Process for providing filled containers

A process for providing a filled container comprising the steps of:

• filling an open top end closed bottom end container with a hot-fill material in its heated condition to a predetermined level in said container;
• providing a top end closure structure which includes a flexible central member having an outwardly dished center section and at least one opening structure having an opening therein disposed in said central member, and a removable flexible closure member disposed over said opening structure which is in a first sealing relationship with a portion of said opening structure and a second sealing relationship with a top surface of said central member;
• sealing said top end closure structure on said open top end of said container with sealing means, said sealing means being disposed from a peripheral edge of said central member;
• cooling the hot-fill material to ambient temperature in said container;
• and
• dishing inwardly the center section of said flexible central member of said end closure structure during said cooling step so there is substantially atmospheric pressure or slight vacuum pressure within said sealed container after the hot-fill material has cooled to ambient temperature to prevent stress on at least one of said first and second sealing relationships associated with sealing the opening in the opening structure with said removable thin flexible closure member, said inward dishing step being facilitated by said flexible central member and said thin flexible closure which readily flex during the cooling process.