Preserving Food Quality with Moisture-Resistant Packaging

Sustainable, high-barrier, food-contact packaging materials and methods that replace traditional materials like HIPS and PVdC. The packaging uses a formable sheet made from a specific alloy of polymers, coated with a barrier layer containing polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). The alloy layers have a composition of PET, HDPE, and a compatibilizer. The barrier coating provides oxygen and moisture barrier properties without compromising the sheet strength during forming. The coating composition and method involve intermixing PEI and PVOH with water to create a stretchable, formable gel. This gel-coated alloy sheet can be thermoformed into containers without rupturing the barrier layer. The coating composition and method avoid using HIPS and PVdC, which are banned in some jurisdictions due to environmental concerns.

Biodegradable, edible, and compostable articles like straws made from compositions of biobased polymers like alginate, chitosan, agar, carrageenan, konjac gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and fillers like cellulose. The compositions also contain wetting agents, plasticizers, and optionally crosslinking agents. The articles have improved water barrier properties while remaining biodegradable, flexible, and compostable. The compositions can be extruded into articles like straws using hot melt extrusion. The resulting articles have extended shelf life, good water resistance, and can be composted.

Aqueous dispersion of ethyl cellulose with plasticizer for coating substrates like paper to improve moisture barrier properties. The dispersion contains 40-90 wt% ethyl cellulose and 10-50 wt% plasticizer. Coating substrates with this dispersion provides film layers with 40-90 wt% ethyl cellulose and 10-50 wt% plasticizer. This enables high moisture barrier films on paper without solvents. The plasticizer allows ethyl cellulose dispersion coating without blocking. Coating multiple layers further improves barrier.

Multilayer moisture barrier films for packaging applications that maintain desired moisture levels inside sealed packages without the need for metal barriers. The moisture barrier films have inner layers containing desiccant particles dispersed in a polymer matrix. The desiccant particles absorb moisture from the packaged product. The inner layers can have cavities with desiccant particles inside to further improve moisture barrier properties. The cavities provide multiple points of contact for moisture to interact with the desiccant. The desiccant-containing inner layers replace metal barriers while still maintaining moisture levels inside sealed packages.

Flexible packaging for hot-fill and retort applications that can survive pasteurization, boiling, and retorting without compromising the integrity of the barrier layer. The packaging structure has a patterned barrier coating that avoids the cut edges and seal areas. This protects the barrier from moisture exposure during processing. The barrier coating is applied only to the interior surface of the panels, leaving those areas around the seams barrier-free. This allows the packaging to withstand high heat and moisture without delaminating or ruining the product inside. It uses a single polymer for recyclability.

Biodegradable, edible food service articles like straws, cups, and utensils made from bio-based materials that are compostable and avoid plastic pollution. The articles contain hydrocolloids like alginate, carrageenan, or agar, plasticizers, humectants, fillers, and water. They are processed by extrusion into shapes, optionally cross-linked, and dried. The articles have desirable properties like strength, flexibility, water resistance, and extended shelf life without packaging. The bio-based compositions replace single-use plastics in food service items.

Sustainable, high-barrier, food-contact packaging made from a formable sheet with improved oxygen and moisture barrier properties. The sheet contains a barrier coating sandwiched between alloy layers. The barrier coating is a premixed solution of polyethyleneimine and polyvinyl alcohol. The alloy layers are blends of polyethylene terephthalate, a polyolefin, and a compatibilizer. The alloy layers provide mechanical strength and formability. The barrier coating provides oxygen and moisture barrier properties. The coating composition and application method are optimized to avoid rupture during thermoforming and container filling.

Paper-based packaging with improved oxygen and moisture barrier properties for food packaging. The packaging uses a cellulosic fiber substrate with an inner PVOH oxygen barrier layer and an outer moisture barrier layer. The inner moisture barrier can be a polyolefin or functionalized polyolefin. The PVOH layer seals against the moisture barrier to create a hermetic package. The cellulosic substrate allows recyclability. The PVOH inner layer prevents oxygen degradation, while the moisture barrier prevents spoilage. The inner moisture barrier prevents delamination between the layers.

Food product containers with improved barrier properties to prevent oxygen and moisture ingress, especially for thin-walled containers like yogurt cups. The containers have a multi-layer structure with an inner barrier layer sandwiched between two outer skin layers. The barrier layer contains a specific composition of polypropylene copolymer, Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH), and a tie additive. The EVOH provides the barrier against oxygen and moisture, while the polypropylene copolymer and tie additive improve the container's mechanical properties and processing. The tie additive is an anhydride-modified polypropylene resin.

Containment system with interchangeable compartments to prevent moisture migration between stored items. The system has a lid, jar, and insertable compartments with flanges. The compartments nest together to separate contents when inserted. The flanges seal between the jar and lid gasket to prevent moisture transfer. This allows storing different foods with varying moisture levels in separate compartments to prevent cross-contamination.

Multilayer packaging film for food applications that maintains transparency after sterilization and shaking. The film has three layers: a polyolefin outer layer, an inner ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) barrier layer, and another polyolefin inner layer. The EVOH barrier layer sandwiched between the polyolefin layers prevents gas and moisture permeation. The outer polyolefin layer has a higher water vapor transmission rate than the inner layer to prevent delamination. The film retains transparency after sterilization and shaking due to the EVOH barrier and balanced water vapor transmission rates.

Erectable-type food container with improved moisture resistance to prevent seepage and leaking of moisture and oil from the contents. The container has a sealed bottom and side walls adhered to the bottom using an insoluble sealing material that prevents moisture infiltration. This sealing material seals the joint between the bottom and side walls to prevent moisture seepage.

Spray coating fiber-based food packaging to improve barrier properties like oil, moisture, and vapor transmission. The coating is applied using specialized spray systems with nozzles configured to cover specific areas like bottoms and sidewalls. The coating chemistry includes additives like alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) for moisture barrier, fluorocarbon emulsions for oil barrier, and retention aids. This allows fiber containers to replace plastics in food applications without compromising performance.

A blank for erecting into a moisture-resistant package for wet products like food. The blank has a bottom panel, side walls, end walls, and a top wall with double-walled ends. It also has locking tabs and a lid. The locking tabs fit between the double-walled ends to secure the side wall. The lid folds over the side wall between the ends. This design provides a strong, stackable, moisture-resistant package with a removable lid.

An edible seaweed sheet with improved texture and shelf life, and a method to prepare it. The sheet contains a seaweed layer sandwiched between grain layers, with a moisture barrier coating on selected surfaces. The barrier prevents moisture ingress to maintain crispness. The sheet is made by bonding grain and seaweed sheets, then coating a barrier on the bonded areas and one side.

Coated paperboard containers with improved barrier properties and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional polyethylene-coated containers. The containers have a paperboard substrate coated with an aqueous barrier coating, followed by an additional aqueous barrier coating applied over the first coating after the container is formed. This multi-coating process provides enhanced barrier properties against oil, grease, water, and moisture vapor compared to a single aqueous coating. The repulpable, recyclable paperboard containers have better integrity and reduced staining compared to single-coat containers.

Machine for wrapping hygroscopic food products to extend their shelf life by preventing moisture absorption. The machine has a feeding device to move products through the wrapping process. At the wrapping stations, vacuum suction is applied inside the wrapping tube to create a negative pressure. This draws the product tightly against the wrapping material as it is sealed, preventing air gaps and minimizing moisture ingress.

Recyclable lined molded fiber food containers that provide improved oil resistance, water resistance, and water vapor barrier for refrigerated and frozen foods compared to traditional molded fiber containers. The containers are lined with a thermoformable cellulose-based acetate film instead of petroleum-based films. The film is bonded to the molded fiber using suction to form a continuous liner. The cellulose-based acetate film avoids PFAs and provides similar performance to PET liners. The molded fiber base is made from virgin bagasse fiber pulp for sustainability. The lined molded fiber containers can hold oil and water better than plain molded fiber, making them suitable for food applications.

Durable, non-aluminum barrier film for laminated packaging materials like cartons for long-term storage of liquid foods. The film has excellent gas barrier properties, water vapor barrier, and internal adhesion between layers. It is made by coextrusion with adhesive layers between the barrier layer and outer layer. The barrier layer is a thin diamond-like carbon (DLC) film deposited by vapor deposition. This provides superior gas barrier compared to conventional aluminum foil while avoiding the drawbacks of thick multilayer films. The DLC film has low oxygen transmission rate, good moisture resistance, and internal adhesion for package integrity.

Enhanced barrier layer for packaging materials like food, beverage and pharmaceutical packages that provides effective gas barrier properties at high humidity levels. The barrier layer is made by coating a substrate like paper with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) solution containing a small amount of an interpolymer complex forming agent (IPCFA). The IPCFA forms hydrogen bonds with the PVOH to enhance barrier properties. The IPCFA is a water-soluble polymer with functional groups that bond to PVOH's hydroxyl groups. The IPCFA proportion in the coating is 0.5-7.0% (w/w) PVOH. This provides a barrier layer with low oxygen permeability below 14 ml/m2/day/atm when measured at 80% RH. The barrier layer can also optionally contain nanofillers