Sleeve for crisping and browning of foods in a microwave oven and

Abstract

A microwave browning and crisping sleeve as well as a package assembly and method of microwave heating of food using the sleeve, wherein a paperboard strip has a microwave interactive layer affixed over one surface of the paperoard strip, the paperboard strip being subdivided by fold lines into at least five panel portions, wherein opposite ends of the paperboard strip are connected end-to-end in a manner creating a paperborad sleeve having the surface to which the interactive layer is fixed as its inner peripheral surface, and wherein the fold lines are disposed at positions which enable the sleeve to be erected and collapsed between a first configuration wherein the sleeve is flattened for shipping and storage, and a second configuration wherein the inner peripheral surface defines an open ended space for receiving a food product with top, bottom and side surfaces of the food product being in heat transfer relationship with respect to the microwave interactive layer. The package assembly comprises an outer package body defining an inner receiving space within which at least one sleeve and food item are disposed. In use, a food item and sleeve are removed from the package body, the sleeve erected and the food item inserted therein, after which the food in the sleeve is placed in a microwave oven and heated.