Title of Invention

AN IMPROVED PACKAGING SYSTEM & METHOD FOR PRESERVATION OF PLANT BASED BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

Abstract

There is disclosed a method for the preservation of the freshness of materials like fruits/vegetables and similar materials comprising the following steps - a. Harvesting the materials from the plant with a small portion of the stem. b. Sorting the same according to the size, materials and colour for uniform segregation. c. Pre-treating the uniformly segregated maturity with a chemical solution containing sodium bsnzoate and/or chlorine water. d. Draining the treating solution e. Surface drying the pie-treated material with or without fumigating with sulfur vapour f. Pre-cooling the dry rr aterial to .emperature in the range of 2-5o C in a container followed by g. packing the same in LDPE packages and sealing the packed packages, wherein after h. the packed materials are stored at temperature of 8±2°C and RH of 80-90%.

Full Text

Introduction to the Field of Invention This invention relates to an improved me:hod and a packaging system for plant based biological material. The invention more particularly relates to an improved modified atmosphere control temperature packaging method and system for materials like fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and medicinal plants and similar materials. Prior Art It is already known to pack bio-logical materials like fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and medicinal plants and similar materials to I eep them fresh and maintain the freshness for as long a time as possible. It is also known, that when these materials are packed in suitable packages, changes take place within the packages, which decide the con ditions and length of time for keeping the packed materia] fresh. Objects of the Invention It is a principal object of the invention to propose improved packing method/conditions for keeping the freshness of packed biological materials. It is another object of this invention to propose a packaging system for biological material like fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants and similar materials. Yet another object is to propose such a sys em which can cater to the need of various categories or cross section of users such as retailers stores, exporters, wholesale dealers and even households. These and other objects will be apparent from the following paragraphs. Basis for Investigations We have experimented with a selected few materials and have found satisfactory results. It is however not restricted to the few experimented items only. A large varieties of items having similar biological behavior can be successfully packed in the improved packing system under modified atmosphere and controlled tempeiature. To arrive at a favourable packaging sys:em, we have taken into consideration, several factors like the respiration of the packed materials, -ate and prolongation of the respiration activity, utilization of oxygen within the system ind increase in carbon-di-oxidc production, alteration in the Respiration Quality (RQ) and the metabolic activities under controlled temperature. We have conducted experiment with se\eral fruits and give below the details for litchi and sapotas. Brief Statement of the Invention According to this invention a method has been provided for the preservation of the freshness of materials like fruits/vegetables and simihr materials comprising the following steps. a. Harvesting the materials from the plant at the proper stage of maturity and with a small position of stem. b. Sorting the same according to the size, maturity and colour for uniform segregation. c. Pre-treating the uniformly segregated materials with a chemical solution containing sodium benzoate and/or chlorine vater. d. draining the treating solution e. surface drying the pre-treated material with or without fumigating with sulfur vapour f. pre-cooling the dry material to temperature in the range of 2-5°C in a container followed by g. packing the same in LDPE packages and sealing the packed packages, whore after h. the packed materials are stored at temperature of 8±2°C and RH of 80-90% The materials are harvested without damage which are to be stored to avoid exudation of liquid if any. The pre-treating solution is preferably mads of 250 ppm of sodium benzoate and 5 ppm of chlorine water. The pre-treated material is surface d ied when these fruits preferably by burning sulfur in a fume chamber using preferably less than C.05 by weight of sulfur based on the weight of fruits/medicinal plants. The pre-cooling is carried out prefera bly at temperature of 4-5°C within an hour. The packing packet is made of LDPE film of about 200 gauge. The materials are loosely packed keeping at least 20% head space inside the packet in the scaled condition. If desired the interior of the sealed packets are flushed off ethylene by using inside the package an ethylene scavenger like KMn04 sol ation absorbed in a suitable surface like asbestos libers. The fruits are selected from various caiegories like litchis, sapotas, lemons, mangoes and guavas. The materials include edible materials selected from mushrooms, cabbages, bracoli red, cabbage. capsicum, green chili, grains. The materials include medicinal plants ncluding pan leaves, mint citronella and lemon grass eucalyptus barks and leaves cardamom amd others, which are a source for volatile aromatic oils. The invention will now be more fully described w.'th reference to the following two examples relating to fruits but is equally applicable to all other materials mentioned herein with applicable small alterations as may become necessary. Example 1: Litchi: Litchis (Sahi and China variety) are harvested at matured stage (bright red colour) free from blemishes from plant. Part of stem about !/2" is kept in fruits to avoid skin damage and exudation of liquid which could cause de erioration afterwards. Samples are grades as per size, maturity and colour, washed with chemicals (sodium benzoate, 250 ppm)/chlorine water 5 ppm (bleaching powder) and surface dried or sulfered for 10 mins. Bu burning sulfer in fume chamber (500 gm sulfur/ton of fruits). Samples are pre-cooled to 4-50C within one hour to remove Held heat, then litchis are packed and sealed in 200 gauge LDPE packets keeping about 10% head Space and then sealed. Sealed packets ere kept at 8±2°C and 80-90% RH. Storage life was found to increase 2-3 times compared to NA samples under same temperature and humidity. Example 2 Sapota Firm fresh sapotas are washed i I sodium benzoate (250 ppm)/chlorine water (5 -ppm) for 10 mins. Surface dried and then pre-:ool;ed to 4-50C, followed by packing in LDPE packets (200 gauge) and sealing. Packets containing fruits are stored at 7±2°C at 85% RH. Storage life for control samples at the maintained tei iperature and humidity were found one week while under modified atmosphere system in package, products were found acceptable upto 3 weeks and with the addition of ethylene scavanger (K.mn04 scaked in asbestos fibres and covered in cellophene under MAP storage, storage life was found upto 5 weeks. Advantages of the Invention Our invention can be used not only for transportation but also for longer storage like (2-3 lime) of commodities compared to conventional low temperature storage. Beneficiaries for MACTP process will be cold storage owners, users, transporters, exporters and also exporting companies using road, rail, ship and air transport. "C rill injury" is nil in our process while in conventional cold storage (0-2°C) there is occasional cHH injury. Power consumption is much less in MAC'T system under operating temperature (8±2 C) compared to cold storage. The following flow chart briefly explains the various steps of the method of the invention MACTP OF FRUIT Figure 1: Storage and transportation of Fruit under MACTP Precautions 1. Procurement of raw materials a. Flowers and fruits and vegetables snould be free from diseases b. They should be free from defects/abnormalities/shrinkages etc. c. Maturity of the fruits and vegetables should be optimum Too ripe over mature materials will: spoil at a fast rate. d. Chemical treatments may be necessary to remove the surface infection. If the materials are dipped in chemical solution suff cient time about 30 minutes should be allowed and after treatment the adhering liqu.d should be removed thoroughly in order to prevent spoilage at later stages. e. There should not be any fluctuation of temperature and RH during storage RH should not go below 70%. f. Packing material should be free rom defects like cracks, perforation, improper sealing etc. g. Hygienic condition should be maintained in the processing area, h. Implant cleaning is necessary with chlorine or other disinfectants i. Hygiene of the workers handling the product should be properly maintained, j. Thorough cleaning of the materi al after harvesting from the field is necessary k. Before keeping the produce in MACTP pre-cooling is necessary to prevent the damage of the product. Comparison with Prior Efforts Comparing the related Indian, US and European Patents on modified atmospheric storage, we find the following distinguishing features in our innovation. 1. We worked on tropical fruit, vegetables and flowers. These tropical commodities having certain specialities have not been covered in other Patents in the manner we studied 2. Climacteric behaviour (O2 uptake and CO2 formation) for the commodities were worked out prior to packaging. 3. Prompt pre-cooling with 6-24 hours followed by chemical treatment, ethylene suppressant, if necessary, wese done for better storage life of commodities, storage life increases 2-3 times compared to conventional cold storage. Permeability values of polymeric films against water vapour, CO2 and O2 for the commodities are taken into consideration prior to use of a suitable film with particular thickness. Several films haye been tried and substitutes were assessed for the storage studies under different temperature and relative humidity. Instead of low temperature storage chamber insulated rectangular boxes made of wood and an inner 1'-l .5" layer of insulation on all 4 walls, bottom and top were fabricated for transportation of commodities. Cooling was done by putting ice in a separate compartment during transit. Condensate was removed at intervals varying 24-36 hours. Our system is not a gas pzck system rather respiration of commodities coupled with temperature and humidity within the suitable polymeric environment controls the suitable gas composition 2-5% CO2, 2.5% O2) and helps storage of commodities. We claim our system as MATP (modified Atmospheric Control Temperature Packing) instead of M.A/CA or MAP mentioned by other inventors. Transportation trials on road and railways (500-2000 KM) with the commodities under MACTP in rectangular insulated boxes with ice as coolant in a separate compartment were founc satisfactory. Cooling can also be done using dry ice in insulated container). WE CLAIM 1. A method for the preservation c f the freshness of material like fruits/vegetables and similar materials comprising the following steps - a. Harvesting the materials from the plant with a small portion of the stem, b. Sorting the same according to the size, maturity and colour for uniform segregation. c. Pre-treating the uniformly segregated materials with a chemical solution containing sodium benzoate and chorine water. d. Draining the treating solution e. Surface drying the pre-treated material with or without fumigating with sulfur vapour f. Pre-cooling the dry mater al to temperature in the range of 2-5°C in a container followed by g. Packing the same in LDPE packages and sealing the packed packages hereafter h. The packet materials are siored at temperature of 8±2°C and RI1 of 80-90% 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said materials are harvested without damage to the stem or other parts thereof, which are to be stored to avoid exudation of liquid. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pre-treating solution is preferably made of 250 ppm of sodium benzoate and/ or 5 ppm of chlorine water. 4. A method as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the pre-treated material is surface dried when threes fruits preferably by burning sulfur in a fume chamber using preferably less than 0.05 by weight of sulfur based on the wsight of fruits/vegetables and allied plant materials. 5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ore-cooling is carried out preferably at temperature of 4-5°C within an hour. A method as claimed in claims 1 lo 5, wherein the packaging packet is made of LDPF film of about 200 gauge. A method as claimed in the previous claims wherein the materials are loosely packed keeping at least 20% head space ir side the packet in the sealed condition. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, if desired, the interior of the sealed packets are flushed off ethylene by using insid; the package an ethylene scavenger like KmnO4 solution absorbed in a suitable surface like asbestos fibers. A method as claimed in the previous claims wherein the fruits are selected from various categories like litchis, sapotas. lem )ns, mangoes, bananas and guavas. A method as claimed in claims 1 to 8 where ir the materials include edible material are selected from mushrooms, cabbage?, broccoli red cabbage, capsicum, green chili, grains like high aroma rice. A method as claimed in claims 1 to 8 wherein the materials include medicinal plants including pan leaves, cardamom mint, citronella and lemon grass, eucalyptus barks and leaves and others, which are source for volatile aromatic oils. A method for the preservation of the freshness of materials like fruits, grains and medicinal plants substantially as heiein described with reference to the examples. There is disclosed a method for the preservation of the freshness of materials like fruits/vegetables and similar materials comprising the following steps - a. Harvesting the materials from the plant with a small portion of the stem. b. Sorting the same according to the size, materials and colour for uniform segregation. c. Pre-treating the uniformly segregated maturity with a chemical solution containing sodium bsnzoate and/or chlorine water. d. Draining the treating solution e. Surface drying the pie-treated material with or without fumigating with sulfur vapour f. Pre-cooling the dry rr aterial to .emperature in the range of 2-5o C in a container followed by g. packing the same in LDPE packages and sealing the packed packages, wherein after h. the packed materials are stored at temperature of 8±2°C and RH of 80-90%.

Documents:

430-cal-2001-granted-abstract.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-claims.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-correspondence.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-description (complete).pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-examination report.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-form 1.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-form 13.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-form 2.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-form 3.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-form 5.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-pa.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

430-cal-2001-granted-specification.pdf