General Mills, Inc.

Diamond Foods, Inc.

General Mills Brasil Alimentos Ltda.

Yoki Alimentos Ltda

Snyder's-lance, Inc.

Randal J Monforton

Melissa L Jacobs

Donald Stephen Mathers

Hong Ji

Danilo Doriguelo De Melo

Michael R Perry

David W Plank

Jonathan W DeVries

Ronald W Hegner

Marcia A Popa

Valdir Jose Chiomento

Marsha D Thompson Hunt

Thomas J Martuch

Ramin Heydarpour

George A Tuszkiewicz

Mychal Barrett Brosch

Clifton Forrest Richardson

Achilles Dimitri Speliotopoulos

Dawn Falasz

Michael R Langlois

Marsha Doris Hunt

Kenneth Lin

Adam C Feigum

Jonathan W Devries

A multilayer moisture barrier film includes a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and at least one desiccant-containing inner layer between the first and second outer layers. The inner layer can have cavities with which the desiccant particles are in communication.

Moisture barrier films

Microwave foodstuff packages and methods of making and using the same. The microwave foodstuff packages include only a single gusset and/or a Z-fold configuration.

Microwave foodstuff package and method

Z-folded microwave foodstuff package

Expanded microwave foodstuff package

Oil resistant package material and packages prepared therefrom have cyclodextrin incorporated in or adjacent to a film layer of the package to reduce the permeation of oil through the package material, and particularly out of the package. The film layer comprises a polymer that coordinates or bonds with a cyclodextrin compound in an amount sufficient to reduce the permeation of oil through the film layer as compared to a like film layer that does not contain cyclodextrin.

Oil resistant packaging

A flexible paper microwave package in the form of an easily expandable, nontrapping bag () is disclosed including a bottom wall () and a top wall () interconnected together adjacent their circular outer peripheries () by first and second interconnection portions (). In one preferred form, the top wall () is formed from a first portion () having a generally oval shaped access opening closed by a generally oval shaped closure portion () interconnected by a wet adhesive seal () to the first portion (). In a preferred form, the wet adhesive seal () is formed by a plurality of spaced, parallel bands () defining a plurality of spaced, parallel spaces therebetween for resisting any leakage from the interior of the bag () through the seal (). The bottom and top walls () expand into an opposing double domed shape as the food product is being popped, puffed, or expanded in the microwave oven. This domed shape of the bottom wall () keeps the food product huddled closer together and enhances the bag () to rock to maximize gravimetric separation. The bag () provides a serving bowl function when the closure seal () has been opened providing access to the interior of the bag () and specifically to the popped, puffed or expanded food product located therein. An extension () integrally extends from the closure portion () along the major axis of the generally oval shape. First and second pairs of extensions () integrally extend from diametric opposite sides of the bottom and top walls () and along the major axis of the generally oval shape. The closure portion () includes a peel element () formed therein which breaks away during opening. The interconnection portion () includes predictable, preferential venting at locations remote from the extensions ().

Easily expandable, nontrapping, flexible paper, microwave package

A flexible paper popcorn package in the form of an easily expandable bag () includes a bottom wall (), a top wall (), first and second, pleated, side walls () having pleats (), and first and second non-venting ends (). Spots () of adhesive may be provided between the pleats () and the top and bottom walls () to prevent the formation of pockets adjacent the end (). Couplers () formed of adhesive are provided between the pleats () and the top wall () which seal apertures () in the pleats () which vent during microwave popping, puffing, or expanding of a food product held in the bag () and which may predispose unfolding of the pleats () adjacent the bottom wall () including the susceptor ().

Easily expandable, flexible paper popcorn package

A flexible paper microwave package in the form of an easily expandable, nontrapping bag ( ) is disclosed including a bottom wall ( ) and a top wall ( ) interconnected together adjacent their circular outer peripheries ( ) by first and second interconnection portions ( ). In one preferred form, the top wall ( ) is formed from a first portion ( ) having an oval shaped access opening closed by an oval shaped closure portion ( ) interconnected by a seal ( ) to the first portion ( ). The bottom and top walls ( ) expand into an opposing double domed shape as the food product is being popped, puffed, or expanded in the microwave oven. This domed shape of the bottom wall ( ) keeps the food product huddled closer together and enhances the bag ( ) to rock to maximize gravimetric separation. The bag ( ) provides a serving bowl function when the peelable closure seal ( ) has been opened providing access to the interior of the bag ( ) and specifically to the popped, puffed or expanded food product located therein. An extension ( ) integrally extends from the closure portion ( ) along the major axis of the oval shape. First and second pairs of extensions ( ) integrally extend from diametric opposite sides of the bottom and top walls ( ) and along the major axis of the oval shape. Slits ( ) relieve the constraints of the extensions ( ) to creasing and puckering of the bottom and top walls ( ) as they expand into the opposing double dome shape.

A flexible paper microwave package in the form of an easily expandable, nontrapping bag ( ) is disclosed including a bottom wall ( ) and a top wall ( ) interconnected together adjacent their circular outer peripheries ( ) by first and second interconnection portions ( ). In one preferred form, the top wall ( ) is formed from a first portion ( ) having a generally oval shaped access opening closed by a generally oval shaped closure portion ( ) interconnected by a wet adhesive seal ( ) to the first portion ( ). In a preferred form, the wet adhesive seal ( ) is formed by a plurality of spaced, parallel bands ( ) defining a plurality of spaced, parallel spaces therebetween for resisting any leakage from the interior of the bag ( ) through the seal ( ). The bottom and top walls ( ) expand into an opposing double domed shape as the food product is being popped, puffed, or expanded in the microwave oven. This domed shape of the bottom wall ( ) keeps the food product huddled closer together and enhances the bag ( ) to rock to maximize gravimetric separation. The bag ( ) provides a serving bowl function when the closure seal ( ) has been opened providing access to the interior of the bag ( ) and specifically to the popped, puffed or expanded food product located therein. An extension ( ) integrally extends from the closure portion ( ) along the major axis of the generally oval shape. First and second pairs of extensions ( ) integrally extend from diametric opposite sides of the bottom and top walls ( ) and along the major axis of the generally oval shape. The closure portion ( ) includes a peel element ( ) formed therein which breaks away during opening. The interconnection portion ( ) includes predictable, preferential venting at locations remote from the extensions ( ).

A method for controlling heating and avoiding arcing in microwave food packaging having a conductive material such as a metal foil on the packaging by controlling the cross-sectional shape of the foil to have a predetermined shape at the edge portion of the foil including controlling a wedge angle and a corner radius of the edge of the foil.

Foil edge control for microwave heating

A flexible paper microwave package in the form of an easily expandable, nontrapping bag (,) is disclosed including a bottom wall (,) and a top wall (,) interconnected together adjacent their circular outer peripheries (,) by first and second interconnection portions (,). In one preferred form, the top wall (,) is formed from a first portion (,) having an oval shaped access opening closed by an oval shaped closure portion (,) interconnected by a seal (,) to the first portion (,). The bottom and top walls (,) expand into an opposing double domed shape as the food product is being popped, puffed, or expanded in the microwave oven. This domed shape of the bottom wall (,) keeps the food product huddled closer together and enhances the bag (,) to rock to maximize gravimetric separation. The bag (,) provides a serving bowl function when the peelable closure seal (,) has been opened providing access to the interior of the bag (,) and specifically to the popped, puffed or expanded food product located therein. An extension (,) integrally extends from the closure portion (,) along the major axis of the oval shape. First and second pairs of extensions (,) integrally extend from diametric opposite sides of the bottom and top walls (,) and along the major axis of the oval shape. Slits (,) relieve the constraints of the extensions (,) to creasing and puckering of the bottom and top walls (,) as they expand into the opposing double dome shape.

Apparatus for and method of controlling heating of a foodstuff using microwave energy having a food package with a microwave shielding layer containing a plurality of apertures therein sized to permit entry of both evanescent microwave energy and propagating microwave energy into the interior of the package with the microwave shielding layer being moved outward as the package expands due to generation of water vapor such that an interior volume of the package is subsequently protected against substantial evanescent microwave irradiation of the foodstuff during completion of the microwave heating cycle using propagating microwave energy to further heat the foodstuff.

Microwave food package and method

A food package and method of controlling heating of a foodstuff within the food package using microwave energy wherein the food package has a microwave shielding layer containing a plurality of apertures therein sized to permit penetration of evanescent microwave energy into the interior of the package with the microwave shielding layer being moved outward as the package expands due to generation of water vapor such that an interior volume of the package is subsequently protected against substantial microwave irradiation of the foodstuff upon and beyond completion of the microwave heating cycle.

Growing community of inventors

Eden Prairie, MN, United States of America

Randal J Monforton