Patent ID: 6217918
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: A23L,B65D

Abstract:
A convenience food product comprisinga) a container that provides improved cooking properties in a microwave oven operating at microwave wavelength said container having a bottom portion essentially defining a torus in plan view, said torus having an effective circumference greater than a whole number of half wavelengths and an effective diameter, measured according to the dielectric constants of the contents of said container, such that the effective circumference of the torus is antiresonant, a side panel extending from said bottom portion and a cover receiving lip structure extending about and defining an end opening opposite the bottom portion, said side panel extending about a central axis through the bottom portion and end opening and comprising:the bottom portion having a central segment and an outer segment, a substantially spherical section defining the central segment and having an apex on the central axis, the apex being disposed toward the end opening; said substantially spherical section having a substantially circular base intersecting a plane extending normal to the central axis, the outer segment having a base portion extending downward from said substantially circular base and away from the end opening along a first bottom radius and in a direction away from the central axis to a bottom panel, said bottom panel being substantially circular and extending away from the central axis along a plane extending substantially normal to the central axis to a second bottom radius and then extending upwardly along said second bottom radius away from said bottom portion and toward the end opening to the side panel;the side panel having an exterior and having a continuous inner wall face intersecting a plane extending normal to the central axis along a substantially circular line and having a larger radius at the end opening than at the bottom portion whereby the inner wall face is tapered away from the central axis as the side panel extends upwardly from the bottom portion toward the end opening, said inner face having sufficient slope to permit the gradual dissipation of pressure built up from boiling the contents of said container to reduce the frequency of bumping,b) disposed in the container, at least a single serving of a quick cooking, partially pre-cooked pasta product having an expanded cell structure and a stabilized protein starch matrix with a porous internal structure and a cooked yield from about 315% to about 450%, a density from about 0.6 to about 1.05 g/cc and a degree of gelatinization from about 15% to about 80%, andc) disposed in the container, a hydratable granular food composition comprised of granules, said granules comrprising (i) a first particulate composition comprised of from about 2% to about 55% of a fat component, and compositions selected from the group consisting of crystalline ingredients, dairy ingredients, spice extracts and thickening agents and a first binder composition comprised of water or an aqueous solution of from 0% to about 35% of a composition selected from the group consisting of starch, 5-20 D.E. maltodextrin, dextrose, sucrose and salt, (ii) heat sensitive ingredients selected from the group consisting of natural flavors, artificial flavors, spices and protein compounds on said first particulate composition, and (iii) a second binder composition coated on said first particulate composition and heat sensitive ingredients comprising an emulsifier and, optionally, a composition selected from the group consisting of oil, water or an aqueous solution of from 0% to about 35% of a composition selected from the group consisting starch, 5-20 to D.E. maltodextrin, dextrose, sucrose and salt, the granules having a size distribution wherein more than about 90% of the granules have a size from about 1000 microns to about 175 microns.