Food package for microwave heating

Details Food package for microwave heating Food package for microwave heating

1999-02-11

2001-05-15

Cano, Milton (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Packaged or wrapped product

Having specific electrical or wave energy feature

C426S109000, C426S118000, C426S234000, C426S403000, C219S729000, C219S730000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06231903

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of microwave heating of foodstuffs, in particular to packaging designed for influencing the heating of the foodstuff as it is irradiated with microwave energy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With respect to microwave foods, it is often desirable that the microwave heating be controlled in order to prevent overheating of the food. One example is microwave heating and popping of popcorn. If popped kernels are subjected to prolonged microwave heating, scorching occurs. Currently, microwave popcorn is packaged in flexible paper bags. Embedded in the popcorn bag is a susceptor used to absorb microwave energy and aid popcorn heating and popping. Typically in packaging microwave popcorn, a slurry including popcorn kernels are located on top of the susceptor, the bag is folded over itself to a compact size. When the bag is placed in the microwave oven, instructions typically call for at least partial unfolding of the bag and placing the bag on a microwave transparent shelf or floor of the oven with the susceptor below the popcorn. When the popcorn bag is heated in the microwave oven, steam or water vapor from the popping popcorn causes the bag to further unfold and inflate. With the current bag designs, popped kernels are unprotected from microwave irradiation after popping. When heated above about 210° C., popped kernels begin to scorch. The present invention overcomes this shortcoming of prior art popcorn bags (and other microwave-related food packages) by providing a bag or package that initially exposes the unpopped popcorn (or other food load) to microwave irradiation to pop the kernels or otherwise heat the food load and thereafter protects the bulk of the popped kernels (or other heated food load) from microwave energy, thus reducing or eliminating the scorching (and other undesirable results of overheating) that would otherwise occur.


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