KR100562919B1 - Removable sealable bags and food preparation method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a detachable sealable bag made of film material for low temperature cooking, which film material does not deform at temperatures up to 125 ° C. and the bag does not seep in air and liquid when sealed. Also described is such a bag made of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive wherein at least one portion of the film material prevents inadvertent adhesion. In addition, a method of cooking by food cooking and heating is described using all embodiments of the bag according to the invention.

Removable Sealable Bags, Sealing System, Sheets, Low Temperature Recipes

Description

RELEASABLY SEALABLE BAGS AND METHODS FOR FOOD PREPARATION

The present invention relates to a removable sealable bag and to food cooking at low temperatures, in particular to low temperature cooking using such bags. More specifically, it relates to a removable sealable bag that does not seep into air and liquid upon sealing and does not deform at temperatures up to about 125 ° C. and to methods for low temperature cooking and food cooking using the bag.

Low temperature vacuum cooking is a method of cooking at a temperature of about 100 ° C. or lower. This cooking method is used not only to taste better than any other recipe, but also to provide aesthetically pleasing and nutritious food. However, such cooking at present requires complicated and expensive equipment that is typically used only by professional chefs.

It is also known to reheat various prepared foods using a flexible bag or pouch, called a retort bag. For example, any ready-to-eat ready-to-eat food can be purchased in an airtight sealed plastic bag. Place this sealed bag in boiling water to reheat the food without the heat of boiling water penetrating the bag. The user then only needs to cut and open the bag and take out the contents. A common example of this type of product is curry, It is sold by House Shokuhin, S & B Shokuhin and Ajinomoto of Japan.

The types of retort foods that can be packaged and reheated in this manner are very limited. In addition, such retort bags cannot actually be used to prepare fresh food. Such bags can only be used to reheat certain foods that have been previously processed and preserved. Thus, such bags must be provided with some type of preservative, for example aluminum, to maintain the freshness and shelf life of the food product in storage until purchased by the consumer.

In addition, conventional food storage bags, such as ZIPLOC sold by SC Johnson in the United States and Asahi Kasei in Japan, and UBE Kitchen Bag, sold by UBE Film in Yamada, Japan, and Onoda, are reheated, heated, or boiled. It is difficult or impossible to use to cook food. The materials used to make such bags (typically polyethylene, or mixtures thereof) cannot provide airtightness and / or liquid tightness when sealed or during reheating or cooking. Similarly, these materials are not heat resistant and can be deformed at temperatures of 100 ° C. Even assuming that the material itself is airtight and liquid tight, practical methods of sealing / resealing such bags and used in various food cooking techniques are very limited.

Self-venting bags made of nylon and polypropylene, which can be used to cook bags (such as potatoes) in boiling water, are sold under the trade name "Jokigen" at Jomei, Japan. However, this type of bag must be heat sealed using a specific device before being put into water, and once sealed it cannot be resealed.

In addition, consumers need to improve many miscellaneous things in preparing food. Food preparation and washing dishes are believed to account for about 50% of household chores today, and many consumers want to reduce the time spent preparing and cleaning food. Although home-based substitutes, take-outs, and deli-style foods are on sale, these foods do not provide sufficient nutrition and are generally not hygienic to replace home foods for many consumers. It is recognized as a food. Some consumers go further and feel guilty when replacing home foods with these foods. Therefore, many consumers are eager to prepare food more effectively without sacrificing nutritional value, price, taste, and pride in food preparation.

Therefore, it can be used to cook and cook fresh foods at home at low temperatures so that food can be prepared more effectively without sacrificing taste, nutrition, and pride in cooking, without expensive equipment or complicated processes. It can be seen that there is still a desire for a convenient and durable bag. None of the prior art provides all of the advantages and advantages of the present invention.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a detachable sealable bag for low temperature cooking made of a film material, the film material does not deform at temperatures up to about 125 ° C., and the bag does not seep air and liquid upon sealing.

The invention also relates to a bag made of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive to prevent at least one portion of the film material from inadvertent adhesion.

The invention also relates to a method of cooking low temperature cooking, microwave cooking, and seasoned foods using embodiments of the bags according to the invention.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The present specification may be understood as being specifically directed to and claimed by the present invention, which will be better understood from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1A-1C are perspective views of a preferred embodiment of the bag of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a plan view of a sheet of composite film material prior to molding into the preferred embodiment of the bag shown in FIG. 2B. FIG.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a bag formed from the sheet shown in FIG. 2A. FIG.

FIG. 2C is a plan view when food is placed in the bag shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B;

3 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the composite material of the present invention, showing a piece of flexible film having truncated conical protrusions thermoformed between a pressure sensitive adhesive grid.

4 is a front view of a cross section of the composite material of FIG. 3, taken along the 4-4 line portion of FIG. 3, with contact with the adhesive layer between the protrusions such that the target surface in contact with the outermost end of the protrusion does not contact the adhesive layer Figure showing projections acting as standoffs.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a cross section similar to FIG. 4 showing the action of pressing the indented composite material against the target surface such that the protrusions collapse so that the adhesive layer between the protrusions contacts the target surface;

6 is a plan view of another preferred embodiment of a three-dimensional nesting prevention composite sheet material according to the present invention.

7a-7d illustrate a preferred method of forming a bag in accordance with the present invention.

All cited references are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The utility of any reference cited as prior art is not recognized as determining the claimed invention.

As used herein, the expression “comprising” means that other steps and components may be added that do not affect the final result. The term encompasses the meanings "consisting of-" and "consisting of-".

According to the invention, a bag containing a food to be cooked, preferably a food to be cooked by applying heat: (1) must be sealed to prevent air and liquid from permeating during the food cooking time, and (2) at least about 100 ° C. It provides heat resistance during cooking, ie, by boiling water, and preferably at temperatures up to at least about 125 ° C., ie during heating in a microwave, at which temperature the bag does not deform and the structural integrity of the bag ) Should not be damaged. In addition, the bag is preferably made of a material that does not smell bad to food during cooking by applying heat or cooking.

Thus, any material having these properties can be used herein. Preferred embodiments of the bag of the present invention comprise a composite film material as described in detail below.

One preferred embodiment of the encapsulation of the present invention comprises two or more overlapped sheets of film material in which one or more portions of the overlapping edges are permanently sealed. For example, in the embodiment of the encapsulation 10 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the overlapped sheets of film material 20 and 30 are permanently sealed along at least one of their overlapping edges. . For example, the first sheet 20 has edges 22, 24, 26, 28. The second sheet 30 has edges 32, 34, 36 and 38. In this embodiment, at least one pair of overlapping edges is permanently sealed, for example, in the embodiment of FIG. 1A, edge 22 is at edge 32, edge 24 is at edge 34, and Edge 26 may be permanently sealed to edge 36, or edge 28 to edge 38, and in the embodiment of FIG. 1C, edge 23 is at edge 33, edge 27. ) May be permanently sealed to edge 37, or edge 29 to edge 39. For example, the permanent seals 12a, 12b and 13 may be formed as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C.

The permanently sealed edge portion need not extend as long as the entire length of the overlapping edges as in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Permanent seals may be provided at any portion by the desired length of the overlapping edges.

The term "permanently sealed" as used herein means that these edges are not opened by the consumer during use of the bag 10. That is, these edges cannot be removable sealed. All methods known to those skilled in the art, such as heat sealing, can be used to create a permanently sealed portion of the overlapped edge of the bag herein.

If the bag is square or rectangular as shown in FIG. 1A, it may be desirable to permanently seal the two overlapping edges, for example, the edge 26 of the first sheet 20 may be permanently sealed. It is permanently sealed to the edge 36 of the second sheet 30 along the portion 12a, and the edge 28 of the first sheet 20 is along the second seal 30 along the permanent seal 12a. Is permanently sealed at the edge 38). FIG. 1C illustrates a state in which the bag of FIG. 1A is completely opened, the advantages of which are described in more detail below.

Referring again to FIG. 1A, in a preferred embodiment with two permanently sealed edges, the two permanently sealed edges are preferably contiguous, e.g., of rectangular or square bags perpendicular to each other. It is preferred that they are two crossing edges, for example edges 26, 36 and 28, 38. However, two opposing non-crossing edges, such as (22, 32 and 26, 36) or (24, 34 and 28, 38), can be selected as the edge that is permanently sealed.

FIG. 1B shows another embodiment in which the bag 10 is provided in a triangle, where the pair of overlapping edges 23, 33 are permanently sealed along the permanent seal 13. Again, the permanently sealed edge portion need not extend throughout the overlapped edge length, but can be provided at any portion and at the desired length of the overlapped edge.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular shape or form of bag 10 or sheet 20, 30. In addition, the sheets need not be the same or similar size, or the same shape. Moreover, the preferred embodiment herein is not limited to a bag comprising one sheet or two sheets of film material. An encapsulation comprising two or more sheets is also within the scope of the present invention.

Referring again to FIGS. 1A-1C, at least one of the sheets 20, 30 consists of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The expression “inadvertent adhesion” means that the sheet with the adhesive applied to the target surface, such as another sheet, another portion of the sheet to which the adhesive is applied, or any other until the encapsulation user activates the adhesive by pressing the sheet. It means not to stick to the surface beforehand. The adhesive coated film sheet, when pressed, becomes detachable sealable to the other film sheet or to another portion of the adhesive coated film sheet, creating a sealing system (not shown in FIG. See FIG. 2C). The composite film material itself will be described in more detail below.

Thus, when the consumer presses the sheet, a sealing system is created at the location selected by the consumer. It is to be noted that any position can be selected and this sealing system does not necessarily coincide with the edge of the sheet material.

If the sheet 70 is square or rectangular, the removable sealable seal portion of the sealant may be a juxtaposed free edge (eg, 82 and 92, 84 and 94, 86 and 96 as shown in FIG. 2B). At or near the top to maximize the inner area of the bag. However, as described above, the sealing system can be formed at any desired location.

In order to easily open the sheet before putting the item to be stored or cooked, the bag 10 may be further provided with an entrance indicator means 21. When the item is to be taken out of the bag after sealing the bag, the entrance indicator 21 may likewise allow the bag to be easily reopened. The inlet indicator means 21 (eg, a tab made of a material different from the material of one or both of the sheets 20 or 30) can be separated from the sheets 20, 30. Alternatively, the entrance marking means 21 may be integrated with one or both of the sheets 20 or 30, for example, the means may be colored or printed on the film to inform the user of the proper entrance position. Can be made. The entrance marking means is preferably visually contrasted with other surfaces in contact.

Another preferred embodiment of the bag of the present invention (not shown) is similar to the bag shown in FIGS. 1A-C. However, in this preferred embodiment, there is no permanently sealed edge or permanently sealed edge portion. In such a preferred embodiment, at least one of the film sheets consists of a composite film material as described below, and the sheet to which the adhesive is applied becomes detachable and sealable to the other film sheet when pressed to the other film sheet, Create a sealing system that forms the interior of the bag.

Another preferred embodiment of the bag of the present invention is shown in Figures 2a-b. In this embodiment, the bag 10 includes a single sheet 70 as described in more detail below. The sheet 70 has a first portion 80, a second portion 90 and generally a bonding region 75 located between the first portion 80 and the second portion 90. This junction region 75 is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 2A, indicating that this junction region does not have a precisely defined area or location. In addition, the junction region may divide the first portion 80 and the second portion 90 into areas of various sizes or shapes, which need not necessarily be the same or nearly the same size or shape.

Note that it is not limited to the shape of the rectangular sheet 70 shown in FIG. 2A. As with the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, any form of sheet 70 (eg, circle, ellipse, triangle, amorphous, decorative) is within the scope of the present invention.

The first portion is bounded by one or more first portion free edges. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the first partial free edge is indicated by reference numerals 82, 84, and 86. The second portion is bounded by one or more second portion free edges. The second partial free edge is indicated by reference numerals 92, 94 and 96. Again, it should be noted that this embodiment is not limited to having a certain number of free edges. For example, if the sheet 70 is elliptical, it is not shown as three segments as shown in FIG. 2A, but rather as one continuous first partial free edge.

In one preferred embodiment, at least one of the first portion 80 or the second portion 90 consists of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. In another preferred embodiment, both the first portion 80 and the second portion 90 consist of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. In another preferred embodiment, the bonding region 75 also consists of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion.

In another more preferred embodiment, the sheet consists of a single sheet of composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. In other words, the first portion 80, the second portion 90 and the bonding region 75 are located on the same single sheet forming the encapsulation.

The bag 10 is formed from the sheet 70 as follows (see FIG. 2B). The first portion 80 is folded at or near the junction region 75 to overlap over the second portion 90. The sealing system 85 can be formed by pressing one of the first or second portions against the other at the desired location. Therefore, the inside of the bag 10 is formed in the sealing system 85. This sealing system can be created if desired by the consumer, completely independent of the bonding area 75, for example as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2C, this encapsulation interior may also be included in the bonding region as well as in the sealing system 85.

In another preferred embodiment for a bag of the type shown in FIG. 2, the entrance marking means is provided at at least one of the free edges of the first or second part in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 1A as described above. It is desirable to provide. Such entrance marking means is preferably visually contrasted with other first or second partial free edges without the entrance marking means.

In each embodiment described above, at least one of the sheets 20 or 30 in the embodiment described in connection with FIG. 1, or the first portion 80 in the embodiment described in connection with FIG. 2. Or at least one portion of the second portion 90, US Patent, entitled "Composite Material Releasably Sealable to A Target Surface When Pressed Thereagainst and Method of Making," issued September 2, 1997 to Hamilton et al. 5,662,758; 5,662,758; US Patent No. 5,871,607, entitled "Material Having A Substance Protected By Deformable Standoffs And Method of Making", issued February 16, 1999 to Hamilton et al .; US Patent No. 5,965,235, entitled "Three-Dimensional, Amorphous-Patterned, Nesting-Resistant Sheet Materials and Method and Apparatus for Making Same," issued October 12, 1999 to McGuire et al .; And a composite material as described in US Pat. No. 5,968,633, entitled "Selectively-Activatible Sheet Material For Dispensing And Dispersing a Substance Onto A Target Surface," issued October 19, 1999 to Hamilton et al. .

Such a composite material is a flexible film that is detachably sealable to a target surface and has a pressure sensitive adhesive applied to prevent it from sticking to the target surface beforehand. In particular, the composite material is a flexible film having protrusions formed on the adhesive surface that serve to separate the pressure-sensitive adhesive from the target surface until the film is pressed against the target surface. According to the invention, the “target surface” herein is another part of the film sheet 20 or 30 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 or another part of the same sheet 70 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2. to be.

A general description of the composite materials herein is provided in the patents cited above, but this will be briefly repeated here. One embodiment of a composite film is shown in FIG. 3 and is generally represented by 100. Composite film 100 generally includes a flexible film 120 having a protrusion 140 and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 160 positioned between the protrusions 140. In the embodiment of the film 100 shown in FIG. 3, the protrusion 140 has a conical shape in which the outermost end 180 is truncated or in the shape of a dome. The protrusions 140 are equally spaced in an equilateral triangle pattern, and all of these protrusions face the same direction. These protrusions are approximately center-to-center spaced at approximately two protrusion diameter distances. When these protrusions are recessed, the height of the protrusions 140 is preferably smaller than the diameter so that these protrusions are recessed along an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the film 120. Recess in this manner can prevent the protrusion 140 from being folded over the adhesive to prevent the adhesive from contacting the target surface.

4 shows a target surface 200, according to the invention, this target surface is either another film sheet forming a bag 10 or another portion of the same film sheet forming a bag, the target The surface is spaced apart from the pressure sensitive adhesive layer 160 by the outermost end 180 of the protrusion 140. 5 is in contact with the pressure sensitive adhesive layer 160 after the protrusions 140 are partially inverted above them under pressure, denoted F, on the non-adhesive side of the flexible film 120. Illustrates a target surface 200.

In the embodiment of the film 100 shown in FIGS. 3-5, the bottom diameter of the conical protrusion 140 is about 0.015 inches (0.381 mm) to about 0.03 inches (0.762 mm). In addition, these protrusions are center to center spaced from about 0.03 inch (0.762 mm) to about 0.06 inch (1.524 mm), and the protrusion height is from about 0.004 inch (0.102 mm) to about 0.012 inch (0.305 mm). The film material may consist of a homogenous resin or mixtures thereof. Consideration should be given to forming a single or multiple layers in the film structure, whether using co-extrusion, extrusion coating, laminate, or any combination of these by other known means. The main property of the film material is that it must be moldable to make protrusions and valleys. Useful resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, PVC, PVDC, latex structures, nylon, and the like. Preferred film materials are polyethylenes having a nominal thickness of about 0.01 to about 0.02 mm, more preferably about 0.012 to about 0.015 mm. Preferred film materials are about 0.012 mm 100% HDPE films sold by Tredegar, USA. These films are also sold by Exxon in the United States.

Preferred pressure sensitive adhesives herein are hot melt adhesives of about 0.025 mm thickness. As such hot melt adhesives, for example, the specification numbers ATO Findley 2630.07, 2630.08 and 2630.09 sold by Findley, USA, and H.B., Minnesota, USA, for example. The specification numbers HB Fuller HL-2115X, HB Fuller HL 1711-XZP and HB Fuller HL 1717-X sold by Fuller are suitable for use herein. Alternatively, other adhesives, including latexes, may also be used for the adhesive layer 160.

The size and spacing of the protrusions are optimized to provide a continuous adhesion path for liquid tight sealing without creating an easily elongated film. When the film is stretched, a residual force is generated in parallel with the adhesive contact surface, so that the weak adhesive force can be separated.

More preferably, the composite sheet herein is a three-dimensional composite sheet material that prevents nesting of layers that overlap each other, as described in US Pat. No. 5,965,235 to McGuire et al., Supra.

In order to provide the advantage of preventing such nesting, the protrusions form a plurality of different two-dimensional geometrical amorphous patterns on one side of the composite sheet material and a plurality of spacings corresponding to the protrusions on opposite sides. Since the three-dimensional hollow depressions are provided, the protrusions are hollow. The term "amorphous" as used herein generally refers to the conventional meaning of this term, i.e., a pattern that does not represent easily recognizable tissue, regularity, or orientation of components. In this pattern, the arrangement and orientation of one element with respect to neighboring elements cannot be predicted beyond the relationship of the arrangement and orientation of the next consecutive element (s).

Within the preferred amorphous pattern, it is desirable that the protrusions are not uniform with respect to the size, shape, orientation of the protrusions to the web and the spacing between adjacent protrusion centers. 6 is a plan view of an exemplary three-dimensional nesting prevention sheet material 200 in accordance with the present invention. The protrusions are indicated by reference numeral 240, and the intervals by reference numeral 220. Also shown in FIG. 6 is dimension A, which represents the gap 220 width and is measured as the substantially vertical distance between substantially adjacent parallel walls on the underside of the protrusion. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the gap 220 is preferably substantially constant throughout the protrusion pattern.

The protrusion 240 is produced in a non-uniform size and shape so that one sheet or portion of the material 200 is another sheet or portion of the material 200 without nesting between the two sheets. It may be placed in face-to-face contact with the part. Because the amorphous pattern of the protrusions as described above limits the ability to align the face of one sheet with the back of another sheet, anti-nesting properties are achieved so that a protrusion of one layer is placed behind each protrusion of an adjacent layer. Insert into the formed recess. An advantage obtained by narrowing and keeping the gap width between protrusions constant is that protrusions are not inserted into the gap 220 when the layer of material 200 is face-to-face contact.

The use of polygons with a finite number of faces in an amorphous pattern arranged in an interlocking relationship offers superior advantages over structures with round or near-round shapes. Patterns such as circle arrangements are limited in terms of the area size that a circle can occupy for the area occupied by non-circled between adjacent circles. More specifically, even if the adjacent circles are in contact at their contacts, there will still be a certain amount of spacing "trapped" in the "corner" between successive tangents. Thus, even a circular amorphous pattern is limited in terms of how to design such that non-circles are rarely present in the structure. Conversely, interlocking polygons with a finite number of faces (i.e. no curved faces) can all be designed to pack close together, in a limited sense that adjacent faces of adjacent polygons will have their full length. It can thus be designed so that there are no "trapped" free gaps between corners packed to contact (see Figure 6). As described in detail in US Pat. No. 5,965,235, the amorphous pattern herein preferably exhibits statistically controlled randomness.

The three-dimensional shape of the individual protrusions is believed to play a role in determining both the overall web properties as well as the physical properties of the individual protrusions. It is believed herein to be very useful to use polygonal bottom patterns that mesh with each other for protrusions. Such polygonal patterns are preferably composed of interlocking convex polygons each having a finite number of substantially linear planes, while facing substantially parallel faces of the adjacent polygons. However, it should be understood that the protrusions can be formed from virtually any three dimensional shape.

The protrusions 240 are spaced from center to center approximately at or near the average distance between the bottom diameters of the two protrusions to minimize the volume of valleys between the protrusions to minimize the amount of adhesive located between the protrusions. It is desirable to. When the protrusions are deformed, the protrusions preferably have a height less than their diameter so as to deform the protrusions by substantially inverting and / or crushing along an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the material. The deformed protrusion shape and mode prevents the protrusions from folding up in a direction parallel to the plane of the material, such that the protrusions cannot prevent the adhesive in the valleys between them from contacting the target surface.

Preferred adhesives herein are hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives of about 0.025 mm thickness. Such hot melt adhesives are described, for example, in specification numbers ATO Findley 2630.07, 2630.08, and 2630.09, sold by Findley, USA, and H.B., Minnesota, USA. Specifications No. HB Fuller HL-2115X, HB Fuller HL 1711-XZP and HB Fuller HL 1717-X sold by Fuller are suitable for use herein. Alternatively, other adhesives, including latexes, may be used for the adhesive layer 160.

The film material may consist of homogeneous resins or mixtures thereof. Whether using co-extrusion, extrusion coating, laminate, or a combination thereof by any other known means, consideration should be given to forming a single or multiple layers within the film structure. The main property of the film material is that it must be moldable to make protrusions and valleys. Resins useful herein include polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, PVC, PVDC, latex structures, nylon, and the like. Preferred material gauges are from about 0.0025 mm to about 0.25 mm. Preferred film materials are about 0.012 mm 100% HDPE films sold by Tredegar, USA. These films are also sold by Exxon in the United States. Molding can be done by mechanical embossing, vacuum thermoforming, hydraulic molding and combinations thereof as well as other methods known to those skilled in the art.

Although it is desirable for the entire surface of the sheet to exhibit such an amorphous pattern, it should be noted that under certain circumstances it may be desirable for a surface smaller than the entire surface of the sheet to have an amorphous pattern. For example, a portion of the sheet may exhibit some regular pattern of protrusions, or may actually have no protrusions at all to provide a generally smooth surface.

In addition, the designer may separate an amorphous region with a regular non-amorphous pattern or a “blank” region with no protrusions or a combination thereof. The shape and dimensions of the non-amorphous region can also be customized.

As described above, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the portion of the sheet in the embodiment consisting of at least one sheet or single sheet of the sheets 20 or 30 constituting the encapsulation 10 is a composite sheet as described above. Made of materials. The other sheet material or portions of this sheet may be the same or similar composite materials. Alternatively, the other sheet or part of this sheet may be a non-composite sheet material, ie all existing film materials known to those skilled in the art, for example high density polyethylene or low density polyethylene. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, at least one portion of the sheet 70 forming the encapsulation 10 is made of a composite sheet material as described above. Thus, the user of the bag 10 can simply press the desired position to activate the adhesive of the composite sheet to tightly seal the sheet in the sealing system to the target sheet or the target portion to detachably seal the bag as desired.

In order to be aesthetically pleasing, it may also be desirable to provide a kind of decorative printing to the sheet material or any portion (s) thereof. Such printing can be done in any pattern, color, style, design or the like.

FIG. 1C illustrates a fully opened bag of FIG. 1A, which illustrates one of the advantages of the present invention. FIG. As shown in FIG. 1C, the bag 10 is provided with a large insertion and removal area because the bag has two overlapping edges that are not permanently sealed. For example, representative dimensions of a bag according to the present invention are 29.2-30.0 cm × about 30.0 cm. For bags with this dimension, the insertion / removal inlet area is about 1040 cm ² , which is calculated by defining the inlet area as a complete circle.

In general, other non-limiting dimensions that can be conveniently used at home include about 15.0 cm by about 15.0 cm and about 60.0 cm by about 60.0 cm.

In contrast, conventional bags with only one side that can be used for insertion and removal, such as zippered bags or stock bags, cannot provide this advantage. In zippered bags on sale, the openings may be narrower than the actual bag dimensions because of the area required to attach and close the zipper device. Therefore, such zippered bags may be inconvenient or even impossible to use for items of large or irregular shape. For example, the large size ZIPLOC vegetable storage bags on sale have dimensions of about 26.8 cm by about 27.9 cm. However, the insertion / removal inlet area of this bag is only about 223 cm ² , which is calculated by defining the inlet area as a complete circle.

Therefore, when in the fully opened state, the opening area opening size of the bag embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C of the present invention is about 50% more than the opening size of other storage bags on sale, for example, stock bags and zipper bags. Big.

Square or rectangular shapes are known to be able to provide two non-permanently sealed edges to provide a large internal area available and to facilitate insertion and removal, but other forms, for example the composite described herein Oval or circular bags provided with removable sealable openings for inserting and removing food, including at least one sheet of material, may be provided and this form is also within the scope of the present invention.

In addition, bags that do not have a permanently sealed edge are used the same and sometimes rather more conveniently when compared to bags that have a permanently sealed edge. The type of bag that is most suitable for use depends on the intended use, the size and shape of the item to be placed inside the bag, and the taste of the user.

Therefore, since the bag can accommodate many different sizes and forms of food, it can be seen that the inserting and removing operation of putting or removing the food to be cooked into the bag 10 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention can be easily performed. .

In addition to the composite materials described above, other preferred embodiments include bags made from plastic films such as polyethylene, nylon, polypropylene, polyvinylidenechloride, polymethylpentene, waterproof paper, waterproof nonwoven materials, and mixtures thereof. do.

If a bag is molded from one of the materials listed above, i.e. if the bag is molded from something other than a composite film material with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion, air and liquid permeate by means known to those skilled in the art. It can be produced in a removable sealable so as not to lift.

In addition, since the recipe herein does not merely reheat the retort food, there is no need to include food preservatives such as aluminum in the film material forming the bags. It is preferable that the bag of this invention is no food preservative at all.

The bag of the present invention provides many advantages over the food preparation methods currently used. For example, the efficiency of food preparation is improved in the following manner. Food can be prepackaged and stored in the refrigerator. The prepackaged food can then be cooked by simply placing it in boiling water when desired. Also, after the bags are put in boiling water, they do not have to be in the kitchen all the time for boiling, so they can freely do other things during the preparation of the food.

Since there is no need to learn a special technique for cooking by heating, it is believed that anyone can easily use the bag of the present invention to prepare fresh food. In addition, since the food cooked according to the invention is heated at a maximum of about 100 ° C. while the water is boiling, there is virtually no risk of burning it. This temperature is much lower than the flash point of most foods.

In addition, the nutritional benefits that the bags of the present invention are expected to provide are also important. According to New Food Ingredient Tables ( Shin Shokuhin Seibun Hyou, Hitotsubashi Shuppan, Inc., 1998) published by Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan, 90% of vitamin B ₂ is maintained in steamed vegetables. In comparison, only 70-80% of vitamin B ₂ is retained in vegetables cooked by conventional boiling methods, ie, by placing the vegetables directly in boiling water. Similarly, 80% of vitamin C is maintained in steamed vegetables, while only 50-60% of vitamin C is maintained after conventional boiling. A low temperature cooking method comprising placing the bag according to the invention in boiling water as described herein is a steaming cooking method. It is therefore believed that cooking with bags according to the present invention may provide similar nutritional benefits as detailed in the citations described herein.

The apparent fresh color of the vegetables is also easily maintained by cooking according to the invention. This is believed to be due to the limited chlorophyll loss associated with low temperature cooking.

It is also contemplated that the bag of the present invention will provide taste, chew, and overall aesthetic benefits. For example, the juicy and soft / light chew feeling of the meat and fish cooked according to the invention can be maintained because the food is not heated to high temperatures. In addition, the fish cooked according to the present invention is expected to give a satisfactory appearance, since the fish skin does not fall from the flesh of the fish during cooking. In conventional cooking methods, fish skin often falls off the flesh of the fish.

How to use

Boil Cooking

Preferred methods of cooking food herein include the use of boiling water. The method involves placing precooked foods with all the desired seasonings or condiments into all embodiments of the bag according to the invention and sealing by pressing the surface of the composite film at the desired position to activate the adhesive to create a seal perimeter. Detaching and sealing the bag so that air and liquid do not enter the bag, and partially immersing the bag in hot water for a sufficient time to cook the food contained in the bag, but preferably floating (preferably a pot of heated water). Placing the sealed bag in a sufficient amount of boiling water so that the bag does not touch the bottom, removing the bag from the water after a period of time, and opening the bag to remove the contents. Pots containing hot water should be covered with lids during cooking to ensure that the contents of the bag are cooked not only by the heat of the water itself, but also by the steam that collects inside the pot.

Preferred methods of forming the bag of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 7A-7D, in which a bag is provided that does not have a permanently sealed edge as previously described herein. With reference to FIG. 7A, the first film sheet 300, preferably formed from a composite film material as described herein, fits snugly with a film of sufficient length extending in all directions beyond the container body. It is placed on top of a container body 310, for example a TUPPERWARE-type container, with a lid 340 made. Food and seasonings 320 are placed directly on the first film sheet 300 placed in place inside the container body as desired.

Referring to FIG. 7B, a second film sheet 330, preferably also molded from a composite film material as described herein, is superimposed on the first film sheet 300, such that four overlapping free edges 312, 314 are provided. , 316, 318).

With reference to FIG. 7C, all four overlapping free edges 312, 314, 316, 318 are folded up in the direction of the arrow body in the direction of the arrow AD, where the folded portion of the overlapping edge is outside the container area. Is maintained on. The folding order is not important. The lid 340 of the container fits into the container body 310 to create a sealing system 350 that forms the interior of the bag 315. The lid must be pressed firmly so that the adhesive contained in the composite sheet is fully activated and hermetically and liquid tightly sealed. As shown in FIG. 7D, after the sealing system 350 is formed, the lid 340 is removed and the bag 315 is taken out of the container body 310. The bag 315 is then immediately placed in boiling water to cook the contents. After the cooking time has elapsed, the bag is removed from the water and then opened to service the contents.

It should be understood that the sealing step of the method described above does not necessarily need to be performed using a container in which the lid is fitted. The sealing system can likewise be created at the desired location by pressing with a finger or with any other type of tool that does not tear the film.

In addition, it should be understood that the above-described method of forming an encapsulation by using a container with a lid to create an encapsulation is not limited to the embodiment of the encapsulation comprising two sheets of film material without edges that are permanently sealed. This method can be used to create a sealing system for all embodiments of the encapsulation comprising the composite film material described herein.

Another preferred method of forming the bags of the present invention includes placing food and seasonings directly on a sheet of the composite material described herein as desired. Then, the edges of the film sheet are all crimped and tightened firmly. This action of the bit activates the adhesive of the film sheet to create a removable seal that does not penetrate air and liquid. It can be cooked using boiling water as above. The sealed bag can be opened by not twisting the corrugated film.

Cooking using a microwave

Another cooking method of the present application comprises the steps of putting pre-cooked food in all embodiments of the bag according to the invention, for example by activating the adhesive by pressing the surface of the composite film at a desired position to create a sealing system. Detaching and sealing the bag to prevent air and liquid from entering the bag, placing the sealed bag in the microwave for a time sufficient to cook the food placed in the bag, and removing the bag from the microwave after the time has elapsed. It includes. Then, the bag is opened, the contents are taken out and serviced. This method is especially useful for steaming raw vegetables such as asparagus, pumpkin, or broccoli. According to this method, the fresh color and appearance of the vegetable is well maintained and is considered superior to the conventional method of cooking directly with boiling water.

In the microwave cooking method, be careful not to put oil or oily condiments in the bag. If such oils enter, it is believed that the temperature in the bag exceeds 125 ° C., which can damage the structural integrity of the film material to melt the bag.

Recipes for food, marinated in sauce or pickled in vinegar

Another food cooking method of the present application is to cook food which is marinated in sauce or pickled in vinegar. This method involves at least one precooked food, such as raw vegetables, fish and meat, along with the desired seasoning, such as oil, salt, herbs, soy, vinegar, miso, koji (a type of malt), or sakekasu (sake). Placing a precipitate of rice derived from the distillation process into a bag according to an embodiment of the present invention; for example, by pressing the surface of the composite film at a desired position to activate the adhesive to create a sealing system in the desired sealing system. Detaching and sealing the bag to prevent gas and liquid from entering the bag during sealing, placing the sealed bag in the refrigerator, and leaving the bag in the refrigerator for a sufficient time for the food to taste. In most cases, one to two nights is considered sufficient. Then, the bag is opened, the contents are taken out and serviced.

For uncooked vegetables, the flavored vegetables can be taken out of the bag and eaten right away. Such vegetables are called "tsukemono" in Japan. In the case of fish or meat marinated in a marinade, the fish or meat marinated in a marinade must be cooked by boiling or grilling, for example, as described above.

Reheat

In addition to the method of cooking the cooked food, the bag of the present invention can be used to reheat the already cooked food. The above-mentioned boiling method is preferable for reheating because the bag may become too hot when the food is contained in the microwave when the food is contained in the microwave.

In the reheating method of the present application, the temperature of the water used is less than 100 ° C. (boiling point), because the food is raw or cooked and there is no danger of eating completely uncooked food in boiling water, This is because they do not need a fairly high heat to generate. Depending on the type of food to be reheated and the user's preference for how warm the food should be, the temperature is suitably about 50 ° C to 100 ° C. As a non-limiting example, it may be desirable to reheat before eating the dessert cake stored in the refrigerator.

However, in the case of raw or precooked foods, it is desirable to boil at 100 ° C. in order to prevent problems or diseases that may arise from ingesting foods that are not fully cooked.

It is to be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (21)

A detachable sealable bag for low temperature cooking, comprising a film material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive that adheres to the film material and prevents adhesion due to minor circumference. A detachable sealable bag for low temperature cooking, wherein the film material is not deformed at temperatures up to 125 ° C. and the bag does not seep air and liquid during sealing. The method of claim 1, The film material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyvinylidenechloride, polyvinylchloride, polymethylpentene, latex, waterproof paper, waterproof nonwoven material, and mixtures thereof. Removable sealable bag for low temperature cooking. The method of claim 2, And the film material is free of food preservatives. The method of claim 2, And the film material is a composite film provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The method of claim 1, The encapsulation comprises two or more overlapped sheets of film material in which at least one portion of the overlapping edge is permanently sealed, wherein at least one sheet of the sheet is provided with a composite film provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The film sheet coated with the adhesive may be detachably sealed to the other film sheet when pressed to the other film sheet, and the inside of the bag is formed in a sealing system. Bag available. The method of claim 1, The encapsulation includes a first sheet of film material and a second sheet of film material, wherein at least one of the sheets is a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The coated film sheet can be detachably sealed to another film sheet and when pressed against the other film sheet, forms the inside of the bag to form a sealing system, and the inside of the bag is formed inside the sealing system. Removable sealable bag for low temperature cooking. The method of claim 1, The encapsulation comprises a sheet having a first portion having at least one first partial free edge, a second portion having at least one second partial free edge and a bonding area between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion At least one of the portion or the second portion consists of a composite film material provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion, wherein the first portion is folded over the bonding portion and overlaps on the second portion, The first and second portions may be detachably sealed to each other along a sealing system created by pressing one of the portions against another of the portions, the interior of the bag being within the sealing system. A detachable sealable bag for low temperature cooking, characterized in that it is formed. The method of claim 7, wherein A detachable sealable bag for low temperature cooking, characterized in that both the first portion and the second portion consist of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The method of claim 8, And the joining region is made of a composite film material provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The method of claim 9, And the sheet is a sheet of a composite film material provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion. The method of claim 7, wherein And wherein said interior is also formed in a joining region. The method of claim 7, wherein One or more portions of the first portion free edge are permanently sealed to one or more portions of the second portion free edge. The method of claim 1, The encapsulation comprises a sheet having a first portion having at least one first partial free edge, a second portion having at least one second partial free edge and a bonding area between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion At least one of the portion or the second portion consists of a composite film material provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion, wherein at least one edge of the first or second portion free edge has another first or second portion An entrance marking means is provided which is visually contrasted with the free edge, wherein the first portion is folded over the joining region and overlaid onto the second portion, the first and second portions defining one of the portions. Sealable to one another along a sealing system created by pressing against another of the parts, the sealing system sealing the junction region. A detachable sealable bag for low temperature cooking, further comprising. The method according to any one of claims 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 13, The composite film material is a three-dimensional composite sheet material having a first side and a second side, the first side including one or more regions having a plurality of spaced apart three-dimensional protrusions extending outwardly therefrom, the protrusions And is separated by an interconnected network of three-dimensional spacings between adjacent protrusions, said spacing being partially filled with an adhesive. The method of claim 14, And the plurality of protrusions form an interlocking convex polygonal amorphous pattern each having a substantially limited number of linear faces facing substantially parallel faces of adjacent polygons. (a) putting one or more foods to be cooked into a bag according to any one of claims 1 to 15, (b) detachably sealing the bag so that air and liquid do not enter the bag during sealing; (c) placing the sealed bag in a sufficient amount of boiling water to partially fill the bag, (d) leaving the bag in water for a time sufficient to cook the food in the bag, and (e) removing the bag from the water. The method of claim 16, The encapsulation is made of a composite film material provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that prevents inadvertent adhesion, and the step of detaching and sealing the encapsulation comprises generating a sealing system by pressing the film at a desired position. Low-temperature cooking method. delete delete (a) putting one or more foods to be cooked into a bag according to any one of claims 1 to 15 and keeping the inside of the bag substantially free of oil, (b) detaching and sealing the bag so that air and liquid do not enter the bag during sealing; (c) placing the sealed bag in a microwave; (d) heating the microwave for a time sufficient to cook food in the bag. (a) putting one or more foods and one or more seasonings into a bag according to any one of claims 1 to 15, (b) detaching and sealing the bag so that air and liquid do not enter the bag during sealing; (c) placing the sealed bag in a refrigerator for a time sufficient to put the food in the bag into the sauce.

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