Bag For Frozen Seafood Products And The Like

Abstract

A bag for containing frozen seafood includes a plurality of holes formed therein. The frozen seafood includes an outer ice-coating or glaze that helps preserve freshness during storage and transport. Before consumption, the frozen seafood is thawed or heated while still in the bag. The holes permit the melted ice-coating to drain away while still retaining the seafood in the bag.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to seafood products and more particularly to a bag for containing, storing and thawing frozen seafood products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To maintain freshness and quality, seafood needs to be carefully handled. As a perishable item, it is important that steps to maintain quality be taken from the moment the seafood is caught.

Freezing is one well-known, popular technique for maintaining the quality of seafood as it is shipped to consumers or stored for later consumption. One well-known technique for further improving frozen seafood is to provide a relatively thin coating of ice over the seafood in addition to simply freezing it. By encasing the seafood in an exterior layer of ice, the seafood is further protected from drying that can otherwise occur when frozen foodstuffs are exposed to air.

It is common for frozen seafood products to be stored and shipped in plastic bags. When the seafood is to be used, it is first thawed and later cooked. During the thawing process, the exterior layer of ice that otherwise is advantageous in helping preserve the seafood and avoid drying melts into a liquid puddle that, if not actually harmful, is at least aesthetically unpleasant and potentially detrimental to the taste of the product. Thawing and/or cooking frozen seafood in its original container is, therefore, undesired in that the seafood sits in the resulting puddle of thawed ice as the thawing and/or cooking process continues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a bag for containing frozen seafood products wherein the bag includes a plurality of holes through which accumulated melt-water in the bag can drain while the frozen seafood product contained therein is thawed.

The invention also provides a frozen seafood product including a quantity of frozen seafood, an ice glaze forming a coating over the frozen seafood, and a bag surrounding the quantity of frozen seafood and the ice glaze for storing, shipping thawing or microwaving the frozen seafood, the bag having a plurality of holes formed therein through which accumulated melt-water in the bag can drain while the frozen seafood product contained therein is thawed, steamed or microwaved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the present invention that are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with the further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bag for frozen seafood products embodying various features of the invention, showing the bag prior to use and prior to being filled with a frozen seafood product.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bad shown in FIG. 1 showing the bag full of frozen seafood product during shipment and/or storage and before the frozen seafood product has been thawed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view the bag shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing the seafood product therein during a thawing process.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bag shown in FIGS. 1-3 after the seafood product therein has been fully thawed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a bag for containing frozen seafood is indicated generally at 10. As illustrated, the bag is preferably formed of a flexible, clear, transparent plastic sheet that has been folded over itself and sealed along the edges 12 to form an interior pouch. In the illustrated embodiment, the bag is generally of rectangular form, although it will be appreciated that other shapes and sizes can be used.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the bag 10 is preferably used as part of a seafood product 14 that includes, in addition to the bag, a quantity of frozen seafood 16 in the bag. In the illustrated embodiment, the frozen seafood is crab, although it will be appreciated that other types of seafood, such as frozen fish and frozen crab, can also be used.

To preserve the freshness and taste of the frozen seafood, an ice-coating or glaze 18 is preferably included on the exterior of each piece of seafood. The ice-coating or glaze, which is preferably formed of water and is approximately 1/16^th inch thick, protects the seafood from dehydration, which can sometimes occur when frozen products are stored for several weeks or months.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bag includes a plurality of apertures or holes 20 that, while too small to permit the frozen seafood to pass through, are sufficiently large to enable liquids to drain.

The bag 10 and the seafood product 14 are advantageous in that they permit the frozen seafood to be thawed or even cooked, as, for example, by steaming or microwaving, without the need to remove the seafood from the bag in advance. The holes are advantageous in that, as the ice-coating or glaze melts, the resulting liquid or melt-water 21 drains through the holes and away from the seafood. (FIG. 3) In this manner, the seafood can thaw or cook without sitting in the resulting melt-water. (FIG. 4) This, in turn, insures a better product when the seafood is cooked and thawed.

Preferably, the holes are located over the entirety of the bag so that drainage occurs regardless of the orientation of the bag during thawing or cooking. As illustrated, the holes are substantially uniformly distributed over the exterior of the bag, although the exact placement of the holes is not critical. Similarly, although the exact shape and size of the holes is not critical, in the illustrated embodiment, the holes are circular in shape and between substantially 0.125 and 0.400 inches in diameter.

Although the particular plastic used in the bag is not critical, preferable a clear, food-grade plastic is used so that the contents of the bag can be seen by users. As further illustrated, a perforated tear-away top 22 is formed by means of perforations 24 adjacent the upper end of the bag immediately below a heat seal formed adjacent the top of the bag. This permits the bag to be easily opened by the consumer when the contents of the bag are to be removed.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention

Claims

1. A bag for containing frozen seafood products wherein said bag includes a plurality of holes through which accumulated melt-water in the bag can drain while the frozen seafood product contained therein is thawed.

2. A bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said bag is made of plastic.

3. A bag as defined in claim 2 wherein said holes are evenly distributed on both sides of said bag.

4. A bag as defined in claim 2 wherein said plastic is transparent so that the contents of said bag are visible through said bag.

5. A bag as defined in claim 4 wherein said bag is formed by thermally sealing the edges of said bag.

6. A bag as defined in claim 5 further including a tear-away strip adjacent the upper end of the bag whereby the bag can be opened via the tear-away strip after the contents are sealed in said bag.

7. A bag as defined in claim 5 wherein a heat seal is included in said bag adjacent said tear-away strip.

8. A bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said holes are substantially circular.

9. A bag as defined in claim 8 wherein said holes are between substantially 0.125 and 0.400 inches in diameter.

10. A frozen seafood product comprising:

a quantity of frozen seafood;

an ice glaze forming a coating over said frozen seafood; and

a bag surrounding said quantity of frozen seafood and said ice glaze for storing, shipping thawing or microwaving said frozen seafood, said bag having a plurality of holes formed therein through which accumulated melt-water in the bag can drain while the frozen seafood product contained therein is thawed, steamed or microwaved.

11. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 10 wherein said bag is made of plastic.

12. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 11 wherein said holes are evenly distributed on both sides of said bag.

13. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 11 wherein said plastic is transparent so that said frozen seafood is visible through said bag.

14. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 13 wherein said bag is formed by thermally sealing the edges of said bag.

15. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 14 further including a tear-away strip adjacent the upper end of the bag whereby the bag can be opened via the tear-away strip after the contents are sealed in said bag.

16. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 14 wherein a heat seal is included in said bag adjacent said tear-away strip.

17. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 16 wherein said holes are substantially circular.

18. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 17 where said holes are between substantially 0.125 and 0.400 inches in diameter.

19. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 18 wherein said seafood is frozen crab.

20. A frozen seafood product as defined in claim 18 wherein said seafood is frozen shrimp.