at least one layer of the film is irradiatively crosslinked.
13. A film, as defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional layer of a polyamide, a polyester, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a polybutylene, a polystyrene, a polyurethane, a polyacrylamide, an anhydride-modified polymer, an acrylate-modified polymer, or copolymers or blends thereof.
14. A film, as defined in claim 1 wherein the myoglobin blooming agent containing layer further comprises at least one of an antioxidant, a slip agent, an antiblock agent, a colorant, a flavorant, an odorant, an organoleptic agent, a coefficient of friction modifying agent, a lubricant, a surfactant, an encapsulating agent, an oxygen scavenger, a pH modifying agent, a film forming agent, an emulsifier, a polyphosphate, a humectant, a drying agent, an antimicrobial agent, a chelating agent, a binder, a starch, a polysaccharide or a combination thereof.
15. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer comprises between about 0.10 weight % and about 5.0 weight % of the myoglobin blooming agent.
16. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer comprises at least about 0.10 weight % and less than 2.0 weight % of the myoglobin blooming agent.
17. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer has on its food contact surface of from 0.01 to 10 μmole/inch 2 of the myoglobin blooming agent.
18. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer has on its food contact surface of from 0.01 to 2 μmole/inch 2 of the myoglobin blooming agent.
19. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer has at least 0.1 mg/inch 2 of the myoglobin blooming agent.
20. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer has an its food contact surface less than 0.25 mg/inch 2 of the myoglobin blooming agent.
21. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer comprises a heat sealable polymer.
22. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the food contact layer comprises a heat sealable polymer selected from the group of polyolefin, polyethylene, VLDPE, LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE, ethylene alpha-olefin copolymers, polypropylene, polybutylene, and ionomer.
23. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least 0% of the surface area of the film is transparent.
24. A film, as defined in claim 1 , wherein the film has a gloss value of at least 70 at 45°.