Abstract: A package of food containing a substantial amount of water and solidified grease that can be cooked within the package in a microwave oven. A pad adjacent the food comprises microwave radiation transparent generally hydrophobic liquid grease adsorbing materials that are capable of holding the amount of grease in the food when it is melted; and a vapor tight microwave radiation transparent enclosure surrounding the pad and food includes means for venting stream from the enclosure as the food is cooked.

Abstract: An ovenable bag includes a sheet of paper-like material; opposite edges of the sheet secured to each other to define a tubular member having opposite ends; the tubular member being folded inwardly along lengthwise fold lines thereof which are diagonally offset from each other and being flattened with respect to the lengthwise fold lines to form two pair of lengthwise crease lines that are parallel to the lengthwise fold lines, such that the flattened tubular member is defined by a wide wall section, a narrow wall section and an expandable wall section connecting the wide and narrow wall sections together; the narrow wall section extending past the wide wall section in the lengthwise direction of the flattened tubular member at a first end thereof; the flattened tubular member being folded over itself at the first end thereof along a transverse fold line; the wide wall section being adhered to itself at the folded first end of the flattened tubular member; and the narrow wall section being adhered to the expan

Abstract: A system for cooking fatty foods with microwave energy wherein the food, such as bacon, is retained between a pair of grills during cooking, and a grease-receiving receptacle is located below the grills for receiving the grease released during heating. The grills are hinged together and include handles for facilitating grill separation for inserting and removing the food therebetween. The grills and receptacle are formed of materials transparent to microwave energy. The invention also contemplates a package for fatty foods wherein the food is held between grills and a receptacle located below the grills permits the packaged food, when encased in an envelope, such as film, to be cooked with microwave energy within the package.

Abstract: A package for microwave heating of food products includes a multi-layer sheet material having a first paper layer defining an exterior portion of the assembled package. A metallized polyester is laminated to the paper layer and defines the interior portion of the assembled package. A plurality of pinholes extend completely through the sheet material. Peripheral regions of the sheet material are left free of any pinholes to receive an adhesive for securing the sheet material to itself and form the completed package. Absence of the pinholes inhibits passage of the adhesive to the interior of the assembled package.

Abstract: A microwavable package for storing and cooking a food product such as bacon, includes an absorbent bed enclosed within a sealed plastic sleeve. During microwave cooking, the corrugated bed collects oil or grease released by the food product and maintains a portion of the food product in contact with the collected oil or grease to impart a pan-fried quality to the cooked food product. Vents in the sleeve permit the controlled escape of water vapor so that the sleeve billows away from the food product during cooking. An inert, oxygen-free atmosphere is contained within the package, and a plurality of the microwavable packages are enclosed in a sealed outer barrier wrap prior to their removal for cooking.

Abstract: A film package is provided for containing, heating, and browning or crispening a food item, which has a microwave susceptor-containing film and an insulating layer between regions of the film laden with susceptor which are in proximity with each other. The insulating layer prevents the susceptor laden areas in proximity with each other from overheating.

Abstract: A package for use in a microwave oven is sealed at both of its ends. The package is transversely folded intermediate its ends to form a first compartment in which one food product is contained, such as kernels of corn to be popped, and a second compartment in which is contained a second food product, such as a flavoring component or additive. The fold in one face wall extends inwardly and the fold in the other face wall extends outwardly, the two folds being nested together. The sides of the package are pleated. Whereas the transverse sections forming the folds are secured together in one instance and secured to the other in another instance, the pleats of the other face wall are secured to the fold in the one face wall by adhesive spots.

Abstract: A nestable container for storing and preparing a food comprises a base portion which holds the stored food and a lid. The stored food requires substantially less than the full volume of the base portion. The lid is recessed into the base portion being supported by the upper terminus of the side wall of the base portion. The lid may also have one or more recessed areas to hold a second food which is to be mixed with that in the base portion. In use the container is removed from the nested stack, the lid removed, milk or water added if the food in the container is a cereal and the contents heated. The lid can be used as a cover during heating. The second food contained in the lid can be added before or after heating.

Abstract: The heating of food from a chilled or frozen state to provide a prepared meal is becoming increasingly useful in the catering field, and to facilitate such preparation a heatpack base sheet for use in making a pouch forming a virtually enclosed pack containing a prepared meal is provided, whose form facilitates the necessary heating of the meal in a favourable manner enabling a hot meal to be conveniently served in a time-saving manner on a warm plate, without time being taken up in disposing the ingredients attractively, or in removing the browned oute ring often formed when a microwave oven is used for appropriate heatings. The proposed base sheet may be of electrically non-conductive synthetic resin, if intended for use in a microwave oven, or may be of conductive foil if the meal is to be defrosted in a thermally-heated oven.

Abstract: A food storage carton for the microwave cooking of a foodstuff packaged therein which is to be crispened or browned upon cooking. The carton is fashioned from a one piece blank of paperboard, one panel of which supports a foodstuff, such as a frozen pizza, and which panel is provided with a layer of microwave interactive material which becomes hot upon absorbtion of microwave energy. The construction of the carton is such that the frozen foodstuff is elevated above the carton bottom on a false bottom. Before microwave cooking, the top panel of the carton is ripped off, the carton placed in the oven and the foodstuff cooked.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved ceramic compositions which are useful in the formulation and fabrication of microwave susceptors for disposable packages for the microwave heating of food items and to such articles themselves. The compositions include certain metal salts as time/temperature profile moderators in addition to novel microwave absorbing materials and a binder. Certain metal salts can be used to dampen or lower the final temperatures reached upon microwave heating the ceramic compositions. Other metal salts can be used to increase or accelerate the final temperatures reached upon microwave heating. The microwave absorbing materials comprise ceramics with neutral lattice charges such as clays, talc, kaolin, silicates, aluminosilicates, sodium metasilicate, alumina and mixtures thereof. The compositions provide good heat generation and a predeterminable upper temperature limit. The materials are common and inexpensive.

Abstract: A method for cooking meat in a bag wherein a cling film is vacuum sealed and shrunk around the meat, said cling film having a cavity for forming the meat. Next, the cling film is surrounded by an outer film which is vacuum sealed and shrunk around the cling film. The outer film has a softening point above the cooking temperature of the meat. The meat is then heated in the bag to the cooking temperature of the meat. It is found that when this invention is employed that there is minimum purge formed in the bagged cooked product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polyester vessel having mouth, side wall and bottom portions formed of a polyester composed mainly of ethylene terephthalate units, wherein the thermoplastic polyester is a polyester containing a catalyst residue in an amount smaller than 1000 ppm as the metal, and in the thermoplastic polyester constituting the bottom portion of the vessel, the ratio of the thermal crystallization degree represented by the following formula:100.times.(Q.sub.DC -Q.sub.AC)/Q.sub.DC (1)wherein Q.sub.AC stands for the heat quantity of crystallization at elevation of the temperature and Q.sub.DC stands for the heat quantity of crystallization at lowering of the temperature, is lower than 90%.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved ceramic compositions which are useful in the formulation of microwave susceptors and to the susceptor articles fabricated therefrom for disposable packages for the microwave heating of food items. The compositions include a novel microwave absorbing material and a binder. The novel microwave absorbing materials comprise selected ceramics in both their native and amphoteric forms. Such ceramics are those with residual lattice charges or an unbalance of charge in the fundamental framework or layers such as vermiculite, bentonite, hectorite, selected micas including Glauconite, Phlogopite and Biotite and mixtures thereof. These ceramics are activated to their amphoteric form by treatment with either acids or bases. The compositions provide good heat generation and a predeterminable upper temperature limit which is higher in the amphoteric form than in their native form. The ceramic materials are common and inexpensive.

Abstract: This invention provides a food material-container combination which allows the food material to be cooked and solidified by simple operations without a pot, and which simplifies the work of cleaning up after cooking. Referring to FIG. 1, a self-standing container 11 has an opening 12 at the top portion thereof. A food material such as tofu material is charged in the container 11 together with water. The upper portion 13 is sealed by folding it by hand. The container and contents are then thoroughly shaken, whereafter the content of the container 11 is heated by a microwave oven. After a prescribed period of heating, the container 11 is taken out from the microwave oven and the container is cut along the line 16. The end product can then be removed.

Abstract: This relates to a carton for packaging a product which is to be processed in a microwave. The carton includes a top wall which is hinged to a portion of a rear wall and has a glue flap bonded to a removable portion of a front wall. The carton is formed of a delaminatable web with the top wall having transversely spaced score lines in opposite faces thereof whereby the carton is openable by removing the removable portion of the front wall and then peeling a major portion of the top wall from border portions thereof to open the carton. After the product has been removed, the top wall is swingable into the interior of the carton to form a support platform for the product. The support platform is positioned a predetermined distance above the bottom wall of the carton to provide for a maximum efficiency of the heating of the product within a microwave oven.

Abstract: Disclosed are ceramic compositions which are useful in the formulation and fabrication of microwave susceptors for disposable packages for the microwave heating of food items. The compositions include a novel microwave absorbing material and a binder. The novel microwave absorbing materials comprise ceramics with neutral lattice charges such as clays, kaolin, talc, silicates, alumina, aluminosilicates and mixtures thereof. The compositions provide good heat generation and a predeterminable upper temperature limit. The materials are common and inexpensive. Preferred compositions additionally include a temperature profile moderator which can be common salt.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved ceramic compositions which are useful in the formulation of microwave susceptors and to the susceptors fabricated therefrom for disposable packages for the microwave heating of food items. The compositions include certain metal salts as time/temperature profile moderators in addition to a novel microwave absorbing material and a binder. Certain metal salts can be used to dampen or lower the final temperatures reached upon microwave heating the ceramic compositions. Other metal salts can be used to increase or accelerate the final temperature reached upon microwave heating. The microwave absorbing materials comprise selected ceramics in both their native and amphoteric forms. Such useful ceramics are those with residual lattice charges or an unbalance of charge in the fundamental framework or layers such as vermiculite, bentonite, hectorite, zeolites, selected micas including Glauconite, phlogopite and Biotite and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A microwavable package, comprising a folded package for use in holding a variety of cookable items, such as popcorn, other food products, or other substances, all to be heated within a microwave oven, the package being formed of a polymer material, comprising one or more liners of such laminated material, with the package being formed into the tubular configuration, and having a paper or paper-like web of material located and adhesively secured within its manufacturer's joint; the formed tubular like material is then folded at its bottom segments, adhered temporarily through the usage of a hot melt of other adhesive, and having a paper or paper like seal applied thereover, to form a fully integrated and foldable package which is capable of functioning and maintaining its structural integrity even when exposed to the energy of a microwave oven.

Abstract: A microwave package for packaging a combination of products and ingredients, including a package formed as a bag and constructed of paper, polymer film, or the like, having collapsable gussets formed at each side, a first product chamber formed internally at a lower location of the package, at least a pair of heat seals formed upwardly of the bag, and one or more upper chambers formed therein for holding of seasoning and flavoring ingredients within said upper chambers, while a food product, or the like, to be cooked as arranged within the lower formed chamber, so that during microwaving, said seals are strategically broken due to generated heat and pressure to provide for a deposition of the flavoring onto the cooked or cooking food product to provide a readily servable food fully seasoned upon conclusion of its microwave cooking.

Abstract: Disclosed are ceramic oxide gels (sometimes also referred to as hydrated oxides), and especially xerogels, compositions which are useful in the formulation and fabrication of microwave susceptors for disposable packages for the microwave heating of food items. The compositions include novel microwave absorbing ceramic gel material doped with common salt and a binder. The gel forming materials include alumina, silica, mullite and mixtures thereof. The compositions essentially comprise about 17% to 35% bound water. Preferred materials are xerogels, i.e., ceramic gels dried so as to have a free moisture content of about 0.1% to 10%. The compositions provide good heat generation and a predeterminable upper temperature limit. The materials are common and inexpensive. The compositions can additionally include common salt as a temperature profile moderator.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically making food products in piece form, such as loaves of bread, from dough-like substances, comprises a housing having holding drums (230,232) adapted to be fixed to either end of a flexible sealable bag (12) containing the ingredients. A dough preparation and baking chamber (212) has upper and lower slit openings (220,222). The bag is moved to and fro through the slit openings to perform kneading of the dough, and then baked in the chamber. The variable baking parameters dependent upon the particular ingredients and product are controlled dependent upon instructions read from the bag by a scanner (270). The instructions comprise a bar code (121) which can have a first identification portion to confirm that the bag is suitable for use in the apparatus and a second command portion to instruct the apparatus as to the baking sequence required.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a container packed with instant food to be cooked by a microwave oven which allows a solid instant food such as instant chow mein and instant macaroni to be reconstituted to its original cooked state with good texture in a short period of time when the food is cooked in a microwave oven without the need to drain water after it is cooked.The container packed with instant food comprises: a container composed of a container body and a lid which is capable of tightly or substantially tightly sealing said container; and a solid instant food accommodated in said container, wherein said food is to be reconstituted and made ready for eating on absorbing water when said container packed with said food is heated in a microwave oven after water is added thereto in an amount equivalent to between 100 and 155 wt % of the water absorption capacity of said food.

Abstract: A container for eggs defines a plurality of compartments each of a configuration to hold an egg captive, each portion of the container defining a respective single said compartment being connected with the remainder along lines of weakening, perforation or the like, whereby each said portion, with an egg retained in the respective compartment can be readily detached from the remainder of the container, to form a discrete sub-container for a single egg which is adapted to hold said egg captive, at least a portion of said sub-container being readily removable to allow access to the egg therein while the remainder of the sub-container acts as an egg cup. The invention also provides a method of cooling and subsequently serving an egg whilst the egg is enclosed in a permeable container.

Abstract: A package for carrying, dispensing and reheating hot fried foods is disclosed. The package comprises an inner and an outer layer. The inner layer is a grease-absorbent layer and the outer layer is grease-resistant and flame retardant. The layers are preferably made from paper. The layers are connected only at two points, e.g., top and bottom, to provide for insulating, circulating air between the two-plies. The invention is able to insulate against loss of heat, allows for the venting of steam to prevent sogginess, absorbs grease on the inside to prevent sogginess, is grease resistant on the outside to prevent grease staining, has structural integrity and is cost effective. The invention is able to provide a reheating package for both microwave and conventional ovens.

Abstract: A food package assembly of the type designed to serve the dual function of providing a package for shipment and storage of a prepared food and of microwave heating of the food in a manner producing a browning or crisping effect that is particularly adapted to the needs of foods, such as French bread pizzas and garlic bread, which cannot be crisped in a microwave oven via the use of a single planar microwave interactive crisping layer and which, due to the grease and/or vapor driven out of them cannot be heated in a microwave oven in a closely confined manner without becoming soggy. In accordance with preferred embodiments, a food product is received upon an inner tray member that coacts with an outer package body to cradle the food product so that the adjoining surface thereof will be crisped by a microwave interactive heating layer applied to the facing surface of the inner tray member.

Abstract: A package of sliced bacon is disclosed which package is adapted to facilitate the cooking of the sliced bacon by microwave energy. This package includes a plurality of bacon slices generally arranged in a stack with separating sheet means placed between otherwise adjacent bacon slices for maintaining separation of the bacon slices during storage and cooking. An absobent blotter means is included below the stack of bacon slices to absorbing liquids released from the bacon during cooking. The package also includes an overwrap means which surrounds the stack of bacon slices, the separating sheet means, and the absorbent means during storage and during cooking. In addition, a means for venting the overwrap is provided whereby expanding gases are allowed to exit the overwrap means during cooking.

Abstract: A meat product package comprising an enclosing multilayer film having an inner layer and an insitu aqueous medium-cooked meat product in adhering relation to the inner layer inner surface, the latter comprising EVA with starch particles dispersed across the inner surface and integral therewith, the starch particle-containing EVA layer being irradiated.

Abstract: A disposable, sleeve type carton formed from foldable paperboard, coated with electrically conductive material to assist in browning a food item, and including top, bottom, and side wall panels interconnected to form a tubular structure, with end closure panels hinged to the bottom wall panel and having interlocking engagement with the top wall panel.

Abstract: Disclosed are packaged frozen food articles which are adapted to be heated by microwave. The articles include an overwrapped paperboard carton housing one or more frozen, coated food items. The carton further includes an opposed pair of spaced parallel laminated heating panels. The panels each comprise an inner heating layer mounted on a mounting board, a spacer such as a spaced pair of paperboard sheets with an intermediate corrugated piece, and an outer microwave shield. The heating layer is in direct contact with the food items and can comprise a metallized film. The microwave shield can be a foil such as aluminum foil.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat-resistant paper container which comprises a bottomed seamless press-molded body comprising a laminate of a paper substrate having an elongation of at least 1.5% in the longitudinal direction and an elongation of at least 4.5% in the lateral direction and a coating layer of a hiding pigment formed on both the surfaces of the paper substrate, wherein the amount coated of the hiding pigment is 1 to 50 g/m.sup.2, the binder in the coating layer is a thermosetting resin binder and the binder is present in the coating layer at a weight ratio R.sub.P satisfying the following conditions:R.sub.P =k.multidot.O.sub.A .multidot.d.sub.R (1)wherein O.sub.A stands for the oil absorption (ml/100 g) of the hiding pigment, d.sub.A stands for the density (g/ml) of the binder, and k is a number of from 0.005 to 0.2.

Abstract: Multiple layer nonoriented heat sealable films are disclosed having a base substrate layer of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (polyester) or polyester copolymer and at least one heat sealable surface layer of a copolyester. The films are prepared by conventional cast or blown film coextrusion techniques.

Abstract: The invention provides that a microwavable tray is provided with a skirt which covers those areas of the tray subjected to heat radiation when the tray is placed under a grill for the grilling of the tray products, said skirt being of a heat reflective material.

Abstract: A cooking device for holding a food pouch to be heated in a microwave oven comprises a molded plastic receptacle formed to provide a bottom wall, have a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls upstanding therefrom. One of the end walls is separated vertically in its central area into two parts, and the bottom wall is bifurcated thereby providing side walls movable away from and toward one another. A food pouch disposed within the side walls and end walls and resting on the bottom wall is positioned so that a marginal portion of the food pouch is disposed in the vertical separation of the one end wall whereby movement of the side walls toward one another will cause the two parts of the one end wall to grip the marginal portion. The pouch holder can be grasped and manipulated to transport and empty the food pouch without the necessity of handling the food pouch directly.

Abstract: A food contained in a can is heated by a reaction of quicklime with water in an envelope adjacent to that containing the food. According to the invention, in addition to overburnt quicklime, there is used an amount of quicklime having a high or medium reactivity comprised between about 6% and 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of lime. It is also known to use, for the same purpose, quicklime having a low reactivity called "overburnt quicklime", i.e. quicklime having a reactivity with water which has been reduced by calcination at a temperature of more than about 1150.degree. C. The use of such an overburnt lime is necessary. Due to its moderate reaction it allows to obtain a good heat transmission during a long period, to avoid projections of lime milk as well as a loss of heat by emission of water vapor.

Abstract: A dried puree of a starchy material, preferably the yam, in the form of flakes is compacted under a pressure of from 50 to 120 bars and then reduced to granules having a bulk density of from 0.40 to 0.65 kg/l. The granules may be placed in a water-permeable bag which may be filled to 45 to 80% of its volume with the starchy material. In the case of the yam, the dry matter content of the reconstituted material is on the order of 30 to 36%.

Abstract: A flexible sheet structure is described which comprises a base sheet having a microwave coupling layer, e.g. electrodeposited aluminum as an island covering a selected area of the sheet. The uncoated portions will not be heated and will not be damaged by microwave energy. The selectively located microwave coupling covered area transfers absorbed heat to a product by thermal conduction. In one form of the invention a flexible fibrous backing sheet such as paper is bonded to the base sheet to provide dimensional stability and prevent warping, shriveling, melting or other damage during microwave heating.

Abstract: A package for an expandable food product and a method for manufacturing the same including an outer container, an expandable food pouch within the container and a coating on the inside surface of the container to adhere the pouch thereto when the package is exposed to a source of heat. A further embodiment of the package includes an expandable food pouch with a designed fault along its peripheral edge to facilitate the controlled release of pressure formed within the pouch.

Abstract: The present invention is an absorbent pad for use below a meat product or the like during storage and during cooking. The pad includes a blotter means adapted to absorb liquids released from the meat product during cooking. In order to prevent substantial absorption prior to cooking, the pad also includes a heat shrinkable film adjacent the top surface of the blotter means, which film is partially attached to the blotter so as to leave at least one area which is not attached to the blotter means. The film also includes at least one opening feature, i.e. a perforation or pre-weakened area, in the at least one area which is not attached to the blotter means. As a result, when the pad is subjected to heat during cooking, the film around the perforation to weakened point shrinks so as to open a hole through the film to thereby allow liquids released from the meat product to pass into the blotter. Various configurations of perforations and pre-weakened areas are described.

Abstract: Strong, tough, ovenable trays may be formed from poly(ethylene terephthalate) modified with 4-29% core/shell polymer, 0-14.5% aromatic polycarbonate and 1-5% aromatic polyester crystallization-rate accelerator.

Abstract: A thin-walled easily opened container and method of making the same for commercial food products that includes congruent mating and overlapping sections crimped over a cover panel.

Abstract: A starch-based dried product in the form of flakes, bits, or grains having a thickened skin which is immediately converted to an edible dumpling state by immersion of the dried product in a water permeable bag into hot water. The dry starch-based product is made by forming a moist mixture from a starch-based starting material kneading the mixture; rolling the mixture into a thin film of paste of 1.8 mm to 3 mm; heating the paste film to a temperature and effected such that a skin is formed on only the underside of the paste film while the paste film has a residual moisture of at least 20% and maintaining the heating temperature to cause rapid evaporation of at least a portion of the water present in the paste film; drying the paste film; and comminuting said paste film.

Abstract: A vapor-tight package has a deposit comprising nonmetallic, microwave-absorbing particles such as graphite dispersed in nonmetallic binder. When heated in a microwave oven, heat built up in the particles may soften and weaken the underlying packaging material, thus venting the package. When the deposit itself is impervious to vapors, it can be positioned over an opening in the package, and the heat only needs to soften and weaken the deposit to vent the package.

Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing yield of a cook-in packaged meat product that includes first providing an adhering cook-in container including a flexible thermoplastic envelope being substantially conformable to a contained meat product and having an inner surface of a selectively irradiated ionomer of a metal salt neutralized copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, then conforming the container about a selected meat product and cooking the packaged product, whereupon the inner surface of the envelope bonds to the meat product to substantially prevent cook-out of fluids. An associated cook-in container is also provided.

Abstract: A disposable tray for heating comestibles to obtain a deep fried appearance and texture of the resultant products by maximizing convective heating of the comestibles and minimizing conductive heating thereof. The top surface of the tray has a waffle design with an array of raised ridges thereon for supporting the comestible products on the ridge crests while minimizing conductive heat transfer thereto. A plurality of round apertures are provided in the tray surface between the ridges to allow heated air to flow therethrough to convectively heat the products. Raised frustoconical shaped fins are provided around the apertures, with the fins rising to a portion of the height of the ridges. The fins function to increase the convective flow of hot air through the apertures while not providing substantial contact with the comestibles. The raised fins also form troughs around the apertures to collect oil released by the products during heating thereof.

Abstract: A comestible product includes a molded base piece having a series of narrow, slit-like grooves formed therein and configured in a decorative design. A preferably confectionery decorative material is heated until it becomes flowable with a stiff consistency. A tool (such as a toothpick) with a narrow rigid blade is used to scoop the flowable decorative material and insert it into the grooves on the molded base comestible piece. The decorated base piece is then cooled for a short period of time to cause the confectionery material to solidify and become fused with the base piece to form a unitary one-piece construction. A kit used to carry out the foregoing decorating method includes a mold for forming the base comestible piece, and a tool for applying the flowable decorative material to the molded base piece. A plurality of individually associated receptacles hold different colors of the flowable confectionery material during the decorative steps.

Abstract: A microwave food package for preparing foods such as shelf-stable popcorn containing a packet of food additive or flavoring which is automatically dispersed over the food product when the package is heated by microwave radiation within the microwave oven during the cooking cycle. The package is constructed from a paper/polyester laminate and includes vent holes covered with a heat softenable polypropylene film for regulating the pressure and temperature within the package. The packet containing the additive or flavoring is also constructed from a polypropylene film which softens and eventually tears under heat and pressure within the package to disperse its contents over the product.

Abstract: A package (10) which is used to prepackage, store, ship and heat food products (11) is suitable for use in a microwave oven. The assembly includes a carton (12), a pair of microwave interactive layers (98) for converting microwave energy to heat and a paperboard spring formed from a blank (84) which includes wing sections (92,94) for resiliently biasing the pair of interactive layers into contact with opposed surfaces of a food product within the package to evenly brown and crisp the product. A microwave shield (22) may be incorporated in the package (20) to prevent microwaves from entering the package sidewalls.

Abstract: A two piece container (2) for cooking food in a microwave oven including an outer package (4, 60) formed from a single blank having a removable section (8, 72, 74, 80c) for exposing water vapor ventilation holes and an inner food supporting tray (6, 48). In one embodiment, the inner food supporting tray (6) is formed from a single blank and having V-shaped support legs (44 and 46) to raise the food supporting surface (38) above the surface of the outer package. The material from which the outer package is made has a vapor absorptive characteristic. The inner food supporting tray (6, 48) is completely coated on one side with a microwave absorptive material for heating up to brown or crisp the surface of food in contact with the tray (6) and may be, in addition, coated with a stick and grease resistant material. In one embodiment of the outer package (4), a microwave reflective shielding layer is included on an inner top panel (34) to prevent overcooking of the top of food contained within the container.

Abstract: Tear strip structure for the relatively narrow side wall of a relatively flat rectangular paperboard carton. The side wall is defined by an inner folded closure flap and an outer flap folded thereover. The outer flap has a line of weakness extending along its length, between and parallel to its fold line and its free edge. The inner flap has a first cut score line defining its fold line and a second cut score line .[.coincident.]. .Iadd.aligned .Iaddend.with the line of weakness of the outer flap. The region of the outer flap overlying the region of the inner flap between the cut score lines is adherent to the latter region and defines a tear strip, an end portion of which is non-adherent and functions as a tab by which the strip may be grasped and torn away, separating the plies of the underlying closure flap between the cut score lines in achievement of removal of the tear strip in predictable, controlled manner.