WO1990000137A1

WO1990000137A1 - Bone-in meat package and method and distribution system employing same

Info

Publication number: WO1990000137A1
Application number: PCT/US1989/002892
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter E. King
Original assignee: Integrated Packaging Systems, Inc.
Priority date: 1988-07-01
Filing date: 1989-06-30
Publication date: 1990-01-11
Also published as: AU3867589A

Abstract

Bone-in retail sized pieces of meat (32) are vacuum packed in a completely transparent composite package (30) which has flexible, transparent, nonodoriferous, chemically inert, bone puncture impervious inner wrap (44) covering the exposed bones (34) and an air impermeable, bone puncturable, transparent outer wrap (38). The composite package (30) is tough enough to resist bone puncture during shipment from a wholesale meat packing facility while simultaneously providing a full, clear view of the entire piece of meat (32) including the bone and is therefore suitable for use also as a retail display package. The distribution system employs the composite package to pre-package retail sized pieces of meat (32) at the wholesale meat packing facility for retail display. They are then shipped and put on display at the retail meat sales facility in the same package (30) in which the meat was shipped. The transparent, nonodoriferous, tasteless, bone puncture impervious, inner wrap (44) is made of cross ionic linked hydrocarbon polymers or equivalent in clear transparent sheets of approximately 5 mils thickness. The cross ionic linked hydrocarbon polymers are also used as an inner wrap for shipment packages of primal and subprimal bone-in pieces of meat.

Description

BONE-IN MEAT PACKAGE AND METHOD AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM EMPLOYING SAME

This invention relates to a package and method of packaging bone-in meat for shipping only and for both shipping and retail display and a method of distributing bone-in meat products for retail display, which employs this package and method of packaging.

For many years, the conventional method of distributing bone-in meat products has been to ship wholesale sized, i.e. primal or sub-primal, pieces of meat from a wholesale meat packing facility to a butcher shop, butcher department of a grocery store or other retail meat sales facility. These wholesale sized pieces of meat were then cut into plural smaller retail sized portions at the retail facility. The retail sized portions were then repackaged in a fully transparent wrap for retail display, net weighed, labelled and then finally put on retail display at the retail facility.

In this prior art distribution system, the wholesale sized pieces of meat are covered with two separate wrapping materials to protect them during shipment: an outer air impermeable wrap protectively encased the entire piece and an inner wrap protectively covered the sharp edges of any bones at the surface of the meat to prevent risk of puncture or tearing of the outer wrap. One material commonly known to be used as the inner wrap is an opaque wax impregnated cloth of approximatley 9 mils thickness which is flexibly molded to the contours of the boney portion of the meat. One such opaque inner wrap commonly used in the meat packing industry is known by the trademark Bonegard. Another material which has been used as the inner wrap for primal pieces is polyvinylchloride, or PVC, transparent plastic sheets of approximately 9 mils thickness; however, PVC tends to contaminate and impart its own odor and taste to the meat and h not obtained wide acceptance for this reason.

More specifically, referring to Fig. 1, the prior art meth of distributing bone-in meat includes four steps at the wholesa meat packing facility and another six additional steps to be performed at the retail meat sales facility.

At the wholesale meat packing facility, the first step 11 to cover the exposed primal or sub-primal bones with an opaque protective wrap which is substantially impervious to bone puncture. The next step 12 is to envelope the primal piece in outer shipping wrap, such as nylon, Saran or Surlyn laminated o co-extruded bag or roll stock materials which is not bone puncture impervious but which is air impermeable. The envelope is sealed and evacuated or heat shrunk tightly against the meat surface to eliminate contact with the air. The outer wrap is stretched tightly over the meat including the bone and thus is susceptible to tearing if not protected from the sharp edges. The next step 13 of stacking the wrapped wholesale sized pieces in shipping containers is the step which makes the opaque protective wrap over the exposed bone even more important, for is the weight of the stack which can additionally stress the outer wrap to tear or puncture in the absence of the protective opaque inner wrap over the exposed bone surface. The following step 14 of stacking the shipping containers in a truck or other carrier and then shipping them to a retail meat sales facility can, of course, place additional stress on the package.

Still referring to Fig.^' 1, once the carrier reaches the retail sales facility, the step 15 of receiving the shipping containers is performed. The shipping package consisting of th opaque inner protective wrap and the outer shipping wrap are removed and disposed in step 16. In step 17, the wholesale siz pieces are finally cut into retail sized pieces, and in step 18 the retail sized pieces are repackaged with totally transparent retail display wrap. In step 19, the repackaged retail display wrapped pieces of bone-in meat are net weighed, labelled and stamped with cut identity, weight, price, etc. Finally, in st 20 the repackaged retail display wrapped pieces of bone-in mea are put on display for retail sale.

One of the difficulties with this conventional method of packaging and distributing bone-in meat products is that it requires the bone-in meat products to be wrapped twice: once a the wholesale meat packing facility as a wholesale sized piece meat and then again at the retail facility as retail sized portions. The rewrapping dictates that all labelling can only separately occur at each individual retail facility, instead of at the wholesale facility. The original wrapping material is n reused but is wasted. Moreover, the cutting and repackaging of the bone-in meat pieces is typically done in a manual, non- automated fashion at the retail facility which is costly compar to performing this work on automated assembly lines at wholesal facilities.

Accordingly, some meat packers have recently attempted pre cutting the wholesale pieces into retail sized portions and wrapping them with opaque inner wrap and a transprent outer wra in the same way they have packaged primal and sub-primal bone-i meat pieces for shipping only. These retail sized pieces of me have been put on display at the retail facility in their origin shipping package.

However, this shipping package has not met with much consumer acceptance because the opaque inner protective wrap covers a portion of the meat from customer view before purchase Thus, although suitable for shipping, because it lacks complete transparency, it fails as a suitable retail display package.

While sheets of flexible transparent polyvinylchloride, or PVC, have been used in shipping packages for wholesale sized pieces of meat in the prior art distribution system of Fig. 1, the meat is aired during repackaging in display wrap, so the odoriferousness of PVC is perhaps not as great a problem. However, its odoriferousness is believed to make undesirable it use in retail packages in which it may remain in contact with t meat for relatively longer, even extended, periods of time whereby the contamination and odor permeation of the meat may reach levels unacceptable to customers.

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It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a totally transparent, nonodoriferous, multipurpose package for bone-in meat which is suitable for both shipping an retail display, a method of making this package and a method of distributing bone-in meat products for retail display which employs the multipurpose package to overcome the disadvantages the known packaging and distribution methods for bone-in meat noted above.

The disadvantage of employing one package for shipping and then rewrapping the meat for retail sales display described abo with reference to Fig. 1 are overcome by providing a single package which is tough enough for shipping bone-in meat and is also totally transparent and nonodoriferous so it may also serv as a proper retail display package.

It was discovered that such a package could be provided by using a special material for the inner protective wrap for covering the bones which is sufficiently tough for shipping but is still transparent and flexible enough to enable it to functi as an effective inner protective wrap. It also is transparent and non-interactive with the meat products being packaged so as not to impart unpleasant taste and odor to the meat. This material has been approved by the U.S.D.A. for use as a packaging material and has been used to provide a sealant layer for retail display packaging of meat, but has not been known to be used in its flexible sheet form as required here in order for it to function as a protective inner wrap. It is believed that yet other materials may be discovered, or composi developed with or without the preferred material for the transparent inner protective wrap of the invention. However, presently the present preferred material comprises ionic cross , Patent 3,264,272, issued August 2, 1966, for Ionic Hydrocarbon Polymers of Richard Watkin Rees and assigned to E.I. de Pont de Nemours Company, preferably in flexible sheet form of approximately 3-7 mils thickness. This material is commerciall available under the trademark Surlyn and genericly known as an ionomer. The specific physical properties of this material whi makes it the preferred material are shown in the aforementioned patent and identified as Type No. 1601 by E.I. de Pont de Nemou Company.

Not all the properties of tensil strength, yield strength, tear strength, etc. of Surlyn ionomer resin are necessary, but what is necessary is that the material be sufficiently non¬ odoriferous, transparent, flexible and bone-puncture impervious to serve the dual purpose required by this invention.

Thus, it is a specific objective of this invention to provide a transparent, shipping and retail display package for retail sized portion of bone-in meat having a surface bone exposed at a surface thereof, comprising a transparent, flexibl nonodoriferous, substantially bone-puncture impervious inner wr covering at least the exposed surface bone, and a transparent, air impermeable, bone-puncturable outer wrap enveloping both th retail sized piece of bone-in meat and the transparent inner wrap, said transparent inner wrap protecting the outer wrap fro bone puncture during shipment while enabling a clear view of th entire piece of bone-in meat. Preferably, the transparent inne wrap is colorless, and has a substantially smooth surface for optimum viewing and generally has these physical properties equivalent to those of Surlyn ionomer resin Type No. 1601 in 3-7 mil thickness.

It is an object also of providing a method of packaging a retail sized piece of bone-in meat having a bone exposed at a surface thereof for both shipping and retail display, comprisin the steps of holding a transparent, flexible, nonodoriferous, substantially bone puncture impervious inner wrap in protective covering relationship with the exposed bone, and enveloping bot the piece of meat and the transparent inner wrap in an air permeable, bone puncturable, transparent outer wrap while the transparent inner wrap is held in said protective overlying relationship with the exposed bone.

In some applications the packaging method step of holding includes the steps of applying adhesive to one side of the inner wrap, and pressing said one side of the inner wrap against the exposed bone and surrounding meat. In such case, it is also preferred that the inner protective wrap is unwound from a roll of inner wrap material and adhesive applied to one side of the inner wrap as it is unwound from the roll.

It is also an object to employ the clear, transparent shipping and retail display package for a retail sized portion o bone-in meat to make commercially possible a system for distributing bone-in meat products for retail sales in which a shipping package can be successfully used as a retail display package. This distribution method comprises the step of preparing for retail display at a wholesale meat packing facilit a plurality of retail sized portions of bone-in meat with a bone exposed at the surfaces thereof including the step of wrapping a least the exposed bone^' of said retail sized portions with a transparent, nonodoriferous and substantially bone puncture impervious plastic protective wrap, shipping from the wholesale meat packing facility to a retail meat sales facility a pluralit of said retail sized portions with said substantially bone puncture impervious inner protective wrap, and displaying said plurality of retail sized portions of bone-in meat at said retai meat sales facility for retail sale in the totally transparent wrap in which said retail meat portions were originally shipped.

While other suitable materials may occur to others skilled in the bone-in meat packaging art, the preferred material for th substantially bone-puncture impervious inner protective wrap material is in the class of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cros links. In addition to being used with retail sized portions of meat for retail display, it has been found to also be suitable for use in shipping packages for primal and sub-primal meat. Accordingly, it is also an object of this invention to provide a method of packaging for shipment of a bone-in wholesa sized piece of meat with a bone exposed at the surface thereof, comprising the steps of placing a sheet of substantially bone pucture impervious inner protective wrap in the class of ionic cross linked hydrocarbon polymers in protective covering relationship with respect to at least the exposed bone and enveloping an entire wholesale sized piece of meat includin sheet of transparent inner wrap with an air impermeable outer wrap.

In some applications, the protective wrap is adhered to th primal piece of meat, and in such case, this step of adhering i preferably done by automatically applying adhesive to one side the protective wrap as it is drawn from a supply roll of protective wrap.

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Obtainment of the foregoing objects will be illustrated and features, advantages and other objectives will be made apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment which is given with reference to the several figures of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the prior art method of distributing bone-in meat from a wholesale meat packaging facility to a retail meat sales facility;

Figs. 2A and 2B are schematic plan views of the transparent shipping and retail display package of the present invention as used to vacuum package a T-bone steak and a bone-in retail sized portion of ham, respectively, and which also illustrates by analogy the transparent wholesale shipping package of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the method of the present invention of distributing bone-in meat products for retail sale;

Fig. 3A is a flow chart of the preferred method of the invention of packaging a retail sized piece of bone-in meat for both shipping and retail display;

Fig. 4 is a flow chart of the preferred method of the invention of packaging a wholesale sized piece of bone-in meat; and

Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodimen of an apparatus for manually or automatically dispensing pieces of the transparent inner protective wrap of the invention with adhesive on one side for wrapping surface bones. Referring now to the drawing. Fig. 2A is seen to illustrat the transparent, shipping and retail display package 30 of the invention for a retail sized portion of bone-in meat, such as a T-bone steak 32, or the like, which has a surface bone 34 at an edge 36.

The T-bone steak 32 is tightly enveloped and vacuum packed in a conventional air impervious plastic outer wrap 38 such as nylon, Saran or Surlyn laminated or co-extruded bag or roll sto materials. While other materials can be used, the important qualities for the outer wrap are transparency combined with flexibility and air impermeability. The outer wrap must be transparent in order to be used as a retail display package. I must be flexible to facilitate handling and so it can closely conform to the contour of whatever meat it envelopes. It must air impervious to protect the T-bone steak package from the air.

In the case of the package of Fig. 2A, the envelope tightl encasing the meat is formed by two pieces of outer wrap 40a and 40b which are heat melt sealed along a seam 42. The seam extend closely around the periphery of the T-bone steak 32 to form an envelope within which the meat is encased. The outer wrap piece 40a and 40b are tightly stretched over and in contact with the surface of the T-bone steak 32 except immediately adjacent the seam 42 which is evacuated during the process of heat melt sealing.

In particular, the transparent plastic outer wrap is stretched over the surface bone 34 at edge 36. Unfortunately, when the known plastic outer wrap materials meet the needed requirements of transparency, flexibility and air impermeability they are not sufficiently bone-puncture or bone tear impervious when put through the rigors of stacking, packaging and shipping. Accordingly, it is necessary to reinforce or protect the plastic outer wrap at least at the exposed surface bone 34, particularly at edge 36, with an inner protective wrap 44. This is the case whether packaging primals, sub-primals or retail sized pieces of meat, for primal and sub-primal pieces of meat must also be packaged in a way that the integrity of the package can be maintained during shipment. Protection against bone puncture is necessary. As noted, in the past, such protection has always been provided in the form of an opaque inner wrap of wax impregnated cloth such as Boneguard wrap, whic can be molded around the bone surfaces of retail sized portions. While the use of polyvinylchloride, or PVC, has been employed as an inner protective wrap for primals and sub-primals, it is generally regarded as unacceptable because it interacts with the meat to impart an unpleasant odor and taste to the meat. In accordance with the present invention, the inner protective wrap 44 is clear, transparent, flexible, substantiall bone puncture impervious, tasteless, nonodoriferous and substantially non-interactive with the meat. For purposes of economy, it is used to cover only the exposed surface bone 34 an adjacent meat surface. Preferably, this material is in the form of a flexible, clear, transparent, 3-7 mil thick sheet of an ion cross linked hydrocarbon polymer such as shown in United States Patent 3,264,272 of Rees issued August 2, 1966, to E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and entitled "Ionic Hydrocarbon Polymers". Such material is commercially available from E.I. d Pont de Nemours and Company under the trademark Surlyn. While a thickness of as little as 3 mils or less may be sufficient for some applications, preferably the thickness believed adequate fo all applications is on the order of 5 mils. Specifically, Type No. 1601 Surlyn has been successfully employed and is- recommended.

Unlike polyvinylchloride, the ionic cross linked hydrocarbo polymer is odorless, tasteless and is not chemically interactive with the meat. It has been approved by the U.S.D.A. for packaging food and in the past has been used in resilient molded form for hot dogs and in flexible form as a component for composite outer wrap material. In addition to being clear or colorless, it can be made with a substantially smooth, unwrinkle surface for optimum transparency.

Referring to Fig. 2B, the shipping and retail display package 30¹ of this invention is seen as used to package a bone- in ham 32' having a surface bone 34' with an edge 36' protectively covered by a piece of bone impervious transparent inner wrap 44', all of which elements correspond to the like numbered elements of Fig. 2A, described above. However, unlike the packaged meat product of Fig. 2A, the outer wrap 38' is not formed from two sheets of roll stock material. Instead, it is made from a single sheet of heat shrink wrap such as Cryvac shrink bag material. After the ham 32' with the transparent inner potective wrap 44* is in place as shown, it is heated to cause it to shrink tightly against the surface of the ham 32' to remove substantially all air from contact with the meat surface. As with the roll stock, the shrink wrap 32' is stretched across the surface of the exposed bone 34 and could easily be punctured but for the inner wrap 34' protection covering the exposed bone 33', particulary during stacking, packing and shipping.

As shown in both Figs. 2A and 2B, before the packaged retail meat piece 32 or 32' are put on retail display, labels 46 and 46* are applied which customarily indicate the store name or trademark, the name of the cut of meat, the grade, the net weight, price per pound and total price.

Moreover, referring to Fig. 2C, as will be explained in more detail below with respect to the method of making the packages of Figs. 2A and 2B, the pieces of transparent, bone puncture impervious inner protective wrap 44 and 44* may also include a layer of starch based adhesive on at least a portion of one side adjacent the surface of the bone. Also, as shown in Fig. 2C, while a 5 mil sheet of pure Surlyn ionomer material is presently preferred, it is also contemplated that the inner protective wrap could successfully be made from a composite of transparent plastic polypropylene or polyethylene, or the lilke, and Surlyn to reduce the cost of materials. For instance, as shown in Fig. 2C, an inner wrap 44" of the invention may be made of an inner layer of polyproplylene, polyethylene or the like between two mils thick outer layers of Surlyn ionomer.

Referring now also to Fig. 3, the method of prepackaging a retail sized piece of bone-in meat such as that in Fig. 2A, in accordance with the invention comprises the step 61 of holding a transparent, flexible, substantially bone puncture impervious inner wrap 44 in protective covering relationship with the exposed bone 34 or 34', followed by the step 62 of enveloping both the piece of meat and the transparent inner wrap in an air impervious but bone puncturable, transparent outer wrap 38 while the transparent inner wrap 44 is held in said protective overlying relationship with the exposed bone 34.

In some cases, the piece of transparent inner protective wrap 44 may be manually, or automatically, pressed in place during step 62 as shown by step 61c of Fig. 3A, while other times it is held in place by merely folding it over the bone with the meat lying atop one end of it and holding it in place with gravity and substantial non-resiliency of the material keeping the other end in place on the top surface, such as may be done with the T-bone steak 32 of Fig. 2A. The inner wrap 44 holds its folded shape around the bone portion of the meat until the envelopment step. Once the meat is enveloped by the outer wrap, the inner wrap 44 is held in place by virtue of being sandwiched in between the exposed bone and the tightly fitting outer wrap 38.

In other situations, however, such as the bone-in ham 32' of Fig. 2B, the best way of holding the transparent protective wrap 44' in covering relationship with the exposed bone 34* is to adhere it with a suitable adhesive, such as a starch based adhesive or other suitable adhesives. In that event, packing method step 61 of Fig. 3 includes the sub-steps shown in Fig. 3A of step 61b applying the adhesive layer 48 of Fig. 2C to one side of the transparent inner wrap and then temporary pressing that one side of the inner wrap against the exposed bone and adjacent meat.

The shipping and retail display packages 30 and 30¹ are preferably completed for retail display purposes upon performance of the step 63 of attaching the labels 46 and 46" with such information as trademark, name of cut, net weight, price per weight and total price. In keeping with the distribution method of the invention, all or part of this labelling work is done as an optional pre-packaging step 63 performed at the wholesale meat packing facility.

Referring to Fig. 3A, the preferred pre-packaging step 61 of the pre-packaging step of Fig. 3, preferably includes the steps 61a of drawing the transparent inner wrap 44 or 44' from roll stock, the step 61c of removing a suitably sized piece of inner wrap 44 or 44' from the roll stock, the step 61d of covering the exposed bone 34 or 34' with the piece of inner wrap and then finally the step 61e of at least temporarily holding the piece of inner wrap 44 or 44' in protective covering relationship with the exposed bone.

If adhesive is used for holding the inner wrap to the bone, then it is preferred to perform the step 61b of automatically applying adhesive to the inner wrap after it is drawn from the roll stock and before the piece of selected size is removed, unless the adhesive is pre-applied. In manual operations, the roll stock is preferably perforated to facilitate removal of pieces of uniform size. Alternatively, a roll stock incremental dispenser with a cutting blade or hot wire cutter is- employed for cutting pieces of different selected sizes. In automated applications, the pieces are preferably cut from the roll. It is, of course, also contemplated to prepare the inner wrap pieces pre-cut and stacked for dispensing.

Referring to Fig. 5, an inner wrap dispenser is shown in which inner wrap on a roll 70 of approximately one foot width is drawn in the direction of arrow 72 through a capstan 74 and a lower adhesive roller 76 which lies in a container 78 of adhesive. As the inner wrap is drawn through the capstan 74 and adhesive roller 78, the adhesive roller is rotated to pick up adhesive from the container 78 and automatically applies it to the underside of the inner wrap 70. A piece 44 or 44' is then cut from the roll at a cutting station 80 which may comprise a tear bar if perforations are present or a cutting blade or hot wire, if not. The dispenser can, of course, be used without the adhesive if adhesive is not required for any particular application.

Referring again to the bone-in meat product distribution system of the present invention outlined in Fig. 3, after the pre-packaging steps 61, 62 and 63 are performed on a plurality of pieces 32, the step 64 of stacking the pre-packaged pieces in suitable shipping containers, such as cardboard cartons, is preferred. This stacking, which may be approximately 6-10 pieces high, puts substantial stress on the outer wrap of the pieces, particulary those on the bottom of the stack. However, because of the inner wrap, bone puncture is avoided and retail sized packaging integrity is maintained.

After a plurality of such shipping containers, or cartons, have been accumulated, the step 65 of shipping the containers to a retail facility is performed.

Returning to the start of the distribution system, the other step which is most importantly performed at the wholesale meat packing facility is the first step 60 of cutting primal or sub- primal pieces of bone-in meat into retail sized pieces.

Advantageously, in tfie distribution system of the present invention, all pre-packaging steps 60, 61, 62 and 63 are performed at the meat packing facility where such work can be performed more efficiently due to assembly line production facilities that are usually not available at retail meat sales facilities due to the relatively smaller volume at any retail store as compared to wholesale volume. The corresponding steps 17, 18 and 19, Fig. 1, of the prior art distributon system, on th other hand, are performed only at the retail sales facility at greater labor cost and reduced efficiency, as noted above.

The steps 66, 68 (and step 67, if not performed at step 63) and step 68 which are performed at the retail meat facility in accordance with the distribution system, correspond to steps 15, 19 and 20, respectively, which are also performed at the retail facility in the prior art distribution system of Fig. 1. However, in the case of the prior art system, the step 19 of labelling can only be performed at the retail facility because of repackaging while in the invention, step 63 can be performed at the wholesale meat packing facility, again on an automated and thus less expensive basis.

Another great advantage of the present distribution system is that the prior distribution method step 16, of Fig. 1/ of removing the shipping package from primals and sub-primals and disposing of the shipping packaging material and the step 18, Fig. 1, of repackaging the retail sized pieces with totally transparent display wrap are entirely eliminated to obtain substantial relative cost savings of both material and labor.

Thus, it is seen that the method of distributing bone-in meat products for retail sales of the present invention has substantial economic advantages over the prior art method of distribution of Fig. 1. This, of course, has been made possible by discovery of the correct material for use as the transparent, flexible, bone puncture impervious and substantially inert inner protective wrap in the form of sheets of clear, transparent, flexible wrap made of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links such as described in the aforementioned United states Patent 3,264,272, and commonly available under the trademark Surlyn. Moving the distribution step of cutting retail portions to the wholesale meat facility improves operating efficiency, reduces labor cost, and shipping the retail sized portions of meat in a package suitable for retail display eliminates repackaging labor costs and also eliminates shipping package waste and waste removal labor.

The greatest advantages are gained when employing the transparent inner wrap of the present invention to make a retail display package which can also withstand the rigors of shipment. However, advantages are also obtained when using the flexible transparent inner wrap made from material in the class of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links to protect against puncture by bones of primal and sub-primal pieces during shipment. Unlike the known opaque protective wrap, the entire primal or sub-primal piece can be visually inspected upon receip of the shipping package at the retail facility. This eliminates the need to violate the integrity of the package to look for bon discoloration or other possible defects which could result in rejection and return of the meat to the supplier.

Unlike the use of transparent polyvinylchloride as a protective inner wrap for primals and sub-primals, the use of ionic cross linked hydrocarbon polymer material does not result in impartation of odor or taste to the meat with which it is in contact. Such odor, although perhaps less damaging when imparte to primals, is still substantially undesirable. In addition, the inner wrap of ionic cross linked hydrocarbon polymers of the present invention has a smooth surface and is clear, or colorless, to optimize transparency.

Accordingly, as seen in Fig. 4, the invention also contemplates a method of packaging for shipment of a wholesale sized, bone-in primal or sub-primal, piece of meat with a bone exposed at a surface thereof 81. Such method comprises the step of placing a substantially inert, transparent, bone-puncture impervious inner wrap in the class of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links in protective covering relationship with respect to at least the exposed bone 82, and enveloping the entire primal piece of meat including the sheet of protective plastic with a bone puncturable but air impermeable wrap 83. As with the packaging method for retail sized pieces, adhesive may be used in association with the ionic cross links hydrocarbon polymer inner wrap to temporarily hold it in place until envelopment by the outer wrap. These enveloped pieces of meat are stacked in shipping containers 84 and in turn the meat containers are stacked in a carrier and shipped to a wholesale or retail facility 85.

While the foregoing description describes the preferred embodiment in detail, and ionic cross linked hydrocarbon polymeric materials are the only presently known material which meets the strict specifications needed to meet the requirements of inner protective wrap of the invention, it should be apprec ate t at t e nvent on contemplates t e scovery o functionally equivalent materials already in existence or to be created in the future.

Claims

1. A clear, transparent, shipping and retail display package for a retail sized portion of bone-in meat having a surface bone exposed at a surface thereof, comprising: a transparent, flexible, nonodoriferous, substantially bone puncture impervious inner wrap covering at least the exposed surface bone; and a transparent, bone puncturable, outer wrap enveloping both the retail sized piece of bone-in meat and the transparent inner wrap, said transparent inner wrap protecting the outer wrap from bone puncture during shipment while enabling a clear view of the entire piece of bone-in meat.

2. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 1 in which said transparent inner wrap is colorless.

3. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 1 in which said transparent inner wrap has a substantially smooth surface for optimum transparent viewing of the surface bone.

4. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 1 in which said transparent inner wrap comprises a sheet of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links.

5. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 4 in which said sheet has a thickness of approximately three to seven mils.

6. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 4 in which said sheet of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links.

7. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 1 in which said transparent inner wrap includes a sheet of transparent, flexible material with a substantially transparent layer of adhesive on at least a portion thereof adjacent the surface of the exposed bone.

8. The bone-in meat shipp ng an reta sp ay package o claim 7 in which said adhesive has a starch base.

9. The bone-in meat shipping and retail display package of claim 1 in which said transparent inner wrap comprises a sheet of substantially odorless material which is substantially non- interactive with the meat.

10. A method of packaging a retail sized piece of bone-in meat having a bone exposed at a surface thereof for both shipping and retail display, comprising the steps of: holding a transparent, flexible, nonodoriferous, substantially bone puncture impervious inner wrap in protective covering relationship with the exposed bone; and enveloping both the piece of meat and the transparent inner wrap in an air impermeable, bone puncturable, transparent outer wrap while the transparent inner wrap is held in said protective overlying relationship with the exposed bone.

11. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 in which said step of holding includes the steps of applying adhesive to one side of the inner wrap, and pressing said one side of the inner wrap against the exposed bone and surrounding meat.

12. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 in which said step of holding includes the step of folding the transparent inner wrap around a portion of the piece of meat having the exposed bone, said transparent inner wrap temporarily holding its folded shape to keep it in protective covering relationship until the step of enveloping.

13. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 in which said step of holding includes the step of pressing one side of the inner wrap against the exposed bone and surrounding meat.

14. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 in which said step of holding and enveloping are performed automatically.

15. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 including the step of packaging a plurality of other pieces of bone-in meat according to the method and then stacking a plurality of said packaged pieces of meat in a shipping container.

16. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 in which said step of enveloping includes the step of tightly pressing the inner wrap against the exposed bone with the outer wrap to keep the inner wrap in protective covering relationship with the exposed bone.

17. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 including the step of removing said inner wrap from a roll of inner wrap material.

18. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 17 in which said step of holding includes the step of automatically applying adhesive to one side of said inner wrap as it is removed from said roll.

19. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 including the step of evacuating the package of air.

20. The bone-in meat packaging method of claim 10 in which said step of holding includes the step of holding an inner wrap made of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links.

21. A method of distributing bone-in meat products for retail sales, comprising the steps of: preparing for retail display at a wholesale meat packing facility a plurality of retail sized portions of bone-in meat with a bone exposed at the surfaces thereof including the step of wrapping at least the exposed bone of said retail sized portions with a transparent, nonodoriferous, and substantially bone puncture impervious composite wrap; shipping from the wholesale meat packing facility to a retail meat sale facility said plurality of retail sized portions with said transparent, substantially bone puncture impervious wra and displaying said plurality of retail sized portions of bone- in meat at said retail meat sales facility for retail sale in the transparent wrap in which said retail meat portions were original shipped.

22. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said method step of preparing includes the step of cutting said plurality of retail sized portions of fresh, bone-in meat from a wholesale sized piece of bone-in meat at said wholesale meat packing facility where the retail sized portions are wrappe with said transparent, substantially bone pucture impervious protective wrap.

23. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said step of preparing includes the step of stacking groups of selected numbers of said plurality of said bone-in retail sized portions of fresh meat in shipping containers preparatory to shipping after each of said retail portions are wrapped in said transparent, substantially bone puncture impervious protective wrap, said protective wrap being provided with a thickness to give it sufficient strength to resist the increase in bone puncture force thereon caused by the weight of the group of preselected number of retail portions in the stack.

24. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 23 in which said step of preparing includes the step of stacking in groups a preselected number of said shipping containers with said retail portions at said wholesale meat packing facility preparatory to shipping, said protective wrap being provided with a thickness to give it sufficient strength to resist ^'the increase in bone puncture force thereon caused by the stacking of said preselected number of shipping containers.

25. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said step of shipping includes stacking a preselected number of said plurality of protectively wrapped retail portions in a transport vehicle, said protective wrap being of sufficient strength to resist any increase in bone puncture force thereon caused by the stacking of said preselected number of said retail portions.

26. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said step of preparing includes the step of securing the protective wrap to the retail meat portion by means including an adhesive.

27. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 26 in which said step of securing includes adhering one part of the protective wrap to another part of the wrap with an intermediate portion between the one and the other part surrounding the retail portion.

28. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said step of preparing includes the step of enveloping the piece of meat and the protective wrap with a bone puncturable transparent, air impermeable, outer wrap to form a substantially air tight envelope around the retail meat portion, said protective wrap protecting the outer air impermeable wrap against puncture by said exposed bone.

29. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said transparent protective wrap is substantially clear.

30. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said protective plastic wrap is substantially non- interactive with the meat.

31. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 in which said protective plastic wrap comprises a flexible sheet of ionic cross linked hydrocarbon polymer.

32. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 21 including the step of attaching a label with information relevant to sale of the retailed sized meat portion at the wholesale meat packing facility.

33. The bone-in meat distributing method of claim 32 in which said step of preparing includes weighing said retail meat portion and placing a label indicating the weight on the meat package at the wholesale meat packing facility.

34. A method of packaging for shipment a bone-in wholesale sized piece of meat with a bone exposed at the surface thereof, comprising the steps of: placing a sheet of substantially bone puncture impervious inner protective wrap in the class of hydrocarbon polymers with ionic cross links in protective covering relationship with respect to at least the exposed bone; and enveloping the entire wholesale sized piece of meat including the sheet of protective plastic with a bone puncturabl outer wrap.

35. The method of claim 34 including the step of holding the protective wrap in protective covering relationship with respect to the exposed bone prior to said step of enveloping.

36. The method of claim 35 in which said step of holding includes the step of adhering the protective wrap to the piece of meat.

37. The method of claim 36 in which said step of adhering includes the step of automatically applying adhesive to one side of the protective wrap as it is drawn from a supply roll of protective wrap.