Pouch for steaming vegetables
AssigneeGeneral Mills Marketing, Inc.
InventorsGary L. Gerbeling, Thomas C. Hoese, Scott Hemink, Gregory Holl, Anthony Gaylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible pouch for cooking a food item using microwave energy. The pouch includes a base configured to retain hot gases above atmospheric pressure within the pouch to heat and cook the food item when the package is exposed to microwave energy. The pouch also includes a cover comprising a sealant layer and a score layer. The score layer includes a weak portion which ruptures and vents the pouch at a predictable location when pressure within the pouch due to the hot gasses exceeds a predetermined pressure.
Claims20
A flexible pouch for cooking a food item using microwave energy, the pouch comprising:
- a base configured to retain hot gases above atmospheric pressure within the pouch to heat and cook the food item when the package is exposed to microwave energy;
- a cover comprising a sealant layer and a score layer, wherein the score layer includes a weak portion which ruptures and vents the pouch at a predictable location when pressure within the pouch due to the hot gasses exceeds a predetermined pressure.
A pouch meal comprising:
- a plurality of pieces of frozen food;
- a flexible pouch having an inner surface containing the food and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is defined by a base and a sealant layer, wherein the base is configured to retain hot gasses above atmospheric pressure within the pouch to heat and cook the food when the pouch is exposed to microwave energy;
- a score layer disposed over the sealant layer, the score layer having a weak portion configured to rupture and vent the pouch at a predictable location when the pressure within the interior of the pouch due to hot gasses exceeds a predetermined pressure.
A method of cooking a food item using microwave energy comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a pouch meal comprising a plurality of pieces of frozen food, the pouch having an inner surface containing the food and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is defined by a base and a sealant layer, the pouch further comprising a score layer disposed over the sealant layer, the score layer having a weak portion configured to rupture and vent the pouch at a predictable location when the pressure within the interior of the pouch due to hot gasses exceeds a predetermined pressure;
- cooking the food item with steam and hot gasses generated by heating of the food item with microwave energy during a first phase of the cooking process, wherein the sealant layer expands to hold the increased volume of hot gases until the sealant layer forms a permeable membrane during a second phase of the cooking process, wherein said steam and hot gasses are retained within the pouch by the base and score layer;
- rupturing the pouch at the weak portion of the score layer during a final phase of the cooking process when the internal pressure of the pouch exceeds the predetermined pressure to allow for release of excess pressure during a final stage of the cooking process;
- venting some steam and hot gasses through the permeable sealant layer and weak portion of the score layer;
- and
- retaining some steam and hot gasses within the pouch to complete the heating and cooking of the food item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.