Golden Valley Microwave Foods, Inc.

The Pillsbury Company

Conagra Frozen Foods, Inc.

Charles H Turpin

James R Leezer

Dana Sue Freeport

Michael R Perry

Denise Ellen Hanson

James D Watkins

Lawrence C Brandberg

Jeffrey T Watkins

Matthew W Lorence

Samuel H Yong

Francis R Reid

Michael E Bley

Barry S Mikulski

David A Kirk

Rocky W Chen

Raymond W Tucker

Deena G Hohle

Leah G Evans

James W Montealegre

A Kenneth Parlour

Thomas C Hoese

Jeff T Watkins

Gerald T Tracy

Edward Majewicz

James W Montealagre

Lance B Schilmoeller

A construction for heating food in a microwave oven is provided. The construction includes an outer receptacle and a moisture barrier closure enclosed within the outer receptacle. Food material to be heated is enclosed within the moisture barrier closure, during storage. Preferred arrangements include an outer receptacle which is expandable to accommodate expansion of the food material, preferably popcorn, upon heating. In a preferred construction shown, a microwave susceptor construction is positioned within the moisture barrier closure.

Construction including internal closure for use in microwave cooking

A method of coating popcorn pieces is provided. According to one application of the method, an aqueous-based adhesive composition is applied to prepopped popcorn flake. Flavorant is then added in a preferred manner. In another application, a adhesive composition is applied to unpopped kernels with a follow up step of applying flavorant. Also a preferred, flavored, prepopped popcorn product is provided. Finally a preferred coated unpopped popcorn product, capable of being popped in a microwave oven in the absence of added oil or fat to advantage, is provided.

Composition and method for flavoring unpopped popcorn

A flavored, aqueous-based, adhesive composition containing no added fat or oil is sprayed onto popped popcorn, then a dry flavorant is applied, and the popcorn dried of excess moisture.

Composition and method for flavoring popped popcorn

A collapsed flexible, e.g., paper, bag is provided which contains a charge of unpopped popcorn. Popping of the corn can be carried out in a microwave oven with the bag supported upon a pre-erected or collapsible stand, usually about 2 cm high, attached to the bag. The bag includes upper and lower opposing face panels connected together by longitudinally extending, centrally projecting gussets that are integral with the face panels. Prior to popping, the gussets are folded between the under and lower face panels of the bag and the bag is sealed at each end. A microwave heating susceptor is provided in the lower panel of the bag or elsewhere in the bag if desired. During popping of the popcorn kernels, the bag increases in size and the gussets expand outwardly as the bag becomes filled with popped kernels, hot vapor and steam. In certain microwave ovens the stand is erected to elevate the bag so that microwave energy will transfer well to the popcorn, causing the popcorn to pop efficiently, and in other ovens the corn pops best with the stand collapsed. One form of stand is capable of being folded flat, i.e., collapsed for shipment and storage. In an alternative modified form of the invention, the stand is an initially detached, pre-erected tray-shaped stand. During microwave cooking, a heat-activated adhesive bonds the tray-shaped stand to the bag.

Microwave corn popping package

For popping popcorn in a microwave oven, a flexible bag is provided which contains popcorn and includes a collapsible stand. The bag has upper and lower opposing face panels connected together by longitudinally extending, centrally projecting gussets that are integral with the face panels. Prior to popping, the gussets are folded between the upper and lower face panels of the bag. The panels and gussets are preferably formed from a pair of superimposed sheets of paper that are laminated together with adhesive. Popcorn is placed in the bag and the bag ends are sealed. A microwave heating susceptor of any suitable type is provided in the lower panel of the bag or elsewhere in the bag if desired. During popping of the popcorn kernels, the bag increases in size and the gussets expand outwardly as the bag becomes filled with popped kernels, hot vapor and steam. To ensure that microwave energy will transfer well to the popcorn so that the popcorn pops efficiently, popping can be conducted with the stand folded flat, i.e., collapsed in certain ovens or, if desired, popping can be carried out with the stand erected so as to elevate the lower panel of the bag about 2 cm from the supporting surface of the microwave oven.

Microwave popcorn popping bag

An enclosure for cooking and browning pot pies and similar food items in a microwave oven is disclosed. The enclosure has a first microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein, and a susceptor layer positioned below the first reflective shield. A pan for containing a food item and having a susceptor lining for further cooking and browning the food item is located below the first reflective shield and susceptor layer. A second microwave reflective shield defining a single hole therein can be advantageously positioned below the pot pie pan. The arrangement of the reflective shields and the susceptor layer in connection with the pan provide for the selective cooking and browning of the food item to the desired degree. Another embodiment of the present invention includes having a reflective shield defining a single hole therein positioned below the pan, along with a susceptor layer above the pan.

Microwave cooking enclosure for food items

The invention provides a package for popping popcorn in a microwave oven including an open-topped wide mouth container in the form of a tub or bowl formed from self-supporting, i.e. stiff, microwave transparent sheet material such as stiff paper or paperboard with a flexible and expandable cover. A layer of microwave interactive susceptor material is distributed across the bottom wall of the tub to assist in popping the popcorn. Unpopped popcorn within the tub is packaged in a sealed inner compartment or container within the tub. During cooking, the flexible cover expands upwardly as the kernels pop so as to accommodate their expansion.

Microwave corn popping package having flexible and expandable cover

A food heating and serving package for elongated food products or food sticks such as french fries, fish sticks, waffle sticks and the like is described which includes an inner sleeve portion and an outer tray portion telescopically mounted over the sleeve. The sleeve includes a plurality of parallel partitions formed from microwave energy-absorbing susceptor material positioned in parallel relationship to define a honeycomb-like array of cells adapted to receive the food sticks for the purpose of crisping, toasting or browning the surface of the food sticks. The tray includes a broad panel defining a base with four low side panels extending upwardly therefrom to define an open wide mouth. One of the low side panels of the tray covers an open end of the sleeve so that when the sleeve is lifted out of the tray, the food sticks can easily slide through the open end of the sleeve into the open wide mouth of the tray which is of sufficient size to hold other food products such as salt or a condiment and to act as a serving dish from which the food can be directly eaten.

Microwave food heating package with serving tray

A microwave food package with a heater and method of manufacture are provided. The heater includes a substrate coated with a microwave lossy material having a thickness in the range of between about 0.001 cm and about 0.025 cm and an inverse penetration depth greater than about 0.01 cm.sup.-1. The layer of lossy material is preferably in liquid form when applied to the substrate and is non-liquid when used. The lossy material can have electric field loss properties alone or magnetic loss properties and combination thereof.

Microwave heater and method of manufacture

A dough process is provided which allows for a slow release of pressure and dough expansion upon opening a dough container on chemically leavened fresh dough contained in the container with the release rate of pressure slower than a predetermined rate. The fresh dough contained in the container after slow release of pressure and baking will have high specific volume.

Method of processing dough to increase its baked specific volume

The invention provides a distribution and heating method for foodstuffs and an inexpensive disposable microwave shipping, heating and serving package for food composed of a paperboard carton and a lossy microwave energy absorber which becomes hot when exposed to microwave radiation. The absorber is associated in conductive heat transfer relationship with a food product contained in the package and is usually bonded to a structural supporting sheet such as aluminum foil. The package also includes a shield e.g., a metal foil sheet adapted to reduce by a controlled amount the direct transmission of microwave energy into the food product. The shield may have holes of a selected size to provide a predetermined controlled amount of direct microwave energy to the food product or can be a nonperforated sheet or screen. The absorber heats the adjacent surface of the food by conduction to a sufficiently high temperature to provide searing or browning while controlled microwave exposure heats the inside. The thickness of the absorber is substantially in the range wherein absorber thickness and temperature response are positively correlated.

Microwave heating package and method

A spiral wound can is described in which the body of the can is made up of a relatively heavy fiberboard base or body stock layer lined within by an oil and moisture impermeable barrier preferably formed from a laminate of aluminum foil and paper. The base body layer includes a helically extending separation line or butt joint bonded together by the liner and label which is bonded to the body stock by at least two broken or unbroken spaced apart strips of adhesive one of which is aligned over the butt joint and one of which is spaced from the butt joint. A circumferentially extending collar cut is made through the label near the can end to facilitate its removal. Printed indicia is located on the underside of the label between the strips of adhesive.

Spiral wound can with provision for printing lower side of label

A process for forming a two compartmented fiber dough can comprising forcing a thermoplastic cup into the lower part of a container, inserting a duct close to the cup and filling the same with icing, forcing a divider plate into engagement with the cup and the inside wall of the can so as to form a triple seal, introducing a dough product on the opposite side of the divider and sealing the open end of the container with a top closure, and allowing the dough to proof.

Dough package containing triple sealed icing cup and method of producing

A spiral wound can is described in which the body of the can is made up of a relatively heavy fiberboard base or body layer lined within by an oil and moisture impermeable barrier formed from a laminate of aluminum foil and paper. The heavy base layer includes a helically extending separation line or butt joint bonded together by the liner and a reinforcing tensile element in the form of a reinforcing strip. A discrete label covers the reinforcing strip and the body stock and is bonded to the body stock by at least two broken or unbroken lines of adhesive on opposite sides of the reinforcing strip. A circumferentially extending collar cut is made through both the label and the reinforcing strip to facilitate their removal. In one form of the invention, the reinforcing strip is bonded more strongly to the label than to the body and is removed when the label is removed. In another form of the invention, the label is not bonded to the reinforcing strip and is removed first. The reinforcing strip is in the second form provided with an adhesive free area under one corner which defines a lifting tab allowing it to be lifted manually and removed.

Growing community of inventors

Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Charles H Turpin