Package for increasing the volumetric yield of microwave cooked popcorn

A package for shipping and popping popcorn within a microwave oven comprising,

• a bag formed from flexible sheet material transparent to microwave energy and having two opposed face panels including a first relatively large face panel with side edges and a second parallel face panel of reduced width including side edges spaced centrally from the side edges of the first panel,
• sections of extensible interconnecting folded sheet material defining centrally projecting gussets extending between the side edges of the first and second panels,
• a transverse end seal on at least one end of the bag bonding the sheet material together,
• a change of popcorn and fat is contained therein intermediate the ends of the bag and spaced apart from said ends,
• said charge being located between the centrally projecting gussets and said second face panel,
• said centrally projecting gussets approaching each other closely enough to divide the bag into a pair of collateral tubes including a first longitudinally extending tube including said first panel and of a relatively large cross-sectional area and
• a second longitudinally extending tube including said second panel and of a smaller cross-section,
• the charge of popcorn and fat is confined substantially entirely in the tube of smaller cross-section,
• said tubes being in communication with each other between the gussets so that the popcorn can pass from the smaller tube to the larger tube during popping within the bag,
• means as part of the bag to temporarily restrain the charge at the center of the bag and in only one tube,
• the charge of popcorn and fat confined in the small tube having a broad face adapted to rest adjacent a floor portion of said microwave oven during popping whereby microwave energy is efficiently absorbed to achieve a popped volume on the order of 10% to 15% or more greater than an equivalent package with tubes of equal cross-section.