FR2673286A1 - State of preservation indicator for refrigerated or frozen products - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a preservation indicator for frozen or refrigerated products and the method for employing this indicator. The indicator consists of a case, for example in the shape of a bulb (1), containing a liquid or a material whose freezing point is predetermined, it being possible for the said case to be made of glass, of metal or of plastic and being surrounded either with blotting paper, a hydrophilic material, or a biodegradable film, the geometry of its container contributing to its centring inside a leaktight and transparent box or protective cover (2), itself placed in the package to be monitored.

Description

The present invention relates to a device that allows to recognize immediately, by a simple visual inspection, whether a cold product and especially frozen is clean or not for consumption.

Frozen foods are safe products, manufactured with extreme rigor, presenting undeniable microbiological interests (below -18 c, microorganisms no longer develop), however food poisoning is possible, especially in the where frozen foods are accidentally thawed and refrozen.

A buyer must be able to verify that a product has not broken the cold chain. Apart from the examination of the boxes or packages offered on the consumer market, since this examination is not reliable, one hardly finds the French patent on frozen products (at -18 C at least). 2626072 of Mr TOPORENKO proposing a means of simple and fast detection of a rupture of the cold chain; indeed, the principle is to use a small ice cube of geometric shape colored in its mass, fluorescent moreover, molded on a support, the whole being integrated inside a tiny hermetic transparent box which accompanies the packing of the product frozen in an inviolable way.

The present invention relates to both new and improved practical embodiments of the device of the prior art and modes of implementation.

The apparatus with its liquid generally based on a eutectic comprises a temperature integrator which takes into account not only the temperature variation, but also its duration. It can be used for negative cold and positive cold. This simple and inexpensive process has the advantage of having an irreversible and reliable operation.

The present invention relates in particular to a device intended to be attached by fixing (gluing or stapling) inside or outside the protective packaging of a refrigerated product of industrial or pharmaceutical food.

The active element of the device is generated by the expansion of a eutectic liquid preferably trapped inside a tank (glass, metal, plastic, etc.).

The reservoir or case replaces the initially frozen volume defined in the prior art patent No. 2626072 which could be called devices of the first generation.

The filling of the case or the reservoir is done by means of a eutectic liquid preferably defined in the patents ... water added with reagents. The liquids used can be luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent whose physical characteristics, freezing point and defrosting, predetermine the thermal or refrigerated image of the refrigerated product to which it is attached.

The reservoir or the case are arranged in the geometric center of a hermetic enclosure which can be a case or a simple transparent bag.

They are made with a material colored in its mass, which moreover can be made fragile during the lowering of the temperature (envelope with fragmentary characteristics).

The holster or tank may be equipped with one or more plugs or valves that would rise during expansion in the freezing phase of the liquid that fills them. The design of the stopper (biodegradable at the limit) or the valve (stopper with spring) is such that the latter, or this one, releases their seat sufficiently to allow the flow of the liquid during the defrosting phase (rupture of The cold chain).

When the case or the reservoir does not have an ejectable cap or valve, a fracture line may be predetermined during the manufacture thereof for example during an extrusion of a cylindrical case by weakening the wall along a generator longitudinal, or arranging, inside the holster or tank, elastic mechanical antagonism put in compression, consisting of a circlip or gutter steel or plastic.

The elastic antagonism of these devices put in compression will favor the realization of a fracture line during the freezing of the liquid, this fracture will thus be largely open to allow the flow of the eutectic liquid for example at the thawing phase (rupture of the cold chain).

To mark the flow of the liquid during thawing (breaking of the cold chain) several observation elements may be used according to the design of the device, namely 1. by surrounding the case or the tank. a hydrophilic material (cotton,
blotting paper, etc.) which will be colored in contact with the liquid
will flow from the case or tank.

2. by wrapping the case or the reservoir with a biodegradable film that
will disappear by making visible the body of the case or tank
whose external walls are strongly colored during manufacture,
or coated with a bright fluorescent paint.

It comprises a melting indicator materialized by a geometric volume obtained by freezing a liquid substance which is preferably colored in its mass, in order to make it more visible from the outside of the protective packaging in which it is placed . This liquid can be luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent depending on the case; it is constituted by the freezing of a liquid to which are mixed various adjuvants (dyes, luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent, antifreeze) so as to predetermine the thermal image or refrigeration of the refrigerated product to which it is attached.

The melting indicator is placed in the geometric center of a hermetic enclosure which may consist of a simple bag or case.

The bag or case (cylinder, bulb, ring, prism, sphere, parallelepiped-cube in particular, etc.) are provided with centering indexes in their internal parts, so as to have the melting indicator at the geometric center of their cavity; they are sealed by construction after inclusion of the melting control.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

The principle of the device according to the invention is as follows: a) A case is filled, for example a glass or plastic ampoule
or any other hollow object made of glass or plastic suitable for
filling with a liquid, for example a tube. This bulb is
substantially completely filled with a suitable liquid ("control
of fusion "), generally a eutectic, which liquid contains
in addition to a dye, for example fuchsin, helianthine,
indigo, etc.

b) The bulb is then welded or closed with a plug.

c) The bulb is wrapped with a piece of blotting paper or material
adequate absorbent.

d) The ampoule is placed inside a case or capsule or
enclosure and the said capsule (or case or enclosure) is placed in the
package containing a frozen or frozen food product intended
especially for sale.

Suppose that the food product should be frozen or refrigerated and should be stored at a temperature T (for example - 30 <T <0). A melting control liquid which is freezing at a temperature equal to or slightly greater than T1 (for example, from 1 to 3 ° C. for example) will be chosen from T. By bringing the food product to temperature.
T1, the control contained in the ampoule will freeze by passing to T1 the temperature T. The volume of this solidified liquid therefore increases and the result is either a fracture of the ampoule, if it has been welded after having introduced the liquid in step (b) above, ie ejection of the plug if the ampoule was closed by a plug in step (b) above. In both cases, the crystals of the eutectic partially escape at least the bulb and spread on the blotter or the absorbent material but without wetting the blotter or the material; and nothing happens if the product remains at temperature T. But if by incident the temperature of the frozen product becomes greater than T and then higher than the freezing temperature of the eutectic, the eutectic thawed, becomes liquid and wets the blotter or material. At the same time, the dye present in the ampoule stains the blotting paper or the absorbent material. As a result, the prospective customer or the user or the person in charge of the power supply, etc., then knows that there has been a break in the cold chain. Even if after the cold break incident, the food product is refrozen, there is a witness proving the breaking of the cold chain.

The method of the invention also makes it possible to know if the temperature is "up" by arranging in the same package several ampoules containing different dyes each set for different freezing temperatures by different eutectic choices .

One can imagine, by way of example, a product that must remain below -20 C. One can put in the package a series of capsules or enclosures, each capsule enclosing its bulb - a first bulb will contain a eutectic freezing - 19 C
with a red dye, for example Bengal rose, - a second bulb containing a eutectic freezing at -15 C and
containing a green dye, - a third tube containing a eutectic freezing at - 12 ° C
for example containing a fluorinated dye, - a fourth tube containing water thus freezing at OC
containing a dye, for example methylene blue.

The food package is frozen to -20 C. If later one observer notes that the blotter wrapping the first bulb is red but the other blots are intact, it will mean that there has been a break in the cold chain but that this rupture is reasonably limited because the temperature does not rise up to - 15 C. If blots wrapping the first three bulbs are colored, it means that the cold chain break was serious even if OC did not been reached, etc.

The ampoules or tubes etc. may be of normal glass or laminated glass or any other equivalent material which breaks under the effect of the increase in volume of the eutectic when it freezes, for example, a material plastic, such as PVC, polyester, polyacrylamide, celluloid, etc.

The previous example concerns a food product but other applications are those concerning in particular the conservation of serums, blood, vaccines, etc ... even if these products generally benefit from very sophisticated conservation techniques in hospitals or laboratories, such techniques can not unfortunately be adaptable during military campaigns or assistance to populations in distress.

The liquids usable in the present invention as a melting control may be those described in the two French patents of the applicant EN 90/14341 and EN / 9100101.

The figures represent models of state of conservation indicator for accompanying food packaged in a rigid packaging (cardboard or other product) in which has been arranged a compartment adapted to receive this device.

During the manufacture and packaging of frozen products in the factory, it may be envisaged in the final phase of operations, during packaging the establishment of a conservation indicator. To meet this requirement a window will be provided in the packaging to adapt this device so as to make it visible and observable from the outside.

The drawings represent a status indicator which comprises: a sealed case (2) of transparent plastics material inside which has been arranged a case (1) or a container (glass bulb for example) completely filled with a liquid non-toxic whose freezing point is pre-set (- 12 C, - 16 C or - 21 "C).

The glass bulb is centered so that its geometric center is superimposed and coincides with the geometric center of the interior volume of the housing, hence the need to use supports, which may come during molding of the housing, or consist of by removable elements made of thick paper, acting as shock absorbers in the event of an impact.

When the packaging is placed in a freezing environment, the lowering of the temperature causes the expansion of the liquid which is trapped inside the ampoule and causes the destruction thereof.

This results in the suspension inside the housing of a frozen volume.

The sealed housing can be made of transparent plastic material by thermoforming or injection molding. The case will have a volume adapted to the conditioning to which it will be added.

A liquid or non-toxic material of a nature or guaranteed by a test report drawn up by an approved laboratory is used when it is a synthetic product.

When the fusible portion of the state indicator is liquid at a temperature greater than or equal to 0 ° Centigrade, a container is used which may be a fragmented glass ampoule, a shell consisting of a biodegradable thin film which may disappear. with time or when lowering the temperature. Capacity 1 to 2 milliliters for example.

If the waterproof plastic case is not equipped with positioning indexes, it will be used orthogonal axes in PVC colored or not, which will provide some rigidity to the mass of frozen material or liquid and will allow its centering possible inside the housing (a glass shaft can be used).

The achieved state of conservation indicator should be subject to its real effectiveness, and secondly to the verification that the products used for its design comply with the regulations relating to materials in contact with food (decree 73-138 of February 12, 1973, OJ of February 15, 1973) and the food character of the various substances it contains to ensure the safety of the consumer in case of outflow of the device at the time of thawing.

FIG. 1 depicts a first type of preservation indicator for chilled or frozen products comprising - a thermoformed housing (2) (folding closure, sealing by
gluing as an example) preferably made of plastic
transparent - a case (1) made of plastic, or glass, or metal containing
a liquid (7) (eutectic for example) the case being at least
part surrounded by an absorbent material (12) for example a paper
absorbent or blotting or hydrophilic cotton acting by staining with
liquid.

In a particular embodiment, the indicator also contains: a plug (15) for example of flexible plastic material, colored in the mass.

The indicator may include a spring (16) to maintain the opening (plug). The housing is held by anchor points (14) and is attached to the packaging (6) of the food product (11) to be stored.

FIG. 2 represents a variant of FIG. 1 with the further detail of a plug 15.

FIGS. 3 and 3A represent by way of illustration a status indicator with a glass case and enclosing (about the axis AA) - a housing (2) for example made of plastic material, - a case (1) thin-walled glass, - a eutectic liquid (7), - anchor holes (14), - a blotting paper cylinder (12-A) surrounding the case, - an integrated lock seal (17).

FIGS. 4 and 4A represent by way of illustration a state indicator with a plastic case and expansion circlips and enclosing a housing (2) made of plastic for example, a case (1) made of plastic, - a eutectic liquid (7), - an absorption mass 12-b which surrounds at least partially the case, - an integral locking ring (17).

The status indicator further comprising - a conical plug (18) disposed on the case, - a circlip (19) for increasing the crack of the casing of the case.
tube, this crack having been caused by the dilatation of the liquid
eutectic.

As explained above, the operation, that is to say the setting in standby state of the system is as follows: during the freezing of the liquid contained in the case, it expands and s' expanse, causing the rupture of the envelope which constitutes the holster (case of a glass bulb), or triggers the lifting of the plugs or that it comprises (expansion valve), thus allowing the frozen mass which is found inside the case to flow when defrosted. Subsequently in the accidental phase of thawing, the liquid flowing from the case comes into contact with a hydrophilic material that is colored.

Claims (8)

1. Method of implementing a state of conservation indicator  for frozen or refrigerated products of industrial, medical or  said indicator comprising a holster enclosing the  minus a dye and a merge control represented by a volume  geometry of a freezing substance, the case being molded on a  support device placed inside a housing or envelope of  protection, the method being characterized in that to  highlight the possible break in the cold chain of the  said product frozen or refrigerated and kept at a temperature T  (a) at least one melting point  T1 freezing equal to or slightly greater than T in  substantially the majority of the holster.  (b) the case is closed by welding or by an ejectable plug.  (c) surrounding the case with absorbent material.  (d) the case is inserted into a case.  (e) and said housing is placed in said product. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein further  said product is cooled to a storage temperature T,  during this cooling, at least one melting control passes  by the temperature T1, the temperature at which the said witness  congeals causing by the increase in volume that it undergoes  either the breaking of the case that contains it or the ejection of the  cap that closes this case,  the crystals of the melting control frozen at temperature T1 are  spread at least in part on an absorbent material disposed  in the immediate vicinity of the broken case or outlet. 3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2 wherein  uses, in addition to a holster containing a frozen melting  the temperature T1 close to T, at least one other case containing  at least one fusing control at a temperature of T2  greater than T1. 4. Conservation indicator for chilled or frozen products  comprising  a thermoformed housing (2),  - a case (1) made of plastic, or glass, or metal  containing a liquid (7), the case being at least partially  surrounded by absorbent material (12). The indicator of claim 4 wherein the material  Absorbent is an absorbent paper or blotter or cotton wool  acting by liquid staining. 6. Indicator according to claim 4 also containing a cap  (15) which closes the case. 7. Condition indicator with a glass case and containing  a housing (2),  a case (1) made of thin-walled glass,  a eutectic liquid (7),  anchor holes (14),  - a blotting paper cylinder (12-A) surrounding at least partially  the case,  an integrated locking joint (17). 8. Condition indicator with a plastic case and circlips of  dilatation and containing  a housing (2),  a case (1) made of plastic material,  a eutectic liquid (7),  a 12-b absorption mass which surrounds at least partially  the case,  - integrated lock ring (17)  the status indicator also containing  a conical plug (18) disposed on the case,  - a circlip (19) intended to increase the crack of the envelope of the  tube, this crack having been caused by the dilation of the  eutectic liquid.