Polymeric film structures and packages made therefrom are useful in the packaging field for the packaging of food products, especially respiring food products such as natural cheeses. These film structures and the packages made therefrom generally contain multiple layers of polymers in which each layer adds certain physical or chemical properties to the completed film or package made therefrom.
In the packaging of respiring food products such as natural cheese (i.e., swiss-type cheese) certain packaging problems exist. These packaging problems exist due to process by which the respiring product is made and because of the packaging requirements of the final product. For example swiss-type cheeses are made utilizing specific molds or bacteria to produce the “eyes” which are characteristic of this type of cheese. Specifically, swiss-type cheeses are ripened by typically adding bacteria such as Propionibacter Shermanii to form the “eyes” of the cheese. These “eyes” are formed as gas pockets of CO2 which is given off by the swiss-type cheese. This CO2 elimination not only occurs during production of cheese but continuing during the “life” of the product including the packaged product. Too much CO2 inside the package causes the “package to “pillow.” “Pillowed” packages are negatively received by the consumer. Also, natural food products such as swiss-type cheeses are affected by atmospheric oxygen (O2) during the transporting and storing of this type of product in a package. If the permeability of O2 is too rapid, the product “life” is shorter. Shorter product life affects the financial aspects of the product. Therefore, these inherent problems which are associated with respiring food products such as swiss-type cheeses must be addressed by utilizing film structures and packages made therefrom which will deal with these problems in an efficient manner. In addition to addressing the above problems, the film structures and packages must also provide stiffness, moisture barrier and maximize flex crack resistance. Also, the film structures and packages must be cost-effective.”