CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of US provisional application No. 61/544,188 filed October 6, 2011, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the processing and packaging of foodstuff such as vegetables and fruits, and more specifically to a process that enables the packaging of such pickled foodstuff in a brineless package.

BACKGROUND

Pickling of foodstuff such as vegetables and fruits of a wide variety, for example, olives, cucumbers, and the like, is a well-known process in the art. In many cases the foodstuff is packaged within brine that covers the foodstuff for the entire period from the completion of manufacturing and until the product is first used by its intended consumer. As the manufacturing is typically done at significant distance from the point of consumption, or at least purchase by the end user of the completed product, there is an overhead associated with the shipment of the brine which is typically not consumed by the consumer but impacts manufacturing costs as well as transportation costs.

The use of brine is important to enable long shelf life for such products that contain pickled vegetables or fruits, and in proper packages such shelf life can last for years. By contrast, if only refrigeration is used and brine is absent, shelf life is limited to very few months, typically three months. While freezing is also a possibility for use with various foodstuff, it is not appropriate or generally useful with such pickled foodstuff due to its effect on product quality.

It would be advantageous to therefore provide a process that would enable the delivery of brineless foodstuff to the market, with sufficiently long shelf life and that is suitable for use with pickled vegetables or fruits. It would be further advantageous if such a process would not require refrigeration of the product between the time of

manufacturing and first consumption by an end-user. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 - is a flowchart of the process for preparing and packaging brineless pickled foodstuff according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A process for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of brineless pickled foodstuff, such as vegetables or fruits, having an acidity pH of five or lower, comprises several steps to ensure shelf life of at least one year without a need to refrigerate the product between the time of manufacturing and first consumption by the end user. The process involves contacting the foodstuff with an initial brine for storage until manufacturing. Subsequently performing a thermal treatment of the foodstuff to eradicate bacteria and then contacting the foodstuff with an equalizing brine that may further contain one or more herbs for the purpose of enhancing the flavor of the foodstuff. At packaging the foodstuff is drained and placed in an appropriate package. As may be necessary decorative herbs and oil are added and thereafter the package sealed in this MAP technique.

The following definitions are used with respect of this disclosure. "Foodstuff - a vegetable, pieces of a vegetable, a fruit, pieces of a fruit, a foodstuff having an acidity pH of five or less, pieces of a foodstuff having an acidity pH of five or less. For example, and without limitations, such foodstuff may include olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, and the like. "Brine" - water saturated or nearly saturated with salt, typically sodium chloride (NaCl), which is used in the pickling process for preservation of foodstuff. "Thermal treatment" - a process of treating foodstuff for the purpose of at least reducing bacterial activity, so as to reduce the adverse effect on the quality of the foodstuff over time by the activity of the bacteria. "Decorative edible herb" - an herb added to a foodstuff merely for the purpose of decoration and not for the purpose of altering or otherwise improving the flavor or taste of a foodstuff. "Modified atmosphere" - an atmosphere within a packaging wherein foodstuff is contained that is different from the gaseous composition of regular air which is 02 21%; C02 0.038%; N2 78%. "Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)" - a technique used for prolonging the shelf life period of generally fresh of minimally or partially processed foodstuff. "Blanching" - is a process that comprises of placing a foodstuff into boiling or near boiling water for a short period of time, typically a temperature range of 80-90oC. In some cases, an optional step of plunging the foodstuff into iced water or under running cold water which halts the cooking process is also performed.

Reference is made to Fig. 1 that depicts an exemplary and non-limiting flowchart 100 of the process for preparing and packaging brineless pickled foodstuff. In SI 10 the selected foodstuff is and put in contact with an initial brine. Such storage may be for short periods of times, ranging from a few days or weeks to prolonged periods as may be applicable. In some cases that may be part of the processing of the foodstuff and in others a way to store the foodstuff for longer periods of time thereby allowing to maintain manufacturing facilities operable throughout the year as crop levels decrease or increase. Placing in contact in this context is to be understood, without limitation, as putting the foodstuff in the initial brine or as adding brine to the foodstuff.

In SI 20, when manufacturing of a packaged food article is to begin, the now pickled foodstuff is drained from the initial brine. In SI 30 a thermal treatment of the pickled foodstuff is performed so as to address biological issues resulting for example from the presence of bacteria and its adverse effect on the quality and safety of the pickled foodstuff. The thermal treatment may include, but is not limited to, microwaving of the pickled foodstuff, blanching of the pickled foodstuff, or treating the pickled foodstuff by steam. Typically it is desirable to reach around 80-85oC in order to achieve the desired sterilization effect. The thermal treatment heating and cooling profile may change from one type of pickled foodstuff to another and is to be considered as an integral part of the disclosed invention. Once the thermal treatment is completed, in S140 the pickled foodstuff is placed again in contact with an equalizing brine that optionally also contains one or more herbs. Placing in contact in this context is to be understood, without limitation, as putting the pickled foodstuff in the equalizing brine or as adding equalizing brine to the pickled foodstuff. This stage is intended to provide the pickled foodstuff with the necessary flavoring that is suitable for the specific pickled foodstuff being processed. In one embodiment of the invention in addition to the one or more herbs or instead of the one or more herbs, artificial flavors maybe added. The pickled foodstuff is placed in contact with the equalizing brine for a period long enough to allow for the flavors to affect the pickled foodstuff's taste. Typically such periods can be from a day to a few weeks. Subsequently, in SI 0 the pickled foodstuff is drained from the equalizing brine.

Thereafter packing of the packaged food article commences with SI 60, where the pickled foodstuff, now also flavored with the herbal flavors, is placed in a desired imperforate package. The reason for using such a package is that in order to maintain an extended shelf life period of, for example, a year, it is necessary to prevent the atmosphere within the package from changing in an uncontrolled fashion. In SI 70 one or more decorative edible herbs and/or edible oils are added to the package. It should be understood that as no brine is used in this package the adding of herbs at this time is not going to have an effect on the flavor of the foodstuff's flavor. Therefore flavoring of the foodstuff had to be done in S140. Hence the herbs added at this stage of the process contribute primarily to the appearance of the packaged pickled foodstuff. In one embodiment of the invention the decorative edible herbs are heat treated to ensure that there is minimal development of bacteria within the desired shelf life period of the food article product.

Subsequently, in SI 80 a modified atmosphere is created within the package. Such a modified atmosphere comprises for example a mixture of carbon dioxide (C02) and nitrogen (N2) at ratios appropriate for the pickled foodstuff packaged. Moreover, as it is known that at least certain of the pickled foodstuff continue to emit C02 for a period of time, then in anticipation of such additional quantity of C02 the initial ratio is such that less C02 is put in the mixture which will change due to the natural phenomena of the pickled foodstuff. In one embodiment in addition to C02 and N2 oxygen (02) is also added to the gaseous mixture. Finally, in S190 the package is sealed in order to prevent the possible change in the modified atmosphere in the package.

EXAMPLE

In the following non-limiting example, fermented pitted olives are used. The olives are placed in an initial brine comprised of water and salt and stored therein for a period of at least three months. The fermented olives may now be drained from the initial brine, pitted, and then passed through a blanching thermal treatment to ensure reduction or eradication of bacteria from the pickled foodstuff. The pitted pickled olives are now placed in an equalizing brine that also contains dill and garlic for a period of at least one week and up to four weeks. Thereafter the pitted pickled olives are drained and placed in a desired package to which olive oil and one or more spices are added, the spices added this time only for the purpose of decoration. The atmosphere in the package is changed to contain a mixture of C02 and N2 and the package is now sealed using MAP.

It will be understood that the examples presented above are merely for illustration. Specific materials, ratios, and concentrations are not intended to act as limitations on the scope of the appended claims.