GB2431339A

GB2431339A - A food preparation container

Info

Publication number: GB2431339A
Application number: GB0521378A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Carroll
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-20
Filing date: 2005-10-20
Publication date: 2007-04-25
Also published as: GB0521378D0

Abstract

A food preparation container (10) comprising a protrusion (12) having an indicia (14) indelibly marked thereon, the indicia (14) serving to indicate the type of food which is to be contained in the container (10). The indicia (14) serves to indicate, for example, whether or not the container (10) contains vegetarian food, vegan food, etc. The protrusion (12) is preferably a lip extending from a top edge of a side of the container (10) and arranged so that multiple containers (10) are stackable one on top of the other.

Description

1 2431339 P517272GB A Food Preparation Container The invention relates to

a food preparation container, and in particular to a serving dish, a cooking dish or a storage container for food stuffs.

Caterers providing food and refreshments to conferences, training courses, business meetings and private functions, for example, are often asked to prepare food for people with special dietary requirements. Often the staff preparing the food are not the staff who are serving the food. Therefore, a catering company must rely on reliable communication between two separate sets of staff in order that people with special dietary requirements receive the proper food. This becomes increasingly difficult and unlikely where the caterers prepare and cook the food at a site remote from the location of the function, especially where the food is to be reheated on-site. In many cases the staff serving or reheating the food have no connection to the caterers providing the food. They often are not able to distinguish between food which has been prepared with specially selected ingredients and food which has not.

A known solution is to use removable signs, which are placed near or into the food, to indicate the contents of a particular dish. These signs are often removed when the food is being transported or reheated and they must be removed when food is being served from the portion of the dish containing the sign. As a result, the signs are often misplaced.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved food preparation container.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a food preparation container, the container being provided with a protrusion arranged on the container, the protrusion having an indicia indelibly marked thereon, the indicia serving to indicate the type of food which is to be contained in the container.

In this way, people with special dietary requirements will be able to see at a glance which dish contains food meeting those requirements. Serving staff will also be able to see at a glance which dish contains which type of food. The need to ensure perfect communication between kitchen staff and serving staff is removed, and the need to use removable signs which may be misplaced is also removed. As a result, the level of service given to customers with or without special dietary requirements will be improved as all dishes with special ingredients will be suitably marked.

A further, previously unseen, advantage of the invention is that because the dish contains a permanent marking indicating the type of food to be prepared, cooked, stored and served in the dish, then there is a high probability that only that type of food will actually he prepared, cooked, stored and served in that dish. It is to be noted that the applicant identified this need as he has a special dietary requirement and he is able to taste meat residue in vegetarian food which has been cooked in dishes previously used for cooking meat. He expects that others are also able to do this. The invention therefore provides an advantage in that it is capable of preventing cross-contamination of different food types, in particular cross-contamination of meat, meat-free and religious food types. This principle may also be extended to any type of food storage container.

Accordingly, the term "food preparation container" refers to any container for preparing, cooking, storing and serving foods. More specifically, the terms refers to a container for storing composite foods, and more specifically still, to a container for storing composite foods whose ingredients would not be immediately recognisable.

The protrusion may extend laterally outwardly from the container, preferably laterally outwardly from a side of the container. Preferably, the protrusion is arranged so that multiple containers may be stacked one on top of the other. In a preferred embodiment, the protrusion extends laterally outwardly at an angle of between 0 and 45 degrees below a horizontal plane, preferably at an angle of 30 degrees. In this way, the indicia marked on the protrusion is more visible. The protrusion may be a lip extending from a top edge of a side of the container. The protrusion may be a handle, in this way, existing handles may display the indicia and further protrusions will not be required.

Preferably, there are two or more protrusions each having an indicia. The protrusions may be oppositely arranged. In this way, both a person serving food and a person requesting food from the container will easily be able to read the indicia marked thereon.

Preferably, the container is marked with the indicia during manufacture.

Four food preparation containers in accordance with embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a food preparation container in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the food preparation container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the food preparation container of Figure 1 without indicia marked thereon; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the food preparation container of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a top plan view of a food preparation container in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a front elevation of the food preparation container of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a side elevation of a food preparation container in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a top plan view of a food preparation container in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a front elevation of the food preparation container of Figure 8.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a food preparation container 10 of the first embodiment of the invention is rectangular in shape and has four walls lOW and a base lOB. The two longer walls low each have an outwardly protruding rectangular lip 12.

Each lip 12 is positioned at the top of each wall lOW and is positioned symmetrically halfway along each wall lOW. Each lip 12 has a permanent marking 14 being, in this embodiment, the text "VEGETARIAN". The bottom of each marking is adjacent the outside edge of each respective lip 12. The lips 12 are angled downwardly from an imaginary horizontal plane placed over the opening of the container 10.

It is anticipated that other markings 14 may be used and to this end Figures 3 and 4 show a container 10 having lips 12 without any markings 14. For example, a sign may be used in place of the word "VEGETARIAN". An example of such a sign may be a colour, perhaps green to indicate containers for vegetarian food. Examples of textual markings 14 other than "VEGETARIAN" may be used include "VEGAN", "HALAL", "KOSHA", "NO SALT", "NO NUTS", "LOW FAT" and "LOW SUGAR". This list is non-exhaustive and it is anticipated that other markings relating to other food preference groups could be used. This includes food requirements which are dictated by religion or medical conditions, including allergies.

A modified embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6. Like reference numerals apply and only the differences are described. This embodiment comprises a container 10 having two opposite handles 16 on the respective sides of the container 10 not having lips 12.

A further modified embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 7. Like reference numerals apply and only the differences are described. Figure 7 shows the container 10

V

with lips 12 which have a triangular cross section and are at an angle of 30 degrees from an imaginary horizontal plane. This angle is considered to be the optimum for ensuring visibility of the markings when in use. Furthermore, the shape and angle of the lips 12 allows easier stacking of multiple containers 10.

A further modified embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 8 and 9. Like reference numerals apply and only the differences are descnbed. This embodiment has a single protrusion 12 and corresponding marking 14. Two handles 16 are provided.

It will be apparent to the readers skilled in the art that the protrusions 12 may be of any suitable shape. Likewise, the container 10 may also be of any suitable shape, including square, round and oval shapes. The protrusions 12 could be suitably modified to suit the shape of the container 10. It will be appreciated that the lips 12 may also be used as handles.

It will also be apparent that the container 10 could be made of any suitable material. It is envisaged that pottery, glassware, ceramics, plastics and metal ware may all be used.

Suitable techniques for marking the container 10 with the indicia would then be used, and these would be apparent to a reader skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims 1. A food preparation container, the container being provided with

a protrusion arranged on the container, the protrusion having an indicia indelibly marked thereon, the indicia serving to indicate the type of food which is to be contained in the container.
2. A containcr as claimed in claim I, wherein the protrusion is arranged so that multiple containers may be stacked one on top of the other.
3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the protrusion extends laterally outwardly from the container.
4. A container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the protrusion extends laterally outwardly from a side of the container.
5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the protrusion is a lip extending from a top edge of a side of the container.
6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the protrusion extends laterally outwardly at an angle of between 0 and 45 degrees below horizontal.
7. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the protrusion is arranged to serve as a handle.
8. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein there are two or more protrusions each having an indicia.
9. A container according to claim 8, wherein there are two oppositely arranged protrusions.
10. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is marked with the indicia during manufacture. $ 7
11. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is a serving dish, cooking dish or storage container.
12. A container substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the drawings.