PACKAGING MEAT PRODUCT

摘要

A process for packaging a meat product in a diced, minced, ground or other viscous form, the process comprising the steps of: (a) supplying the meat product to a flexible bag having at least one generally planar face and having a closable filling port communicating between the interior of the bag and a supply of the meat product, (b) disconnecting the inlet port from the supply, (c) closing the inlet port, and (d) freezing the bag and its meat product contents. A bag suitable for packaging a meat product is also described and comprises a first wall (12) and a second wall (14) and at least two flexible side walls (16, 18). Each side wall extends between the first and the second wall and is seamed therewith. The bag has a filling port (20) communicating between the bag interior and exterior through wall (12). Filling port (20) is suitable to allow meat to be pumped into the bag and is adapted for closure. The side walls are sufficiently flexible that the bag has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. A filling port suitable for the described bag comprises a flange portion for mounting to a wall of the bag and a hollow tubular spout portion having a lip at its distal end. The spout portion is connected to the flange portion by bistable connecting means whereby the spout portion is capable of movement between a relatively stable retracted position in which, in use, the lip is substantially flush with or below the wall of the bag to facilitate stacking, and a relatively stable protruding position. The connecting means is joined with the spout portion at or near the proximate end of the spout portion whereby the spout portion does not intrude substantially further into the bag interior than the connecting means.