Patent Application
20050166147
Those who purchase and cook food are often presented with problems of knowing how to tell when an item of produce is ripe, or knowing how to store or keep the item to ripen it. This problem has become bigger in recent years because recently there has been a profusion of fresh foods that now exists during off seasons.
What many have longed for is perfectly ripe produce, meat and fish. They want produce, for example, that has all the aroma, taste and flavor of perfectly fresh produce. There are currently two methods to achieve this: 1. Pay a top-quality restaurant-style distributor who can charge the price and have the volume to ripen the produce itself and then deliver when ready; or 2. Do it yourself. For many people, doing it yourself is difficult and awkward because one does not necessarily know how to ripen it properly.
Several methods and apparatuses are described in the prior art that are specifically designed for the purpose of ripening food. US Patents directed generally to controlled ripening of produce include “Method for storing fruit,” U.S. Pat. No. 3,333,967 issued in October 1976; “Fruit ripening ethylene gas storage and dispensing system and container therefore,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,178, issued in May 1994; “Method for controlling the ripening of fresh produce,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,443, issued in July 1991; “Apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh produce,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,524, issued in October 1998; and “Method for accelerating fruit respiration,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,389, issued in August 1988. The latter shows, et alia, a ripening enclosure intended for use in the home of the consumer. However, ripening in the home is not easy to get right even with the use of the aforementioned methods and apparatuses. Still many consumers are not aware of how to ripen produce correctly. A system that addresses these concerns will greatly improve the quality and joy people take from their food.
Applicant is not aware of any system like that of the present invention. The present invention has been developed to link the distribution of food along with the distribution of instructions and directions relating to how to ripen or store the food.
Applicants have discovered a superior process for the distribution of food using the method of the present invention. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method for distributing food and ripening directions thereof to a user comprises the steps of:
This document describes a number of embodiments of an invention which identifies fruits and vegetables and uses that identifier to disseminate ripening information to preparers and consumers of fruits and vegetables.
One embodiment of this invention connects a database of fruit or vegetables (using, for example, UPC bar codes SKU numbers, or PLU (price lookup) numbers to identify the food) to a database that describes and then directs how the preparer or consumer could best ripen the product for consumption. This ripening direction could be in the form of written, electronic, or other instruction. One embodiment of the instruction would be as a sticker, similar to SKU or bar code stickers which is placed on the produce and describes ripening methods.
The invention provides directions as to how to ripen a particular type of produce. For example, for bananas the invention might say, to best ripen bananas, place in brown paper bag (to trap gas emissions) and keep at room temperature. Although direct sunlight and heat will accelerate ripening, shade is preferable for uniform ripening. Do not freeze or refrigerate prior to ripening (as this may inactivate critical enzymes required for ripening).
In many grocery stores, the produce are marked with “PLU” numbers (price lookup) which are used at the cash register to figure out what the price is. In this way the pricing is done differently than for most other stock-keeping-unit (SKU) systems and uniform product code (UPC) bar codes. See http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,60911,00.html for more about PLUs.
In one embodiment of the invention, a system is provided which links the merchandising of the item (display, and sale) with a system that disseminates storage and ripening information.
For example, an embodiment of this is a tearcard next to each and every item in a store that either ripens or spoils and advises how best to prepare it for eating. Another embodiment is a checkout system that links the PLU number of each item at a register with a printout (on the receipt for example) that suggests storage and ripening techniques for each food item. Another embodiment would be a link between the sale of the item and an email to purchaser suggesting storage or ripening techniques.
An embodiment which is related is simply a computer database where the input is the identifier of the item (name, PLU etc) and the output is ripening and storage information. For example, an internet site may be provided where one could type the name of item (or, better, the PLU from a sticker on the item) and the site would sort and deliver suggested ripening or storage information. The website will preferably test to see whether a visiting browser is WAP (wireless application protocol) compatible, in the event of which the ripening or storage information is provided to the visiting browser in WAP format. In this connection it should be borne in mind that a WAP-equipped wireless telephone is well suited to the purpose. The user can browse to the website of the invention, key in the PLU using the telephone's numeric keypad, and receive the ripening/storage information.
Another embodiment is a system which suggests a method to delay ripening or create certain ripening effects. For example, an embodiment is a computer system that suggests for higher starch content, potatoes should be stored the dark at temperatures over 40 degrees Fahrenheit. However, for higher sugar content and better browning, storage at colder temperatures is recommended.
It will be appreciated that the invention easily extends to other foods such as meat, fish and poultry. Again, the system suggests mechanisms to delay spoilage (e.g. keep fish on a bed of ice on the lowest shelf furthest to the back wall of one's refrigerator). The system could also suggest mechanisms to further ripen animal foods such as methods to dry-age beef.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 60/481 954 filed on Jan. 26, 2004 and U.S. provisional application 60/521473 filed on May 2, 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60481954 | Jan 2004 | US | |
| 60521473 | May 2004 | US |
