GB2500042A

GB2500042A - A Method of Packaging and Serving Food

Info

Publication number: GB2500042A
Application number: GB201204086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas White
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-08
Filing date: 2012-03-08
Publication date: 2013-09-11
Also published as: GB201204086D0

Abstract

A method of packaging and serving ready-to eat food comprises the steps of providing a first plastics tub 2 (which may be transparent) and sealing the food 1 in an airtight manner in the tub using a film 3 (which may be a plastics barrier film) secured to the tub 2 open edge. A first plastics lid 5 (which may be opaque), substantially in the form of an inverted tray, is clipped onto the open edge of the tub 2 in a substantially airtight manner. To lay out the food 1 the lid 5 is removed and inverted, the film 3 is removed and the food 1 is place on the inverted lid 5, which is covered by the inverted tub 2 to retain freshness. The edge of the first lid 5 may be provided with a lip 6 which clips around the edge of a flange 4 around the edge of the first tub 2. There may be provided a second plastics tub 9 which nests outside the first tub 2 and a second plastics lid 10 which nests outside the first lid 5, whereby the food 1 may be laid out on either of the inverted lids 5, 10, and covered by the inverted tubs 2, 9. The first and second tubs/lids may be provided with interlockable formations 11 allowing them to be releaseably clipped together when nested.

Description

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A METHOD OF PACKAGING AND OF SERVING FOOD

The present invention relates to a method of packaging and serving food, in particular finger food or similar food that requires no further 5 preparation prior to consumption, and to a food package produced by this method.

Conventionally, finger food, party food and the like are packaged in plastics cartons which are substantially air-tight to keep the food fresh prior 10 to consumption. The package may also be "gas flushed", a practice that modifies the composition of the internal atmosphere within the package in order to improve the shelf life of the food contained within it. Typically, the proportion of oxygen in the air contained within the package is lowered by replacing it with nitrogen or carbon dioxide. However, once the package has 15 been opened, the food will start to deteriorate, especially if laid out on a table ready for serving.

It is an object of the present invention provide a method of packaging finger food or similar food that require no further preparation prior to 2 o consumption in manner that enables the packaged food to be laid out ready to serve in manner that substantially reduces its deterioration once the package has been opened.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a

2 5 method of packaging and serving ready-to eat food comprising the steps of providing a first plastics tub;

sealing the food in the tub in an air-tight manner using a film secured to the edges of the tub; and providing a first plastics lid for the tub substantially in the form of an

3 o inverted tray that clips to the open edge of the tub in a substantially air-tight manner, whereby on removal of the film from the tub when it is desired to lay out the food, the first lid is inverted to permit the food to be laid out on it

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as a tray and then covered by the inverted tub, which attaches to the tray to keep the food fresh prior to serving.

Preferably, the method comprises the additional step of modifying the 5 atmosphere in the tub prior to, during or after sealing of the food in the first tub by the film.

Preferably also, the method comprises the additional step of providing a second plastics tub which nests with the first tub and a second plastics lid 10 substantially in the form of a tray that nests with the first lid whereby the food can be laid out on both the first and second lids when inverted for use as trays and covered by the inverted first and second tubs. This enables the food to be packed more efficiently in the first tub, without wasting space and keeping the atmosphere modification costs to a minimum, but enables the 15 food to be laid out on the trays attractively.

Preferably also, the first and second tubs are provided with interlockable formations that allow them to be releasable clipped together when the first tub is nested within the second tub.

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Preferably also, the first and second lids are provided with interlockable formations that allow them to be releasable clipped together when the first lid is nested within the second lid.

25 According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provide a food package produced according to the method of the first aspect of the present invention.

Other preferred but non-essential features of the invention are 3 o described in the dependent claims.

An example of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which;-

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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a food package in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention prior to laying out of the food ready for serving;

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Fig. 2 is an exploded side view of the package shown in Fig. 2 but without the food and showing an edge detail of a lid/tray of the package;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the package shown in Fig. 2 but without l o the food and a sealing film; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded side view of a modified food package similar to that shown in Fig. 2 but immediately prior to the food being laid out before serving.

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A method of packaging finger food, party food or similar food that requires no further preparation prior to consumption in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figs, l to 3 of the drawings. First, the food itself is prepared ready for consumption. In the present example the food 20 comprises sandwiches 1. These are then stacked side-by-side in the most efficient manner in a first plastics tub 2. Preferably, the tub 2 is made of a transparent plastics material, for example a transparent polycarbonate so that the sandwiches 1 can be viewed through the tub 2. Once packed in the tub 2, the tub 2 is sealed in an air-tight manner using a film 3 that is secured 25 to a flange 4 formed by an upper, open edge of the tub 2. Unless the food 1 comprises fresh fruit of vegetables that require a breathable atmosphere within the tub 2 in order to remain fresh, the film 3 is preferably a plastics barrier film 3 that prevents the exchange of gases between the interior of the tub 2 and the atmosphere after sealing of the tub 2. This keeps the food 1 3 0 fresh for a considerable period so that the package has a considerable shelf life.

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Preferably, the atmosphere within the tub 2 is modified prior to, during or after sealing of the food 1 in the first tub 2 by the film 3, for example by gas flushing, using conventional techniques. This ensures that the food 1 is remains fresh within the tub 2 so that the food package has an 5 economic shelf life. Thereafter, the sealed tub 2 is provided with a lid 5 that clips around the flange 4 of the tub 2 in a substantially air-tight manner. Such lids 5 and tubs 2 are known and may be accomplished by providing the edge of the lid 5 with a lip 6 that clips around the flange 4 provided around the open edge of the tub 2. Hence, the seal between them is not 10 totally air-tight but is sufficient to keep the food 1 within the tub 2 fresh for a few hours after the sealing film 3 has been removed.

In addition to clipping to the tub 2, the lid 5 is formed substantially in the form of an inverted tray, which when inverted to form the tray, as shown 15 in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a base portion 7 with upraised edges 8 that are surmounted by the lip 6. The inversion of the lid 5 to form a tray enables the food 1 to be laid out on the lid/tray 5 after the film 3 has been removed from the tub 2 and then covered by the inverted tub 2, the tub 2 and the tray/lid 5 being clipped together to keep the food fresh prior to serving.

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A modification of the package shown in Figs. 1 to 3 is shown in Fig. 4. As the food 1 will typically be closely packed within the tub 2, preferably a second plastics tub 9 is provided that nests outside the first tub 2 together with a second plastics lid 10 substantially in the form of a tray that nests with 25 the first lid 5. Preferably, to ensure that the package holds together as a single entity, for example that is suitable for vending via a vending machine, the tubs 2 and 9 are provided with interlockable formations 11, preferably at rounded corners of the tubs 2, 9, that allow them to be releasable clipped together when the first tub 2 is nested within the second tub 9. Similarly, the 3 0 first and second lids 5 and 10 are provided with interlockable formations 12, again preferably at rounded corners of the lids 5 and 10 that allows them to be releasable clipped together when the first lid 5 is nested within the second lid 10. The formations 11 and 12 may simply comprise complementarily

shaped indentations/projections that themselves nest one within the other as shown in Figs 2 and 3. Hence, preferably the second tub 9 is identical to the first tub 2 and the second lid 10 is identical to the first lid 5.

Typically, therefore the food package will comprise the food 1 sealed by the film 3 within the first tub 2 and covered by the first lid 5, with a second tub 9 which is clipped the first tub 2 and the second lid 10 clipped to the first lid 5. Now, when it is desired to serve the food 1, it can be laid out on both the first and second lids 5, 10 when inverted for use as trays and covered by the inverted first and second tubs 2, 9. This enables the food to be packed more efficiently in the first tub 2, without wasting space, and for the atmosphere modification costs to be kept to a minimum while still enabling the food 1 to be laid out on the lids/trays 5,11 attractively.

As a convenience to the user, at least one disposable glove or a pair of such gloves (not shown) may be provided in the package and located between the first and second tubs 2, 9 or first and second lids 5, 10. This glove or gloves can be used when laying out the food 1 for hygiene purposes so that the food can remain untouched prior to serving.

In addition to the foregoing, at least the first tub 2 but preferably both tubs 2, 9 if provided are made of a transparent plastics material, for example a transparent polycarbonate. This enables the food to be seen through the tub 2 or tubs 2, 9 both before and after it has been laid out. In addition, at least the first lid 5 but preferably both lids 2, 10 are made of an opaque plastics material. This enables the food to be presented more attractively when the lid is inverted to form the first tray.

Claims

A method of packaging and serving ready-to eat food comprising the steps of providing a first plastics tub;

sealing the food in the tub in an air-tight manner using a film secured to the open edge of the tub; and providing a first plastics lid for the tub substantially in the form of an inverted tray that clips to the open edge of the tub in a substantially air-tight manner, whereby on removal of the film from the tub when it is desired to lay out the food, the first lid is inverted to permit the food to be laid out on it as a tray and then covered by the inverted tub, which attaches to the tray to keep the food fresh prior to serving.

A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the edge of the first lid is provided with a lip that clips around the edge of a flange provided around the open edge of the first tub.

A method as claimed in Claim l or Claim 2, comprising the additional step of modifying the atmosphere in the tub prior to, during or after sealing of the food in the first tub by the film.

A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the film is a plastics barrier film.

A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, comprising the additional step of providing a second plastics tub which nests outside the first tub and a second plastics lid substantially in the form of a tray that nests with the first lid whereby the food can be laid out on both the first and second lids when inverted for use as trays and covered by the inverted first and second tubs.

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10

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6. A method as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the first and second tubs are provided with interlockable formations that allows them to be releasable clipped together when the first tub is nested within the second tub.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the first and second lids are provided with interlockable formations that allows them to be releasable clipped together when the first lid is nested within the second lid.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the interlockable formations of the tubs and/or the lids comprise complementarily shaped indentations/projections that themselves nest one within the other.

9. A method as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the second tub identical to the first tub and the second lid is identical to the first lid.

10. A method as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 9, comprising the

2 0 additional step of providing at least one disposable glove between the first and second tubs or lids that can be used when laying out the food.

11. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 10, wherein at least the first tub is made of a transparent plastics material.

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12. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein at least the first lid is made of an opaque plastics material.

13. A method of packaging and serving ready-to eat food substantially as

3 0 described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14.

A food package produced according to the method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 13.

A food package substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.