Patent ID: 7034268

Claim:
A self-venting microwave cooking container for use with a vertical fill automated machine, comprising: a tray portion having a bottom surface and a side wall extending therefrom and terminating at an upper rim that is in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom surface of said tray portion, said upper rim circumscribing an opening into the interior of the tray portion; a bag portion defining an opening for receiving food product at one end, said bag portion also defining a lower opening that is substantially the same size and shape as the opening into the interior of the tray portion, allowing a bottom side of the bag portion to be joined to the upper rim of the tray portion, with the lower opening of the bag portion substantially in registry with the opening into the interior of the tray portion; and a venting configuration in fluid communication with a volume enclosed within said tray portion and said bag portion; wherein the opening into the bag portion is sealed after the food product has been received by said container for subsequent cooking of the food product in the container, and wherein said venting configuration causes preferential venting at a predetermined location when the food product is cooked in said container.