The Pillsbury Company

Lawrence C Brandberg

David W Andreas

Charles N Standing

A package is provided for heating foods which includes a pair of bread slices such as the halves of a hamburger bun, at least one meat product such as a hamburger patty preferably resting on one of the bread slices and a condiment package containing one or more condiments with a microwave reflective material at least partially enclosing the condiments to reduce the rate at which they absorb heat. These components are enclosed in a sealed plastic bag which is transparent to microwave energy.

Food package including condiment container for heating food

To prevent localized overheating in food products which are to be heated in a microwave oven, an expandable vessel is operatively connected to a food product. When heated the vessel expands moving the food and thereby distributing non-uniformly distributed microwave energy more evenly throughout the food. In one embodiment, the vessel is a folded or coiled bag which retains steam and vapor evolved during the heating operation. The vapor expands the bag causing it to unfold i.e., straighten out thereby moving the food product from one location in the oven to another as microwave energy is applied.

Food package for assuring uniform distribution of microwave energy and

A combined popping and shipping package for popcorn is described. The package is composed of a dual compartmented container, one compartment being relatively small and containing the charge of popcorn and fat ready to be popped. The larger compartment which is expansible communicates with the small compartment and is adapted to hold the popped kernels.

Combined popping and shipping package for popcorn

A package of popcorn which is ready for popping in a microwave oven of from about 600 to 1,400 watts capacity is composed of a flexible and expandable package e.g. a gussetted bag formed from paper. The package is sealed to permit internal pressure to develop to expand the bag so that the corn has sufficient space for the increased volume assumed after popping. The charge of popcorn in the bag is uniformly mixed with about 1 to 5 parts by weight of a shortening for each 8 parts by weight of corn. The shortening comprises an edible solid or liquid fat and the package contains salt for flavoring.

Growing community of inventors

Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Lawrence C Brandberg