The present disclosure relates to food packaging, and related products and methods, for controlling the heating of foods in a microwave oven. In particular, the present disclosure relates to food packaging, and related products and methods, that provide differential heating of foodstuffs positioned in the packaging, for example, as a multi-component food product.
The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described in any way.
To enhance the appeal and marketability of a food product beyond the food material itself, food manufacturers often attempt to present traditional food products in more convenient packaging arrangements. As an example, microwavable foods, such as, for example, frozen microwavable foods offer the convenience of having the food prepared in advance, while preparing the food for serving only takes a few minutes, or less, by exposing the food to microwave energy. Various food products, however, combine both hot and cold elements, such as, for example, desserts, in which it is desirable to serve one portion of the dessert hot, while serving another portion of the dessert cold. Such food products, therefore, require specialized packaging and/or product arrangements within the packaging, which provide differential heating between the food portions when microwaved to heat one portion, while protecting another portion to keep it frozen and/or chilled.
With various additional food products, it may be desirable to serve the food product at a relatively uniform temperature, such as, for example, a food product that is desired to be evenly thawed, heated, and/or baked.
Temperature differentials, differential heating, and moderated heating have traditionally been achieved through the use of package regulating materials, such as, for example, various metal materials that are used in conjunction with the food package to shield and/or modify incident radiation being transmitted through the package to certain portions of the food product within the package. For example, it has long been practiced in microwave cooking to use microwave reflective packaging with various sized apertures to control the amount of microwave radiation simultaneously impinging on various foods within the package. Such packaging requires that the foods desired to be heated are separated in the package with each food having one or more preselected apertures in the shield adjacent the food. Thus, although such packaging may be relatively effective for certain food concepts (which allow for the separation of product components), this type of packaging is expensive and still relatively inconvenient for consumers who must combine the food components after microwaving.
Microwave regulating materials, such as, for example, microwave shielding materials have also been applied to traditional product packaging, such as, for example, microwavable cups and trays, in the form of adhesive foil labels, applied to the outside of the cup or tray wall. Although such packaging may be relatively effective for a greater variety of food products, this type of packaging is difficult to scale up for mass production due to various complications with the secondary application of the shield layer to the product package.
In the same manner, microwave regulating materials have also been applied to packaging covers, such as, for example, traditional cup lids, to further prevent and/or modify incident radiation being transmitted through the top of the package. In various circumstances, however, such lids may interact with adjoining portions of the cup wall causing scorching and burning of the cup, which is both unattractive and unappealing for consumers preparing the food product.
Thus, it may be desirable to provide microwavable food packaging, and related methods, that effectively provide differential heating between two or more foodstuffs held within the packaging and/or that provide uniform heating of, for example, one or more foodstuffs held within the packaging, which are convenient for consumers, and may be easily scaled up for mass production. It may be further desirable to provide microwavable food packaging options that provide effective regulation of microwave energy at a top portion of the packing, while preventing scorching and burning of the packaging when the product is microwaved.
Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or may demonstrate one or more of the above-mentioned desirable features. Other features and/or advantages may become apparent from the description that follows.
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, a microwavable food package may comprise a container comprising at least one sidewall, a first closed end and a second open end opposite the first closed end, the at least one sidewall and the first closed end together defining an interior volume configured to hold foodstuff. The microwavable food package may further comprise a cover configured to cover the open end. The at least one sidewall may comprise a composite including a microwave regulating material to regulate incident microwave radiation being transmitted through the at least one sidewall into the interior volume. The cover or the closed end of the container may comprise a microwave regulating material to regulate incident microwave radiation being transmitted through an end of the container into the interior volume.
In accordance with various additional exemplary embodiments, a microwavable product may comprise a cup comprising a sidewall, a closed end, and an open end opposite the closed end, wherein the sidewall and the closed end together define an interior volume, and wherein the cup further comprises a lip surrounding the open end. The microwavable product may further comprise a first layer of foodstuff disposed within the interior volume, the first layer of foodstuff having a thickness and dielectric properties. The microwavable product may additionally comprise a second layer of foodstuff disposed within the interior volume below the first layer and closer to the closed end than the first layer, the second layer of foodstuff having a thickness and dielectric properties, wherein the foodstuffs of the first and second layers differ from each other. The microwavable food product may further comprise a cover configured to be removably secured to the cup at the open end. The cover may comprise a microwave regulating material disposed to regulate incident microwave radiation from being transmitted through the open end into the interior volume in a secured position of the cover to the cup. The sidewall of the cup may comprise a composite including a microwave regulating material disposed to surround at least the first layer of foodstuff to regulate incident microwave radiation being transmitted through the sidewall into the interior volume at a location of the first layer.
In accordance with various further exemplary embodiments, a method for preparing a food product may comprise applying microwave energy to a container holding at least a first foodstuff and a second foodstuff, the first and second foodstuffs being held in axially layered relation to each other within an interior volume of the container. The method may further comprise regulating the microwave energy being transmitted through a first end of the container to the first foodstuff. The method may additionally comprise regulating the microwave energy being transmitted through a sidewall of the container to the first foodstuff via a composite including a microwave regulating material. The method may further comprise heating the second foodstuff with the microwave energy transmitted through the sidewall and a second end of the container.
Additional objects and advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present disclosure. At least some of those objects and advantages may be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and their equivalents.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure or claims.
The present disclosure and claims can be better understood from the following detailed description either alone or together with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the description serve to explain various principles and operation.
Reference will now be made in detail to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
To enhance their appeal and marketability, traditional food products have been prepared in advance and packaged in microwavable packaging, which allows a consumer to prepare the food product for consumption within a relatively short period of time by exposing the food product to microwave radiation. With various food products, however, it is desirable to serve portions of the food product at different temperatures, such as, for example, one portion of the food hot, while serving another portion of the food cold. Such food products, therefore, would benefit from packaging and/or product arrangements within the packaging that provide differential heating between the food portions when microwaved to heat, for example, the first portion, while keeping the remaining portion frozen and/or chilled. With various additional food products, it is desirable to serve the food product at a relatively uniform temperature, such as, for example, a food product that is desired to be evenly thawed, heated, and/or baked. Such food products, therefore, also would benefit from packaging that controls how the product is heated when the package is exposed to microwave radiation.
Although microwave packaging that allows for differential heating and/or uniform heating is known in the art, there is a continued need to improve upon such packaging, and the foodstuff and/or foodstuff arrangements held within such packaging, to both increase the overall quality of the microwavable food products and the ease at which such products are produced.
To provide improved microwavable food packaging, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide microwavable food packages, products, and methods for preparing a food product that utilize microwave regulating materials and placement thereof to control the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted through various portions of the package to an interior volume thereof. Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, provide microwavable food packages that utilize a container, a sidewall of which comprises a composite including a microwave regulating material to control the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted through the sidewall of the container into the interior volume. In various exemplary embodiments, a closed end of the container may also comprise a microwave regulating material to control the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted through the closed end of the container into the interior volume. In various additional embodiments, a cover configured to cover an open end of the container may comprise a microwave regulating material to control the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted through the open end of the container into the interior volume. Thus, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate microwavable food packages that may provide differential heating between two or more foodstuffs held within the container, and/or that may provide uniform heating of one or more foodstuffs held within the container, by effectively regulating the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted to at least a first layer of foodstuff positioned radially adjacent to the composite, while also eliminating the secondary production step of applying a microwave regulating layer to the container.
Microwave shields and variations thereof refer to barriers which generally preclude the transmission or receipt of microwave energy into an area protected by the shield. In other words, when a microwave hits a microwave shield almost all of the power is reflected from the surface of the shield, thereby preventing the microwave from being transmitted into and through the shield. Microwave moderators and variations thereof refer to barriers which partially attenuate and/or modify microwave energy as it passes into an area protected by the moderator. In other words, when a microwave hits a microwave moderator only a portion of the power is transmitted through the moderator, and/or absorbed by the moderator and converted to heat. As used herein, the term “microwave regulating material” and variations thereof refer to a material that substantially controls the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted into and through the material, and includes, for example, microwave shielding materials, microwave moderating materials, and various combinations thereof.
Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate, for example, microwave regulating materials comprising electrically conductive materials, such as, for example, metallic materials, including, but not limited to, metallic foils or patterned foils (e.g., created by demetallization of a foil on or in a polymer carrier) made of aluminum, copper, tin, brass, steel, or various metal or metal alloys which are effective to reflect microwaves. Those of ordinary skill in the art would understand, however, that the above materials are exemplary only and that microwave regulating materials in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise various electrically conductive materials. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art would understand that microwave regulating materials in accordance with the present disclosure include materials that reflect all (i.e., provide 100% reflectance) of the microwaves which they are exposed to, and materials that reflect only a portion (i.e., provide 99.9% to 0% reflectance) of the microwaves which they are exposed to.
As used herein, the term “composite including a microwave regulating material” refers to a melded material in which at least one substance is combined with a microwave regulating material to produce microwave reflective properties not present in the substance alone. In other words, containers in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise composites, wherein the material of the packaging container is formed with the microwave regulating material such that the microwave regulating material is part of the container, thereby eliminating the secondary production step of applying a microwave regulating layer, such as, for example, a microwave shielding layer, to the container. In various embodiments, for example, wherein the container comprises a paperboard material, the composite may comprise the microwave regulating material laminated to the paperboard material. In various additional embodiments, wherein the container comprises a plastic material, the composite may comprise the microwave regulating material molded with, or laminated to, the plastic material. Those of ordinary skill in the art would understand, however, that containers in accordance with the present disclosure may be made of various materials, and composites thereof may comprise various materials and may be formed using various methods and/or techniques known in the art.
In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the container 101 may comprise a cup 111 as illustrated, for example, in the embodiments of
Those of ordinary skill in the art would further understand that containers in accordance with the present disclosure may be made of various materials that are suitable for both food packaging applications and exposure to microwave radiation, and that such containers may be made and/or formed using various methods and/or techniques. In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the container 101 may comprise a paperboard material, such as, for example, a paperboard material with a hydrophobic coating, such as, for example, a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) coating. As shown in
To control the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted through the sidewall 104 of the container 101 into the interior volume 107, the sidewall 104 of the container 101 comprises a composite 110 including a microwave regulating material, such as, for example, a microwave shielding material. As above, the composite 110 may include various microwave regulating materials, including, but not limited to, electrically conductive materials, such as, for example, metallic foils or patterned foils made of aluminum, copper, tin, brass, steel, or various metal or metal alloys which are effective to reflect (or partially reflect) microwaves. The composite 110 may also be formed using various methods and/or techniques known to those skilled in the art. In various embodiments, for example, wherein the container 101 is made of a paperboard material, the composite may comprise the microwave regulating material laminated to the paperboard material of the container 101. As shown in
As illustrated in
In various additional embodiments, as shown in
As would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, the composite 110 may be positioned in a variety of locations along the sidewall 104, on either an inside surface of the side wall 104 (not shown) or an outside surface of the sidewall 104, and may extend various lengths along the longitudinal axis A of the container 101 (including the full length of the sidewall 104), depending on the shape and/or dimensions of the container 101 and the types, configurations, and/or thicknesses of the foodstuffs held within the container 101. Furthermore, the composite 110 may have various shapes and/or configurations, and may form various patterns and/or designs along the sidewall 104, in a circumferential and/or longitudinal direction, depending on the types and configurations of the foodstuffs held within the container 101. In various embodiments, for example, as illustrated in the embodiments of
To further control the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted into the interior volume 107 of the container 101 (i.e., through the open end 106 or the closed end 105), either the cover, such as, for example, sheet 102 (FIGS. 1 and 3-7) or the closed end 105 (
As illustrated in the embodiment of
In various embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, the sheet 102 may comprise a circular, foil lamination including, but not limited to, various layers of oriented polypropylene (OPP), print, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), aluminum foil, polyethylene terepthalate (PET), and/or a polyethylene (PE) sealant film, arranged in various configurations. Those of ordinary skill in the art would understand, however, that sheets in accordance with the present disclosure may be made of various materials, including various laminate layers and configurations, and may have various shapes and/or dimensions (e.g., thicknesses and diameters) depending on the container being covered. In various embodiments, for example, the sheet 102 may have a thickness ranging from about 0.0072 mm to about 0.0089 mm, and a diameter ranging from about 6.98 cm to about 8.26 cm, to adequately cover and/or seal a container 101 having the shape and dimensions disclosed above.
In various additional embodiments, wherein the sheet 102 is used, for example, in conjunction with a container 101 that is made of a paperboard material, the sheet 102 may extend along the sidewall 104, such that the sheet 102 extends around and below the lip 108 of the container 101, as best shown perhaps in the enlarged view of
As best shown perhaps in
In various additional embodiments of the present disclosure, the cover may comprise a lid without an underlying sheet cover, wherein the lid itself includes the microwave regulating material. In various embodiments, for example, the cover may comprise a lid that is configured to snap-fit or friction-fit directly to the lip 108 of the container 101 in the manner described above (e.g., with no intermediate sheet 102). As shown in
As shown in
Those of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the lids 103, 203, and 303 illustrated and described above with reference to
In various additional embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in the embodiments of
Those of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the microwavable food packages 100 and 200 respectively shown and described above with reference to
As above, microwavable food packages in accordance with the present disclosure may provide differential heating between two or more foodstuffs held within the container, or provide uniform heating of one or more foodstuffs held within the container, by effectively regulating the amount of incident microwave radiation being transmitted to at least a first layer of foodstuff positioned radially adjacent to the composite. In accordance with various embodiments, for example, microwavable food packages may effectively shield at least a first layer of foodstuff positioned radially adjacent to the composite. As illustrated in the cross-sectional view of
As shown in
In various exemplary embodiments, the first layer of foodstuff 120 may therefore include a foodstuff configured to be consumed chilled or frozen, for example, being served at a temperature ranging from about −18° C. to about 10° C., and the second layer of foodstuff 122 may include a foodstuff configured to be consumed warm or hot, for example, being served at a temperature ranging from about 27° C. to about 71° C. In various embodiments, for example, the first layer of foodstuff 120 may be chosen from an ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt, custard, pudding, sorbet, malt, yogurt, fruit, fillings, whipped cream, frosting, dessert toppings, cold confections, or blends thereof. And, the second layer of foodstuff 122 may be chosen from a brownie, cake, cookie, biscuit, bread, pie, fudge, chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, fruit, syrup, sauces, or blends thereof.
As illustrated in the cross-sectional view of
In various embodiments, for example, the first layer of foodstuff 130 may be chosen from an ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt, custard, pudding, sorbet, malt, yogurt, fruit, fillings, whipped cream, frosting, dessert toppings, cold confections, or blends thereof. The second layer of foodstuff 132 may be chosen from a brownie, cake, cookie, biscuit, bread, pie, or blends thereof. And, the third layer of foodstuff 134 may be chosen from fudge, chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, fruit, syrup, sauces, or blends thereof.
Various exemplary embodiments of the preset disclosure contemplate microwavable food products that not only utilize food packages that provide differential heating between two or more foodstuffs held within the package as described above, but that may also provide differential heating between the foodstuffs by exploiting the physical properties of the foodstuffs themselves to further provide an edible, foodstuff shielding layer. This foodstuff shielding layer, in combination with the composite 110 and the sheet 102 (which respectively comprise microwave regulating materials, such as, for example, microwave shielding materials, as described above) may further prevent detrimental heating, for example, of the first foodstuff layer 120, 130 packaged within the container 101. As disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,020, issued on May 15, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,841, issued on Jan. 29, 1991; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,507, issued on Apr. 16, 1991, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein, by controlling the geometry (e.g., thickness) and dielectric properties of the foodstuff layers held within the package, it is possible to control the reflectance, absorbance, shielding ability, and heating rate of the layers, thereby permitting the design of various foodstuff layer arrangements (including various foodstuff shielding layers).
Thus, with reference to the exemplary embodiments described above, the food stuff layers 120, 122, 130, 132, and 134 each respectively have a thickness and dielectric properties, which may be adjusted to provide differential heating between the layers. In various embodiments, for example, in which there are two layers of foodstuff 120 and 122 (
In the same manner, in various embodiments, in which there are three layers of foodstuffs 130, 132, and 134 (
To provide uniform heating, for example, of a single foodstuff held within the container, in accordance with various additional embodiments, microwavable food packages may also partially attenuate and/or modify microwave energy as it passes through the composite 110 to a layer of foodstuff positioned radially adjacent to the composite 110. As illustrated in the cross-sectional view of
As shown in
Those of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the foodstuffs, foodstuff layer arrangements, and configurations described above are exemplary only, and that any number, type, thickness, and/or configuration of foodstuff and foodstuff layers can be packaged within the microwavable food packages of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure and claims. Furthermore, based on the teachings of the present disclosure and the materials incorporated by reference herein, it is within the ability of one skilled in the art to preselect the arrangement, thicknesses, and dielectric properties of the foodstuff layers packaged within the microwavable food package to achieve a desired heating profile, and the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein.
An exemplary method for preparing a food product in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is set forth in the following description with reference to the microwave food package 100 of the embodiment of
While the product is microwaved (i.e., exposed to microwave radiation), the microwave energy being transmitted through a sidewall 104 of the container 101 to the first foodstuff 120, 130 may be regulated, such that the foodstuff 120, 130 remains within a predetermined temperature range, while the second foodstuff 122, 132 is heated with the microwave energy. In various embodiments, for example, the first foodstuff 120, 130 may be shielded from the microwave energy that is transmitted through a sidewall 104 of the container 101 via a composite 110 that includes a microwave regulating material, such as, for example, a microwave shielding material, and may be further shielded from the microwave energy that would otherwise be transmitted through an open end 106 of the container 101 via a cover, such as, for example, a sheet 102 that includes a microwave regulating material.
As above, to prevent scorching and burning of the container 101 during exposure to microwave energy, for example, at a lip 108 that surrounds the open end 106 of the container 101, in various additional embodiments, the first foodstuff 120, 130 may be shielded via a sheet 102 that extends around and below the lip 108 to overlap with the composite 110.
As illustrated in
Although the detailed description and exemplary illustrated embodiments were described with reference to microwavable food products, it will be appreciated by those ordinarily skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that the present disclosure may also provide microwavable packaging embodiments, products, and methods for preparing such products for various additional applications. In particular, the embodiments described could be used for a variety of purposes in which it is desirable to provide differential heating between two or more substances positioned adjacent one another in a multi-component product, and/or in which it is desirable to provide uniform heating, for example, of a single-component product. Further modifications and alternative embodiments to accommodate such applications would be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description.
The microwavable food package embodiments and products may also include additional components that were omitted from the drawings for clarity of illustration. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the present disclosure.
It is to be understood that the various embodiments shown and described herein are to be taken as exemplary. Elements and materials, and arrangements of those elements and materials, may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the present disclosure may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of the description herein. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and following claims, including their equivalents.
It is to be understood that the particular examples and embodiments set forth herein are non-limiting, and modifications to structure, dimensions, materials, and methodologies may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
It is to be further understood that this description's terminology is not intended to limit the invention. For example, spatially relative terms, such as “front”, “back,” “top”, “bottom”, “side,” and the like, may be used to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature as intended to connote the orientation of the container for display and use and as illustrated in the figures. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different positions (i.e., locations) and orientations (i.e., rotational placements) of a container in use in addition to the position and orientation shown in the figures. For example, if a container in the figures is turned over, elements described as “top” or “bottom” would then be reversed. A container may also be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
For the purposes of this specification and appended claims, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, percentages or proportions, and other numerical values used in the specification and claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about” if they are not already. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
It is noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and any singular use of any word, include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent. As used herein, the term “include” and its grammatical variants are intended to be non-limiting, such that recitation of items in a list is not to the exclusion of other like items that can be substituted or added to the listed items.
It should be understood that while the present disclosure have been described in detail with respect to various exemplary embodiments thereof, it should not be considered limited to such, as numerous modifications are possible without departing from the broad scope of the appended claims, including the equivalents they encompass.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US13/64567 | 10/11/2013 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61713066 | Oct 2012 | US |