JPH10211099A - Microwave heated food containers - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] A food with a liquid can be stored in a chilled state at the time of distribution and sale, can be cooked by microwave heating at a store or the like, and is used as a container when eating. To obtain a completely new microwave-heated food container. SOLUTION: A container part for holding a food containing a liquid therein,
A food container having a lid that covers the opening of the container part and hermetically seals the peripheral edges of the container, wherein the lid has a liquid contact surface that comes into contact with the liquid surface of the food with liquid. An air reservoir that rises from the liquid contact surface and retains air therein; and a vapor vent forming means that forms a vapor vent that communicates the air reservoir with the outside air when heating the microwave oven. It is a thing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container for foods heated by a microwave oven, which holds a food accompanied by a liquid such as oden and heats the food as it is in a microwave oven. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Convenience stores sell oden heated in an oden pot from fall to winter. In this oden, after a certain period of time, all unsold oden ingredients and broth are discarded, and the oden pan itself is washed and replaced with new oden ingredients and broth.

[0003] By the way, at convenience stores,
Lunches and the like are sold by heating in a microwave oven, or the microwave oven provided at the store is used after selling to a purchaser. In order to shorten the heating time, a 1500 W commercial microwave oven is used as the microwave oven at this time, and has an output three times that of a home microwave oven.

[0004] On the other hand, bagged oden in which oden ingredients and broth are put in a sealed bag is commercially available. This is done by tearing the bag and warming the inside of the oden ingredients and broth in a pot or immersing the bag in boiling water and heating them. The Oden in this bag is steam or hot water with a central temperature of 75
It is a food (a so-called chilled food) which is distributed and sold at a temperature of 10 ° C. or less, which does not freeze the product after the secondary heating at a temperature of at least 100 ° C.

[0005]

As mentioned above, warming oden in an oden pot and selling it over the counter means that time-consuming oden ingredients and oden broth are discarded. There were problems that had to be reflected in prices and improved from an economic point of view.

For this purpose, it is advantageous to adopt a food form (so-called chilled food) which has a storage period of, for example, 10 days or more, and which does not deteriorate the quality, taste, etc. of the food even after storage. . However, as an example of this, the above-mentioned bagged oden is typified, but this food form has a problem of lack of convenience.

[0007] In addition, in this over-the-counter sales, there is a container with a lid for exclusive use for putting oden, but there is a problem that dashi juice is spilled when taken home.

[0008] Further, there is always a demand for new products in convenience stores and the like. Developing new food products to be heated by high-power commercial microwave ovens installed in stores has always been proposed in the food industry.

According to the present invention, foods including liquids such as oden can be stored in a chilled state at the time of distribution and sale, and can be cooked by microwave heating at the time of purchase.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to obtain a completely new microwave-heated food container that can be used as a container when eating.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container for a food heated by a microwave oven, wherein a container for holding a food with a liquid therein and an opening of the container are sealed. A food container comprising: a lid portion that covers and seals each other's peripheral edges, wherein the lid portion has a liquid contact surface that comes into contact with a liquid surface of a food with liquid, and a liquid contact surface that rises from the liquid contact surface. An air reservoir for storing air therein is provided, and steam vent forming means is provided for forming a vapor vent for communicating the air reservoir with the outside air when heating the microwave oven.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the container for a microwave-heated food according to the first aspect, the air reservoir is in contact with a part of a peripheral edge of a lid. The vapor vent is formed by peeling off a part of the seal of the peripheral edge of the lid in contact with the air reservoir.

Further, in the container for heating a microwave oven according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the container for heating a microwave oven according to the second aspect, a seal formed with the steam vent is sandwiched. At an opposing position, a second air reservoir portion further rising from the air reservoir portion is formed.

The food with a liquid in the present invention is a food with a liquid when it is heated in a microwave oven, and includes, for example, oden with broth, soup, stew, sukiyaki, etc., but is not limited thereto. Not something.

The food containing the liquid of the present invention is a chilled food, which is subjected to secondary heating of heating the central temperature to 75 ° C. or more with steam or hot water, and then to a temperature of 10 ° C. or less at the time of distribution and sale. Refrigerated storage can provide a storage period of 10 days or more. As the microwave oven, not only a 500 W for home use but also a 1500 W high power microwave oven for business use used for heating a convenience store or the like can be used.

The microwave oven-heated food container of the present invention comprises a container and a lid. The container is made of a material that holds food with liquid inside and can withstand secondary heating (steam, hot water, etc.) and microwave heating. In addition, it can be used as a container when eating and burns when carrying. The material is selected from heat-insulating materials that do not cause any problems. For example, a vessel made of a PP foam material is employed. The lid is made of a material that can withstand microwave heating and secondary heating (steam, hot water, etc.). In the case of secondary heating of steam, hot water, etc., heat is transferred from the liquid contact surface to the inside. Selected from materials that communicate well. For example, a lid made of PP is employed. The container and the lid are sealed with each other at their peripheral edges, and the inside of the container is sealed.

The lid according to the present invention is provided with a liquid contact surface that comes into contact with the liquid surface of the food accompanied by the liquid, and an air reservoir that rises from the liquid contact surface and stores air therein. This liquid contact surface
The shape does not matter as long as the heat is conducted to the inside during the secondary heating and the ingredients are firmly attached to the liquid surface like a drop lid during the microwave heating. The size (area) of the liquid contact surface changes depending on the condition of the secondary heating. That is, if the area is increased, the time for the secondary heating can be shortened, and if the area is reduced, the secondary heating sterilization state cannot be obtained unless the time for the secondary heating is increased. Therefore, it is preferable that the thickness be at least half of the lid.

The air reservoir may be of any arrangement as long as it serves as an escape path for steam when heated by a microwave oven. Further, the size and shape of the air reservoir are determined by the relative relationship with the liquid contact surface. For example, as an air reservoir, one that is formed in a convex shape on the entire periphery or a part of the periphery of the opening, one that is formed in a convex shape in a substantially central part of the lid, and a substantially flat lid that is inclined The one formed on the upper part of the slope of the lid part by mounting on the container part is raised.

The steam vent of the present invention has a secondary heating,
It is closed at the time of sale and is formed by communicating the air reservoir and the outside air when heating the microwave oven. Therefore, the steam vent forming means is arranged according to the arrangement of the air reservoir. As the steam vent forming means, those formed by the steam pressure generated inside during microwave heating, those that heat themselves with a microwave and form a steam vent with the heat, and perform heating One that strips off a member that has previously blocked the vapor vent formed in advance.

Specifically, a vapor vent for communicating the air reservoir and the outside air is formed in advance around the opening of the lid or the container in which the air reservoir is formed, and this vapor vent is formed inside the container. Covering with a seal that can be broken by the generated vapor pressure, and metal such as aluminum that generates heat in advance by microwaves of a microwave oven around the opening of the lid or vessel where the air pocket is formed Forming a layer and melting it at the time of microwave heating to form a vapor vent, furthermore, an air reservoir is formed in advance on the periphery of the open port of the lid or vessel where the air reservoir is formed. A vapor vent that communicates with the outside air is formed, and this is closed with an adhesive tape or the like until the microwave oven is heated, and a person who heats the microwave oven peels off the adhesive tape.
Preferably, the use of the sealing portion between the lid portion where the air reservoir portion is formed and the periphery of the opening of the container portion is economical because the number of processing steps is small.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present inventors have proposed a novel food which can store foods including liquids such as oden in a chilled state at the time of distribution and sale, and can cook by microwave heating at the time of purchase. To obtain a microwave-heated food of any form. Therefore, a prototype was produced in which a food with a liquid such as oden in a heat-insulating container was sealed with a flat heat-resistant lid at the opening of the container. When microwave oven heating was performed after peeling off a part of the heat-resistant lid of this prototype to form a steam outlet, the liquid inside expanded due to heating, and
It has been found that there is a problem that the inside of the microwave oven is spouted by boiling, rather than boiling.

Therefore, the liquid level of the food inside the container is lowered,
The next prototype was created in which air was stored between the liquid surface and the flat lid. This prototype did not spill during microwave heating, but since the vessel was made of a heat-insulating material and air was trapped between the lid and the liquid surface, the center temperature was reduced to 75% with steam or hot water. It was found that when performing secondary heating at a temperature of not less than ° C., the heat of the secondary heating did not conduct inside, and secondary sterilization was not performed well. Also, since the liquid level has dropped, for example, in the case of oden, the ingredients may come out of the liquid level and be held.In this case, the heating of the part coming out of the liquid level and the part immersed in the liquid level may occur. It was also found that non-uniformity occurred.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, there is provided a liquid contact surface which comes into contact with a liquid surface of a food with liquid in a lid portion, and an air reservoir portion which rises from the liquid contact surface and stores air therein. And a steam vent forming means for forming a steam vent for communicating the air reservoir with the outside air when heating the microwave oven. Therefore, it can be refrigerated and stored at a temperature of 10 ° C. or less at the time of distribution and sale so that it does not freeze, can be cooked by microwave heating at stores, and can be used as a container when eating. A completely new microwaveable food container can be obtained.

The lid of the present invention is provided with a liquid contact surface that comes into contact with the liquid surface of the food accompanied by the liquid, and an air reservoir that rises from the liquid contact surface and stores air therein. Since the container is made of a heat insulating material, the heat of the secondary heating is mainly applied to the inside from the liquid contact surface of the lid. Therefore, the liquid contact surface that touches the liquid surface is 2
Any material that conducts heat to the inside at the time of the next heating, and attaches the ingredients firmly to the liquid surface like a dropping lid at the time of the microwave heating may be used. In addition, even when the size of the liquid contact surface is reduced by moving the container itself, which seals the food with a liquid therein during the secondary heating, not only by heat conduction but also by forcibly stirring the inside. Secondary heating time can be shortened.

In addition, the air reservoir serves as an escape path for steam during heating by a microwave oven, thereby preventing liquid from spilling over. Therefore, the air reservoir may be of any arrangement as long as it serves as an escape path for steam. Further, the size and shape of the air reservoir are determined by the relative relationship with the liquid contact surface. For example, one that is formed in a convex shape around the opening, one that is formed in a convex shape at a substantially central portion of the lid portion, and that is formed on the upper end portion of the lid portion by attaching a substantially flat lid portion to the container portion inclining. Things are raised.

The steam vent of the present invention has a secondary heating,
It is closed at the time of sale and is formed by communicating the air reservoir and the outside air when heating the microwave oven. Therefore, it is arranged according to the arrangement of the steam vent and the steam vent forming means air reservoir. Preferably, the use of a seal portion between the lid on which the air reservoir is formed and the periphery of the opening of the container is less costly and economical. In the case of heating in a microwave oven, only the steam vent communicates with the outside air, and therefore, when purchased at a convenience store or the like and brought back after heating in the microwave oven, there is also an effect that the outflow of liquid is small.

Therefore, as the vapor vent opening forming means, preferably, the air reservoir is formed in contact with a part of the peripheral edge of the lid, and the vapor vent is formed in the peripheral edge of the lid in contact with the air reservoir. Is formed by peeling off a part of the seal. Specifically, the steam vent opening forming means is preferably formed by projecting a holding piece on a part of the outer periphery of the lid portion, and a part of the seal is peeled off by holding the holding piece. Good.

Further, the vapor vent is formed not only from one rising portion but also in multiple stages, so that it is possible to further prevent the liquid from being spilled during heating by a microwave oven. Therefore, it is preferable that a second air reservoir portion further rising from the air reservoir portion is formed at a position facing the seal where the steam vent is formed.

[0028]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the configuration of an embodiment of a container for foodstuffs heated by a microwave oven according to the present invention as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of the microwave oven-heated food container of FIG. 1 as viewed from the front. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the lid of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a plan view. As shown in the figure, a heat-resistant container (1) made of foamed PP (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name "Neomicrolen Container") contains an oden ingredient (2) and a broth (3). Is held in.

The upper open port (4) of the container (1) has a PP
Cover (5) is hermetically covered. As shown in FIG. 3, the lid (5) is formed with a portion (air reservoir (7)) that rises in an approximately 1/4 circle fan shape. This container
The peripheral edges of the lid (1) and the lid (5) are sealed by heat sealing, and the inside of the oden ingredient (2) and the broth (3) are held in a sealed state. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the amount of the broth (3) is adjusted, and the lid (5) other than the rising portion touches the liquid surface to form a liquid contact surface (6), and the rising portion has air therein. The air pool (7) is sealed.

The air reservoir (7) is provided with a cantilever (8) protrudingly provided on a part of the outer periphery of the lid (5) as means for forming a vapor vent. In addition, container (1) and lid (5)
A second air reservoir (9), which further rises from the air reservoir (7), is formed at a position facing the holding piece (8) with the seal portion therebetween. In the drawing, (11) is a rib for suppressing deformation of the lid (5).

In such a microwave-heated food container, a steam vent (10) is formed for communicating the air reservoir (7) with the outside air during microwave heating. As shown in FIG. 2, the steam vent (10) is formed by holding the cantilever (8), peeling off a part of the seal portion, and opening the outside air, the second air reservoir (9) and the air reservoir ( 7) communicate with.

At the time of distribution and sale, such oden is 1
Store refrigerated at a temperature that does not freeze below 0 ° C. For this purpose, it is important to carry out secondary heating in which the central temperature is increased to 75 ° C. or more with steam or hot water so as to have a storage period of about 10 days. In this secondary heating, the liquid contact surface (6) of the lid (5) touches the liquid surface and conducts the heat of the secondary heating well inside. Soak the oden ingredients firmly in the liquid surface as shown.

In the present embodiment, as a food accompanied by a liquid,
Oden made of oden ingredients and broth was raised, but it is not limited to this, and foods with liquids such as kenchin soup, soups, stews, sukiyaki, etc. are refrigerated at a temperature of 10 ° C or less at the time of distribution and sales so as not to freeze. It can be cooked in a microwave oven at a store or the like, and can be used as a container when eating. Further, in this embodiment, the container and the lid are made of a plane circular shape. However, for example, a rectangular shape has the same effect.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, a food with a liquid can be refrigerated and stored at a temperature of 10 ° C. or less at the time of distribution and sale so that it does not freeze. In addition, there is an effect that a completely new microwave-heated food container that can be used as a container for eating can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a container for foodstuffs heated by a microwave oven according to the present invention when viewed obliquely from above.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of the microwave-heated food container of FIG. 1 as viewed from a side.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a lid portion of FIG. 1, wherein FIG.
The figure is a plan view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) ... vessel, (2) ... oden ingredients, (3) ... broth, (4) ... top opening, (5) ... lid, (6) ... liquid contact surface, (7) ... air pool Part, (8) ... cantilever (steam vent forming means), (9) ... second air reservoir, (10) ... steam vent

Claims (3)

[Claims] A container for holding a food containing a liquid therein;
A food container having a lid that covers the opening of the container in a hermetically closed manner and seals each other's peripheral edges, wherein the lid has a liquid contact surface that comes into contact with the liquid surface of the food with liquid. ,
An air reservoir that rises from the liquid contact surface and retains air therein; and a vapor vent forming means that forms a vapor vent that communicates the air reservoir with the outside air during microwave heating. A container for heating food in a microwave oven, characterized in that: 2. The air reservoir is formed in contact with a part of the periphery of the lid, and the steam vent is formed by peeling off a seal on a part of the periphery of the lid in contact with the air reservoir. The microwaved food container according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The air reservoir according to claim 2, further comprising a second air reservoir rising further from said air reservoir at a position facing the seal on which the steam vent is formed. The container for a microwave-heated food according to claim.