Food preservation system

Abstract

A system for storing food, including a plurality of food-containing packages disposed inside an endless high-density polyethylene wall for surrounding the plurality of food-containing packages and defining an airtight container. The high-density polyethylene wall is no less than one-quarter inch thick and is formed by engaging a heat source into thermal contact with container rim portion and a lid portion, energizing the heat source to partially melt both the rim portion and the lid portion, disengaging the heat source, and introducing the molten lid and rim portions into pressurized contact with one another to fuse them together to define the airtight container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for storing food, comprising:
 a plurality of food-containing packages; and   an endless high-density polyethylene wall surrounding the plurality of food-containing packages and defining an airtight container;   wherein the high-density polyethylene wall is no less than one-quarter inch thick.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the high-density polyethylene wall further comprises a barrel portion and a lid portion fused to the barrel portion. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the lid portion is laser-fused to the barrel portion. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the lid portion is butt-welded to the barrel portion. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  and further comprising a water absorbing agent and an oxygen getter positioned within the airtight container. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the airtight container may be buried to a depth of at least about thirty feet. 
     
     
         7 . A system for preserving food, comprising:
 a quantity of food;   a high-density polymer wall surrounding the quantity of food and defining an airtight enclosure; and   an anhydrous, low-oxygen atmosphere formed within the enclosure;   wherein the high-density polymer wall is at least about ¼ inches thick; and   wherein the airtight enclosure can withstand at least about 4 PSI.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the enclosure also includes oxygen getters and water absorbing agents positioned therein. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the quantity of food includes a plurality of packages of foodstuffs. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  wherein at least some of the quantity of food is freeze-dried. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  wherein at least some of the quantity of food is a plurality of prepackaged MRE's. 
     
     
         12 . A method for preserving food, comprising:
 a) placing at least one food package into a high density polymer canister, wherein the high density polymer canister has a rim portion defining through which the at least one food package is passed;   b) engaging a heat source into thermal contact with rim portion;   c) engaging a lid portion into thermal contact with the heat source;   d) energizing the heat source to partially melt both the rim portion and the lid portion;   e) disengaging the heat source from thermal contact with both the partially melted lid and rim portions;   f) introducing the molten lid and rim portions into pressurized contact with one another;   g) fusing the lid portion to the rim portion to define an airtight enclosure containing the at least one food package;   wherein the lid portion is made from the same high density polymer as the high density polymer canister.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the airtight enclosure can withstand a pressure of at least about 6 PSI. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the high density polymer canister and lid portion are both at least about ¼ inches thick. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  and further comprising:
 h) before d), pressing the rim and lid portions against the heat source with a first pressure; 
 i) during d), pressing the rim and lid portions against the heat source with a second pressure less than the first pressure; and 
 j) during f), the lid and rim portions are fused together under a third pressure greater than the second pressure. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first pressure is about 950 PSI; wherein the second pressure is about 450 PSI; wherein the third pressure is about 950 PSI; wherein h) lasts about 1 minute; wherein d) lasts about 1 minute and 45 seconds; wherein e) takes about 10 seconds; wherein f) occurs immediately after e); and wherein g) occurs immediately after f) and lasts about 3 minutes. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  and further including k) burying the airtight enclosure to a depth of at least about four feet.