Abstract:
A frozen food package and method of producing and using the same is disclosed. The food package includes a bag which is freezable, ovenable and microwaveable. A frozen food assembly within the bag includes uncooked food, preferably an entree. Typically, the food assembly includes a meat, a fruit or vegetable, and a flavoring liquid such as a broth or stock, and may include infused oil or a dairy product. The uncooked food is typically embedded in the frozen liquid to facilitate handling and shipping and to align the frozen food with a display window of the bag. Chemical preservatives are not necessary and sauces may be omitted although sauces are not burned in the cooking process. The method typically includes sealing the frozen uncooked food in the liquid-impermeable bag and cooking the food in the sealed bag. The resulting dish is a substantial improvement over the well-known precooked frozen meals.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/703,967, filed Feb. 8, 2007 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,750,274 which, in turn is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/351,766, filed Feb. 10, 2006, now abandoned; the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to food bags and a method of using the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a food bag in which an entree or other food item may be cooked. Specifically, the invention relates to such a food bag in which frozen uncooked food may be stored, displayed and cooked in a standard or microwave oven. 
     2. Background Information 
     Amongst the various containers in which food may be cooked, there are a few bags formed of paper, plastic or a combination thereof which typically allow for the heating or cooking of a limited range of food items. For example, certain popcorn bags allow for the cooking of popcorn in a microwave oven. Such bags allow for the expansion thereof due to vaporization of water within the popcorn. However, such bags have an opening end which easily opens during the popping process in order to allow the exhaust of steam and the like from the bag. Thus, such bags are not suitable for cooking food items which include a significant amount of liquid which would drain out of such a bag and make a substantial mess and potentially cause safety hazards. 
     In addition, there are various types of frozen food items which are typically stored in trays and normally referred to as TV dinners. TV dinners and the like utilize precooked ingredients which result in a relatively dry entrée or other food when heated in a microwave or standard oven. 
     More recent developments include food bags having a window for displaying the food wherein the bags are ovenable, microwaveable and freezable. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,114 granted to Grimm et al. provides such a bag. This food bag includes an inner layer which is transparent and formed of a plastic sheet or film and an outer layer which is substantially opaque and typically made of paper. A portion of the plastic sheet provides the window through which food items are visible and provides a barrier to moisture, oil and aroma while also being breathable and heat sealable. The preferred material of this bag is a polyester material commercially available as “MYLAR”®. Said bag is configured for packaging heated, greasy food items for display in the carry-out food industry. Thus, for instance, a rotisserie chicken or other moist food item which has been cooked may be displayed in this bag, purchased by a consumer and reheated at home in a standard or microwave oven with leftovers stored in a bag in the freezer for later consumption. 
     Thus, the use of a food bag for displaying a cooked food item and reheating the food item therein is known in the art. However, there is still a need in the art for frozen meals or other food items which can be displayed in a store and cooked at home. More particularly, there is a need in the art for such frozen foods which are primarily made from fresh, uncooked ingredients. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a bag which is freezable and at least one of ovenable and microwaveable; and a frozen food assembly which includes uncooked food and is disposed within the bag. 
     The present invention further provides a method comprising the steps of providing frozen uncooked food in a bag; sealing the bag so that the bag is impermeable to liquids; and cooking the food in the bag while the bag is sealed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of the frozen food package of the present invention showing the frozen food items visible through the window of the bag. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the freezing tray in which the food items of the present invention are frozen prior to insertion in the food bag. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 2  showing the uncooked food items having been placed in the tray prior to the freezing thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view showing the tray in a freezer with the food items having been frozen in the freezing tray to produce a frozen molded dish. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view showing the frozen molded dish being inserted into the food bag. 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the bag having been heat sealed. 
         FIG. 6A  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  showing the bag being additionally sealed by an adhesive. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic elevational view of a plurality of the food bags on display in a store freezer section. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing the frozen food package in an oven at an initial stage of cooking. 
         FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8  and shows the food bag having expanded as a result of the cooking process. 
         FIG. 10  shows the food bag having been opened and the cooked food items being removed therefrom onto a plate. 
     
    
    
     Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The frozen food package of the present invention is indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1  and the method of preparing and using the food package is described with reference to  FIGS. 2-10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , food package  10  includes an expandable food bag  12  having a transparent window  14  and a frozen food item or assembly  16  which is typically in the form of an entrée. Food assembly  16  is primarily formed of frozen fresh, uncooked ingredients. Food assembly  16  typically includes a meal-sized source of protein most often in the form of a meat  18  or for instance a bean-based food item. Food assembly  16  typically also includes pieces  20  of vegetables, fruits, spices or the like. 
     Food assembly  16  typically further includes a frozen liquid  22 A which may involve the use of water, oil (preferably an infused oil), water-based liquids such as meat or vegetable-based broths or stocks (e.g. jus, fumet etc.), and milk, cream or other dairy based products. Jus is a prepared natural juice from various types of meat or poultry, and fumet is a light fish stock. Food assembly  16  may be free of pre-made sauces and chemical preservatives, although each of these may be used if desired. Although food assembly  16  is primarily formed of uncooked food, cooked or partially cooked food may be included. The broths, stocks and sauces are all normally formed by cooking, and other cooked elements may also be used if desired. 
     Liquid  22 A may simply be water, or may be jus, fumet or another broth or stock with or without further additives, and is typically mostly water. Meat stocks may include some gelatin derived from bones. While liquid  22 A is typically free of an added thickening agent such as starch, gums, flour or gelatin, these may be included although usually in relatively small amounts. Liquid  22 A is preferably at least 90.0% water by weight or any percentage thereabove up to 100%. These percentages are associated roughly with the amount of soluble solids in meat stocks and flavored broths, which may be determined by a refractometer or determined by measuring the solid remaining upon evaporation of said stocks or broths. For instance, such solids for meat or fish stocks typically ranges from about 4.0 to 8.0% by weight and for flavored broths typically ranges from about 0.25 to 4.0% by weight with the remainder being water. 
     Various viscosities are given hereafter, all of which are for liquids at 150° F. (65.5° C.), including water with a viscosity of about 0.0 cPs. Flavored broths typically have a viscosity anywhere in the range of about 0.0 to 500 cPs. Meat or fish stocks (jus, fumet) typically have a viscosity anywhere in the range of about 500 to 1000 cPs, this higher viscosity relative to the broths due primarily to the above-noted gelatin from the bones. The viscosity of liquid  22 A thus typically falls within these ranges. 
     Sauces which are part of food assembly  16  typically have a viscosity which is substantially greater than that of liquid  22 A although in general very light sauces are similar in viscosity to the more viscous stocks. Sauces have a viscosity anywhere in the range of about 1,000 to 8,000 cPs, the former being very light and the latter being very heavy. A medium viscosity sauce is generally somewhere around 4,000 cPs. Thus, most sauces are somewhere in the range of about 2,000 to 7,000 cPs; usually in the range of 2,000 to 6,000 cPs; and often in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 cPs although these numbers may vary substantially depending on the type of sauce. 
     Preferably, there is sufficient frozen liquid  22 A in order to hold the various items of assembly  16  together as a block or a unit although small pieces of food may be separate from the block or unit. Thus, meat  18  and pieces  20  are usually embedded in frozen liquid  22 A, and preferably all or substantially all of the food is embedded therein. The formation of this block or unit is an important aspect in handling and assembly as discussed further below. 
     In addition, frozen liquid  22 A provides distinct advantages during the cooking process described further below. The portion size, or total weight of food assembly  16 , may vary and is typically set within a range suitable for a single meal, more or less. In most cases, this would be somewhere in the range of 8.0 to 16.0 ounces although in light of the difference in people&#39;s sizes and appetites, such meal sizes are typically somewhere in the range of about 4.0 to 32.0 ounces. While these numbers do not limit the scope of the invention, they give an idea of the portion sizes typically involved. Some more specific commercially suitable portion sizes within bag  12  are respectively about 8.0, 12.0, 24.0 and 30.0 ounces. For a 12.0 ounce portion size, liquid  22 A has a weight somewhere in the range of about 1.0 to 3.0 ounces, and more typically about 1.5 to 2.0 ounces. More generally, of the total weight of assembly  16 , liquid  22 A makes up about 8.0 to 25.0%, more typically about 10.0 to 20.0%, and even more typically about 12.0 to 16.0%. 
     Food bag  12  may come in a variety of shapes, although it is preferred that the bag have an outer perimeter  24  having substantially straight opposed sides  26 A and B and opposed ends  28 A and B. Bag  12  has a front  30  and an opposed rear  32  with window  14  disposed along front  30 . Any bag suitable to the process may be used. A preferred bag for the present method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,114 granted to Grimm et al., which was discussed in the Background section of the present application and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Bag  12  is freezable, ovenable and microwaveable. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a freezing container or tray  34  is provided for freezing the food items to make up frozen food assembly  16 . Tray  34  has a substantially flat bottom wall  36 , a pair of opposed substantially flat side walls  38 A and  38 B and a pair of opposed substantially flat end walls  40 A and  40 B defining therewithin a rectangular freezing cavity  42 . Cavity  42  serves as a mold for producing a frozen molded form made up of frozen food assembly  16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , meat  18 , pieces  20  and liquid  22 B which will be frozen to become frozen liquid  22 A is placed in cavity  42  of tray  34 . At this point, meat  18  and pieces  20  are uncooked and as fresh as possible. Liquid  22 B most preferably completely covers bottom wall  36  and extends upwardly therefrom some distance along side walls  38  and end walls  40 . Tray  34  with its contents is then placed in a freezer  44  ( FIG. 4 ) in order to freeze food assembly  16  so that it becomes a frozen molded form having the shape of cavity  42  of tray  34  except for the upper surface which remains in whatever form the various parts of the food are disposed. Food assembly  16  is thus a substantially rectangular frozen slab having a rear which is flat and an outer perimeter having straight flat opposed sides  46 A and B and straight flat opposed ends  48 A and  48 B. These flat outer surfaces are formed primarily of frozen liquid  22 A except for any pieces of the food which contacted the various walls of tray  34  during the process of producing the frozen form. Preferably, the shape of the frozen molded form when inserted in bag  12  helps align the main part of assembly  16 , such as meat  18 , with window  14  for desirable display. 
     Once frozen, food assembly  16  is removed from tray  34  as shown in  FIG. 5  and inserted as indicated at Arrow A into the interior of bag  12  via an entrance opening  50  at end  28 A. As noted above, the formation of assembly  16  as a block or unit is helpful in its handling. With meat  18  and pieces  20  embedded in frozen liquid  22 A, assembly  16  may be easily popped out of cavity  42  of tray  34  as a unit without, or substantially without, losing any of the components making up assembly  16 . Likewise, frozen assembly  16  is easily handled manually or by machine for insertion into bag  12  without such a loss. 
     Once food assembly  16  is fully inserted, bag  12  is sealed adjacent end  28 A thereof as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 6A . More particularly,  FIG. 6  shows bag  12  adjacent end  28 A being heat sealed by a suitable heat sealing device  52 . Preferably, end  28 A is then folded over as indicated at Arrow B in  FIG. 6A  and sealed with an adhesive  54  to further secure the bag in a closed position. The heat sealing of bag  12  provides a sealed environment for containing food assembly  16  in the frozen and liquid states. 
     Once food assembly  16  is frozen and sealed within bag  12 , it is ready for shipping while frozen to stores or other commercial establishments, where it may be displayed in a freezer section  56  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Packages  10  may be displayed as desired, but are preferably either laid on their rear surfaces or stood upright on one of sides  26  or ends  28  on a shelf  58 . Display window  14  allows customers to see the fresh ingredients inside bag  12  to make the product more appealing. In addition, bags  12  may be individually or singly boxed in so-called inner boxes to individually protect bag  12  and its contents, and the inner boxes packed in a larger outer box or container for shipping. Thus, for instance, pictures or images of food assembly  16  in a cooked and/or uncooked state may be applied to the inner boxes instead of displaying bags  12  in an exposed manner which could lead to bags  12  being damaged. 
     The integrity of the frozen unit of assembly  16  is fully, or substantially fully, maintained throughout the handling and shipping processes, including handling by the consumer. This ability for assembly  16  to remain substantially in its original form is a significant benefit during these various processes and results in delivery of a product which is appealing to the consumer without product loss. Once purchased, the consumer is able to place package  10  while still frozen directly into a standard or microwave oven  60  as shown in  FIG. 8  and cook food assembly  16  within bag  12 , which expands as indicated at Arrows C in  FIG. 9  as steam is generated therewithin. 
     The steam and a degree of pressure which builds up within bag  12  facilitates the cooking of food assembly  16  while bag  12  retains the liquids therewithin during the cooking process. More particularly, bag  12  remains sealed during the cooking process and holds in the steam so that the inside of bag  12  becomes saturated with steam. In further detail, frozen liquid  22 A when heated in the cooking process melts and vaporizes before the other components in bag  12  due to its lower, more water-like viscosity. These other components include any sauce in bag  12 , meat  18  and pieces  20 . Typically, liquid  22 A is completely vaporized while meat  18 , pieces  20  and any sauce in bag  12  remain frozen or substantially frozen. In a relatively short period, bag  12  becomes completely saturated with the hot water vapor. The water vapor in bag  12  typically reaches a temperature of about 217-218° F. and condenses on the frozen food. 
     This condensation process provides substantial heat transfer to and penetration into the food and thus accelerates the cooking process while simultaneously allowing moisture within the food to be retained therein, in other words preventing dehydration of the food. More particularly, the steam derived from liquid  22 A prevents or substantially prevents the intra-molecular water within the food from creating steam which would cause product dehydration. For the typical meal-sized contents of bag  12 , the melted liquid originating from frozen liquid  22 A typically vaporizes sometime during the first one or two minutes of cooking although this may vary. 
     The relatively early vaporization of liquid  22  is a key in preventing sauces within bag  12  from burning. Simply adding more sauce, which is usually much more viscous than liquid  22 , normally will not provide the vaporization needed without the use of liquid  22 . The typical sugar content of such sauces makes them quite susceptible to various chemical reactions such as caramelizing without the use of liquid  22 . The vaporization of liquid  22  thus prevents the reduction or dehydration of the sauce and the increase in its viscosity that would occur as a result. This process also prevents the sauce from boiling, from caramelizing or from undergoing chemical reactions such as a Maillard reaction. In short, the present process allows moisture within the food items of assembly  16  to remain in the food items to produce a meal which is substantially more moist than that produced by known prior art methods. 
     Once cooked, package  10  is removed from oven  60 , bag  12  is opened and food assembly  16  is removed from bag  12  as indicated in  FIG. 10  onto a platter  62  or the like. Alternately, window  14  may be cut open and the meal eaten directly from the bag if desired while retaining the liquids therein. Bag  12  is also conveniently removable from oven  60  after cooking without the user getting burned. More particularly, the folded ends  28  of bag  12  are only minimally heated during cooking and thus serve as relatively cool handles which may typically be grasped directly for removal of bag  12  while avoiding such a burn risk. 
     Thus, package  10  and the method of producing and using the same provides a very convenient way of obtaining a very healthy and nutritionally balanced meal for the consumer. In addition, the use of fresh uncooked ingredients which are immediately frozen and stored in bag  12  provides a product which when cooked as described is a substantial improvement over the prior art methods of reheating food that has already been cooked. The retention of steam within bag  12  minimizes moisture loss from the food to keep the meal quite moist, especially in contrast to packages that are opened during the cooking process. This method also allows the production of a meal having a high quality taste without the necessity of providing preformed sauces, as previously noted. However, such sauces are often used, and the method advantageously prevents them from dehydrating, burning and so forth. In addition, this method is effective without the use of chemical preservatives. 
     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
     Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.