Patent CA-1047826-A (CA)
Inventor: THEIMER ERNST T
IPC: A23L5/10
Filed: 1975-02-24
Granted: 1979-02-06
Abstract: A B S T R A C T          Described is an edible electrically high conducting food substance capable of being heated by means of the application thereto of electrical energy having a. Substantially diametrically opposite ends; b. At least one substantially solid surface; c. At least two electrical contacts located at said substantially diametrically opposite ends of said food substance and in contact with said substantially solid surface; and d. At least a substantial portion of said substantially solid surface having in intimate contact/therewith, and as an integral portion thereof a composition consisting essentially of: i. A gel; and ii. A substantially ionized species said composition also being positioned to make intimate contact between the electrically high conducting food substance and the electrical contacts whereby the contact is rendered non-arcing when an electromotive force is applied to said electrical contact. The genus of compositions comprising the gel and the substantially ionized species is described in detail.     Described in addition, is a packaged rood product, including a container, shell or enclosure which exists in an "open" position prior to loading and "closed" position thereafter and which encloses relatively high electrically conducting and low electrically conducting food substances such that the relatively low electrically conducting food component has in contact therewith on at least one of its surfaces or envelopes the major part of the relatively high electrically conducting food component.  The high conducting food substance can protrude or extend longitudinally away from the substantially diametrically opposite    ends of the low conducting food substance or it can be totally enclosed in the low conducting food substance.  When the container, shell or enclosure is in a closed position, both the low conducting and high conducting rood substances are held in a fixed position as a result of the design of the internal surfaces of the ends of one or both portion(s) of the container, enclosure or shell.  At the ends of the container, enclosure or shell, electrical conducting means, such as metal foils, are attached to and are in intimate contact with the internal surfaces of diametrically opposite ends of the container and are designed to make electrical contact with the terminals of an electrical energy source for a finite period of time when the container is in a closed position and while the roods are held in the container. In common contact with the electrically conducting means and that surface of the conducting rood through which it is intended to pass the electrical current, is the composition of our invention comprising the gel and ionized species. Apart from the electrical conducting means, the test of the container is both (1) electrically non-conducting and (2) minimally thermally conducting, so that when electrical energy is applied to the electrical conducting means when (a) the container, shell or enclosure is in a closed position and when (b) the conducting and non-conducting foods are contained in the container, both these roods are prepared so that (1) they are heated without arcing occurring at the food surfaces through which electrical current is being passed; and (2) immediately subsequent to the application of the electrical energy, the food remains in a heated state for a convenient time. When the container, shell or enclosure is in a closed position and the electrically conducting and non-conducting roods are properly positioned therein, the electrically conducting food is pressed tightly against the electrical conducting means located approximately at substantially diametrically opposite internal surfaces of the ends of the container in a form-fitting manner, due, in part, to the nature of the physical properties of the material of construction   of the container, enclosure or shell.         Also disclosed is an edible electrical conducting gel-able  composition for use on foods to be cooked by electricity and which forms a continuous phase on setting containing water, a gum and an ionized salt.