Patent ID: 7858131

Claim:
A method of dating a food product comprising: packaging at least two packages of a food product into a storage container, wherein the storage container includes a base, a plurality of sidewalls that extend upwardly from the base and oriented generally normal to the base to define a storage area, the plurality of sidewalls each including a first end coupled to the base and a second end opposite the first end, a first opening formed by the second ends of the plurality of sidewalls, a top flap that closes the first opening to inhibit access to the storage area, and a side flap formed in at least one of the plurality of sidewalls, the side flap movable between a closed position to inhibit access to the storage area and an open position to facilitate access to the storage area; and wherein the following steps are preformed in sequence: a. closing the top flap of the storage container; b. placing the storage container, with the top flap closed, on a first conveyor; c. transporting the closed storage container on the first conveyor to an opening device; d. opening the side flap of the closed storage container with the opening device, exposing a portion of the at least two packages of food product; e. transporting the storage container with the side flap opened on the first conveyor to a marking device; f. marking the exposed portion of the at least two packages of food product in said storage container through said opened side flap with a date using the marking device; g. moving the storage container containing at least 2 marked packages from the first conveyor to a second conveyor using a flipping device; h. transporting the storage container on the second conveyor to a rotating device; i. rotating the storage container approximately 180 degrees using the rotating device; j. transporting the storage container to a closing device; and k. closing the side flap using the closing device.