The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 06, 2007
Kevin Forsyth, Pembroke Pines, FL (US);
Raul U. Fernandez, Weston, FL (US);
Gonzalo Marquez, Miami, FL (US);
Kevin Forsyth, Pembroke Pines, FL (US);
Raul U. Fernandez, Weston, FL (US);
Gonzalo Marquez, Miami, FL (US);
Chiquita Brands Inc., Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A method for storing respiring produce, particularly bananas, during ripening is disclosed. The method allows bananas to remain in the ripened condition for an extended period of time while, at the same time, having improved sweetness and taste characteristics. In addition, the method does not require separate handling and repackaging of the bananas between the starting of the ripening process and storage/shipment of the bananas. In this method, ripening is initiated by inserting additional gas into the banana package, such that the gas medium comprises from about 2.0% to about 5.0% oxygen, from about 5.0% to about 15.0% carbon dioxide, from about 0.8% to about 1.5% ethylene, the remainder of the gas medium being predominantly nitrogen, for a period of from about 0.5 to about 5 seconds. The composition of the gas medium in the package is then adjusted such that the gas medium has a ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide which meets the following conditions: (20.94−B)/C=from about 1.8 to about 3.8; wherein B is the percentage of oxygen in the gas medium, C is the percentage of carbon dioxide in the gas medium, and, further, wherein the percentage of oxygen in the gas medium is from about 1.0 to about 6.0, and the percentage of carbon dioxide in the gas medium is from about 3.0 to about 10.0.