Ventable, microwave-safe food package

Details Ventable, microwave-safe food package Ventable, microwave-safe food package

1999-10-22

2003-08-19

Weinstein, Steve (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Packaged or wrapped product

Having specific electrical or wave energy feature

C426S113000, C426S118000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06607764

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a packaging in which food can be transported and/or sold which is intended for consumption in a heated state and is to be heated in the packaging.
The invention also relates to a method for cooking food which is at least partly fresh in a container in a microwave oven whereby during the heating process a vapor banking situation with excess pressure occurs within the container due to the water content of the food as well as the design of the container.
STATE OF ART
Amongst the known packagings of the previously mentioned type, in particular the boilable bag deserves to be mentioned with regard to dry food which can be preserved freshly in this condition for a relatively long time period and which is usually cooked in water prior to consumption, for example rice. In order to permit the hot water for blanching to reach the food, boiling bags mostly feature a multitude of small holes or are designed permeably in some other way.
Particularly in the field of convenience food a multitude of bags, dishes and other containers for moist food exist which are mostly enclosed in order to protect the food which is more perishable due to its inherent moisture from external influences, to keep the food fresh, to protect it from dehydration or simply to prevent any liquid spillage. Regularly in this connection the foodstuffs are ready-cooked so that they only need to be heated in a bain-marie, a baking oven or a microwave oven, for instance. This is called “regenerating” in contrast to cooking food from its fresh state. A prior opening of the packaging by cutting it open or removing a cover for instance, is mostly required in this-connection and therefore also mandatory.
In relation to the above mentioned method it is known that fresh food with an inherent water content such as vegetables has to be cooked in a microwave oven using cooking utensils which are especially designed for this purpose. The known cooking utensils are however unsuitable as packaging in which food can be sold and/or transported and would pricewise be too costly to be used for this purpose.
Moist food cannot be cooked in open containers using a microwave oven, or it can at least not be cooked in a microwave without further precautions. Particularly vegetables tend to dehydrate in an open container. Even the tearing of meat fibers can occur when using meat.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention as characterized in claim
1
a packaging is provided in which food of the aforementioned type can be transported and/or sold, said packaging is characterized in that it consists of a microwaveable material, which by taking into consideration the water content of the food, an amount of liquid is contained in the packaging such that the food can be heated in the vapor atmosphere developing inside the packaging using a microwave oven, and that the packaging is provided with means for limiting and/or reducing the vapor pressure which builds up inside the packaging during rapid heating in the microwave oven.
Using the aforementioned means for limiting and/or reducing the vapor pressure, more preferably it is also possible to use the packaging for fresh foods and actually cook these in a microwave oven although for this, depending on the specific consistency of the food, a not inconsiderable amount of energy or power is possibly required. The means denoted however ensure even in this case that the packaging is not destroyed by the vapor pressure which builds up even during rapid heating in a microwave oven, and by the resulting possibly fairly high vapor temperature. The packaging according to the invention is therefore especially designed and suited for the preparation in minutes of food contained in the packaging from the fresh state to its cooked condition, being ready for consumption, using a microwave oven.
Due to the vapor pressure which builds up and is higher than the ambient pressure, and the temperature thereby increased beyond 100° C. the cooking process is effected rapidly and gently. For example, a mixture of fresh vegetable pieces can be cooked ready for consumption within approx. 3 minutes in a 750 W microwave oven. Surprisingly in this connection even a type of plateau phase with respect to the cooking condition eventuates with regard to several commonly used vegetables such as zucchini which means that the said vegetables remain in a practically optimal cooking condition for a certain time period and that other vegetables which cook slower, such as potatoes, have time to reach the desired cooking level, an effect which for example does not occur when the same vegetable varieties are cooked in water or are vaporized in a pan. Using the traditional methods of preparing these foods the various vegetables are mostly cooked in graduated time intervals in order to compensate for the different cooking times required, and are additionally mostly cut into different sizes. As an example, for a typical traditional ratatouille, carrots are cut 0.5 mm thick, cauliflower and broccoli 0.7-0.8 mm, onions and leeks 10 mm and pepper, zucchini or eggplants 15-20 mm. For the preparation in the packaging according to the invention the very same vegetable varieties can practically be cut to equal thickness, for example 10 mm, with a variation in cut depth of only 20% due to the aforementioned plateau effect. An equal size of the various vegetables is optically more appealing than the method used traditionally.
A piece of fresh chicken breast weighing 200 g can also be cooked within only 3½ minutes using the packaging according to the invention. A piece of fresh fish fillet of equal size requires just one minute.
In comparison with traditional cooking methods the foods, particularly vegetables, prepared according to the present invention also retain their natural aroma to a greater extent.
The advantages achieved by using the invention can furthermore be considered in that
no additional cooking utensils are required and therefore the amount of dish washing is reduced;
special cooking utensils suitable for rapid cooking in a microwave oven, like the aforementioned, are not required to be purchased and stored readily available in the kitchen thereby taking up storage space;
the packaging, particularly if this represents a dish, can also be used as a plate substitute;
no special knowledge is required for the preparation;
the food contained in the packaging can be cooked ready for consumption in a matter of minutes;
the preparation can practically be carried out without adding any fat or additional liquids provided that the food has a sufficiently high inherent water content of at least 30%;
because of the possibility of preparing food in its fresh condition the said food shows higher quality in terms of consistency and nutrient content in comparison to commonly used ready-cooked convenience food;
the cooking or regenerating can also be done in a baking oven or bain-marie if for example a microwave oven is not available, whereby naturally the possibility exists to take the food out of its packaging prior to preparation and to prepare it the conventional way in commonly used cooking and frying utensils.
The means for limiting and/or reducing the vapor pressure are preferably designed in such a way that they enable the vapor which is building up in the packaging during the rapid heating process per unit of time in a microwave oven to escape comparatively slower from the packaging into the ambient atmosphere mainly due to the flow resistance of the said means. These means can for example employ a valve which opens preferably automatically to the outside, located in a wall of the packaging, or just a comparatively small ready-made and therefore well defined hole. In the latter case it is preferable to cover the hole for the sale and/or transport of the foodstuffs with an adhesive label which can be removed by the consumer prior to heating in a microwave oven. The adhesive label has to be sufficiently adhesive so that it cannot become detached due to any fluctuations in pressure

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