Golden Valley Microwave Foods, Inc.

James W Montealegre

Charles H Turpin

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.

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Shoreview, MN, United States of America

James W Montealegre