Production of Retorted Meals in Coextruded Barrier Trays

摘要

The contract involves the production of individual servings of food packaged in microwavable polymeric trays and thermostabilized. These products were all packed in microwavable barrier polymeric trays for further study for their possible inclusion in military feeding programs. The items that were actually produced were as follows: Fruit Mix, Sliced Peaches, Sliced Pears, Chocolate Pudding, Potatoes au Gratin, Rice in Butter Sauce, Beef Stew, Beef Strips with Green Peppers and Gravy, Chicken a la King, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. The material used for the barrier trays was manufactured from a five-layer coextrusion of polypropylene, an adhesive layer, the barrier layer which is ethylene vinyl-alcohol (EVOH), an adhesive layer, and a final layer of polypropylene. The lid material was a three-ply laminate consisting of polyolefin film, aluminum foil, and polyester. The report shows the complete procedure for each product. This includes the Quality Control procedures and heat penetration and process determination. Keywords: Food processing; Food service; Food packaging; Military rationing. (KT)