Microwaveable Packaged Food Product

A packaged food product comprising:

• a flexible film forming a pouch having an interior cavity formed by seals and having one or more vents therein;
• about 0.75-oz. to about 2-oz. shelled nuts disposed within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch;
• a patterned susceptor disposed in the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, the susceptor configured to roast the shelled nuts during microwaving, the shelled nuts are roasted to a temperature of about 120° F. to about 260° F.;
• and
• a sealed overwrap around the flexible film forming the pouch that is removed prior to microwaving;
• wherein over 60% of the patterned susceptor is not in contact with the food product when the food product is heated;
• wherein the flexible film pouch filled with the shelled nuts is configured to be microwaved in a closed configuration where the seals have not ruptured;
• wherein the vents limit internal pressure within the pouch during microwave heating, and enable internal pressure to decrease after completion of microwave heating.

A method of making a packaged food product comprising:

• wrapping a web of multi-layer flexible film into a film tube;
• providing at least one patterned susceptor inside the film tube;
• forming a first end seal to partially form a flexible film pouch;
• depositing about 0.75 oz. to about 2 oz. shelled nuts in the partially formed flexible film pouch;
• gas flushing the partially formed flexible film pouch to reduce oxygen therein;
• forming a second end seal in the flexible film pouch;
• wrapping the flexible film pouch in an overwrap film thereby forming an overwrap pouch;
• gas flushing the overwrap pouch to reduce oxygen in the overwrap pouch;
• and
• sealing the overwrap pouch around the flexible film pouch, and further comprising at least one of:
• depositing flavoring on an inside surface of the multi-layer flexible film that forms the film tub;
• spraying flavoring into the film tube prior to forming the second seal of the flexible film pouch;
• and
• spraying flavoring onto the shelled nuts prior to depositing the shelled nuts in the flexible film pouch.

A method of using a packaged food product comprising about 1 oz. to about 1.5 oz. of shelled nuts and a heat-activated aroma-release composition, each of the shelled nuts individually having a mass of 28 grams+/−5 grams to 42 grams+/−5 grams, the shelled nuts being arranged in a single layer on a portion of a patterned susceptor within a sealed flexible package having a vent opening with a frangible closure, the shelled nuts comprising about 1.0% to about 2.0% moisture and having a predetermined aggregate surface area, the method comprising:

• first maintaining the packaged food product at ambient temperature and pressure;
• thereafter exposing the packaged food product to microwave energy in a 900 to 1200 W microwave oven for a period of about 45 seconds to about 100 seconds to heat the shelled nuts and reduce their moisture content to between about 0.9% and about 1.3%, and simultaneously vaporizing moisture within the package to inflate the package and increase its interior pressure;
• wherein exposing the packaged food product includes over 60% of the patterned susceptor not contacting with the food product;
• wherein heating the nuts results in a darkening of portions of the aggregate nut surface area;
• wherein the darkened portions are in contact with the susceptor during heating, and comprise about 10% to about 25% of the aggregate nut surface area;
• thereafter removing a portion of the package to release a roasted-nut aroma, and to provide an open-topped container to provide hand-held access to the heated shelled nuts, wherein the packaged food product includes a headspace and a flavor treatment disposed within the sealed flexible package, and wherein heating the packaged food product results in an increase of aroma components in the headspace.