General Mills, Inc.

Ronald W Hegner

Michael R Perry

Daniel R Green

Randal J Monforton

Ronald D Hurd

Melissa L Jacobs

Stanley G Liedman

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 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 dry raw cereal material having a starch fraction is fed into the inlet (38) of a twin screw preconditioning unit (10). The dry material is rapidly advanced and mixed in the first two zones (31, 32) and conveyed into a third zone (33). Water is introduced by ducts (42) and is admixed with the dry material to form a well mixed wetted cereal material. The screws (14, 16) include blank segments (14c, 16c) having radially extending pins (40) to create a material plug in the barrel (30) of the preconditioning unit (10). Steam is added to the wetted material in the next zone (34) to form a heated wetted cereal material which is worked in the fourth zone (34) to form a heated precooked non-continuous cereal compacted dough material which is generally maintained below its gelatinization point. The dough material exits the outlet (41) of the preconditioning unit (10) and enters a low shear extended time cereal cooker (46) which finish cooks the dough material to a fully cooked cereal dough which is formed into desirably shaped and sized pellets.

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Maple Plain, MN, United States of America

Ronald W Hegner