JPH03226477A - Food package for use in steaming by electronic oven and food receiving container serving as steamer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make container handling easy and permit foods to be steamed in a short time by a method wherein food is received in a food receiving part, a water-retaining body composed of a water-retaining material soaked with the required amount of water is received in a water-retaining body receiving part and the opening of a container is sealed with a lid made of the material having microwave permeability, heat resistance and waterproofness. CONSTITUTION:A food receiving container is provided with a shallow water-retaining body receiving part 3 at its central part and with a food receiving part 2 located around the central part thereof and divided into a plurality of small sections 2a, in which food 6 is receivable individually. A slightly raised part 7 is formed at each of the four corners of partition 4 of the water-receiving part 3 and, when a water retaining body 10 is received in the water- retaining body receiving part 3, a space is secured above the water-retaining body 10. On the other hand, a water retaining material 10 is made of any one of paper, cloth, nonwoven fabric, sponge, natural water supply substance and high-molecular water absorbing material or a combination thereof, formed into such a shape as to be receivable in the water-retaining body receiving part 3 and soaked with water to form the water retaining body 10. A lid 11 capable of sealing the opening of a container 1 is formed using the material having microwave permeability, heat resistance and waterproofness, e.g. synthetic resin made from polyvinylidene chloride.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention "Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to microwave steamed eggplant, which can be placed in a microwave oven as packaged, steamed just by microwave heating, and can be eaten. The present invention relates to a food packaging body for food products, and a food storage container that also serves as a steamer for storing the food products.

[Prior Art/Background Art] With the spread of microwave ovens in recent years, various products have been developed that can be easily prepared into cooked processed foods by simply placing them in a microwave oven. Among them are packages for foods to be steamed in a microwave oven (Utility Model Application No. 62-134871) and containers that double as steaming lids for microwave ovens (Utility Model Application No. 63-18).
No. 3078). However, similar to traditional steamers that generate steam over a fire, these steamers are filled with the required amount of water at the bottom of the container body, and have numerous holes in the top large enough to allow steam to flow through. It has a structure in which a mount is arranged and the cooked food is placed on the mount, and in the case of the above-mentioned packaging, the required amount of water is filled, so there is no chance of this inadvertently getting the stored food wet. The water is frozen to turn it into a solid and then distributed.

``Problems to be solved by the invention'' The method of keeping steaming water as it is in a container is difficult to handle because it is a liquid.
Is it frozen to form ice (solid) as shown in the issue?
As in No. 183078, it is necessary to pour water into the container body immediately before placing it in the microwave, and to perform microwave heating after assembling the inner plate and lid. In other words, the former cannot be used unless it is completely frozen, and if the ice melts even a little, the packaging may tilt or shake, and the water may wet the stored items, causing quality deterioration. .

The present invention stores a water retainer that retains the moisture necessary for steaming inside the container body, prevents the fluidity peculiar to water, and
In addition to making the packaging easier to handle during distribution, during steam cooking, the moisture held inside the water retaining body is evenly heated and evaporated, allowing steam cooking to be performed in a short time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a food package for steaming in a microwave oven based on a new idea, and a food storage container that also serves as a steamer for producing the product.

"Means for Solving Problems" The first invention for which a patent is being sought is a container with a bottomed opening made of a heat-resistant and water-resistant material, which has a food storage section and a water-retaining body storage section. A container body is prepared in which the storage space of both is arranged in parallel and divided so that the storage spaces of both are in communication with each other. In addition to housing a water retaining body that retains a certain amount of water, the opening is made microwave permeable.
This food package for microwave steaming is characterized in that it is sealed with a lid made of a heat-resistant and water-resistant material.

The second invention for which a patent is sought is a method for storing a food storage section and a water retaining body storage section in parallel in a bottomed open container made of a heat-resistant and water-resistant material. The food storage section is divided into sections so that the space is communicated with each other, and the food storage section is divided into sections so that the food to be stored can be stored individually as needed, and the bottom thereof has a pedestal section on which the food to be stored is placed and the pedestal. A container body formed with a lower liquid reservoir, and a paper, cloth, non-woven fabric, sponge, natural water-supplying substance, polymeric water-absorbing material, or a combination thereof formed into a shape that can be stored in the water-retaining body storage part. Such water retaining material, microwave permeability,
This food storage container also serves as a steamer, and is made of a heat-resistant and water-resistant material and includes a lid material formed to seal the opening.

That is, the second invention is a container used to constitute the product according to the first invention.

``Function'' When you want to eat the food package for steaming in a microwave oven of the first invention for which a patent is sought, all you have to do is place the package in the microwave and irradiate it with microwaves for a predetermined period of time. . Then, the irradiated microwaves cause microwave heating (self-heating) of the stored food and the water retained in the water retention material. As a result, the water retained in the water retaining material evaporates and fills the container body, which is sealed with the lid material, and the stored food is heated by microwaves (self-heating) and its temperature rises, causing steam cooking. state.

The food storage container that also serves as a steamer according to the second invention for which a patent is sought consists of a container body, a water retainer, and a lid material. In addition to storing the food to be stored in the food storage section in the container body, the water retention material is stored in the water retention body storage section, and then the opening of the container body is closed with a lid material. In particular, it is used as a food package for steaming in a microwave oven.

"Embodiments" The first and second inventions for which patents are sought will be described in detail based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an example of a food package for steaming in a microwave oven. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container body 1 used in this embodiment. The container body 1 is manufactured from a material having heat resistance and water resistance, and in the case of the embodiment, it is a bottomed open container body l made of synthetic resin. Inside this container body 1, a food storage section 2 and a water retaining body storage section 3 are arranged in parallel on a plane. Furthermore, the height of the partition 4 is lower than that of the peripheral side wall 5, so that the storage spaces of both are divided and formed so that they communicate with each other. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, a water retaining body storage part 3 is formed in the center with a shallow bottom, and the food storage part 2 is arranged around it so that the food to be stored 6 can be stored alone. Small division 2a
, 2a... are arranged and formed. Note that the four corners of the partition 4 of the water-retaining body storage section 3 are formed with convex portions 7 slightly higher, so that when the water-retaining body 10 is stored in the water-retaining body storage section 3, a space is secured above the water-retaining body 10. It was designed to do so. Further, at the bottom of the food storage section 2, a pedestal section 8 on which the stored food 6 is placed is formed slightly higher than the surrounding area, and a liquid reservoir section 9 lower than the pedestal section 8 is formed in the shape of a groove around the pedestal section 8. It is.

On the other hand, the water retaining material 10a is made of paper, cloth, non-woven fabric, sponge, natural water-supplying substances, polymeric water absorbing materials, or a combination thereof, and is formed into a shape that can be stored in the water retaining body storage section 3. A water retaining body 10 is obtained by including the water.

Furthermore, the lid material 1 is made of a material having microwave permeability, heat resistance, and water resistance, for example, a synthetic resin such as polyvinylidene chloride, so that the opening of the container body 1 can be sealed.
form 1. In addition, as this lid material 11, as shown in the figure,
However, it goes without saying that a thin wrapping sheet (a commercially available one may also be used) may be used. Also,
Of course, if possible, all or part of the lid material 11 may be made transparent or translucent so that the steamed state of the food inside can be observed from the outside.

In the present invention, the container main body 1, the water retaining body 10, and the lid material 11 configured as described above are prepared, and the food to be stored 6 is placed in the food storage section 2 of the container main body 1, in the case of the illustrated embodiment. In addition to storing "Shumai", the water-retaining body 10 made of a water-retaining material 10a that retains the required amount of water is stored in the water-retaining body storage part 3, and the opening is made of microwave permeable, heat-resistant, and water-resistant material. A food package for microwave steaming of "Shuumai" was realized by sealing it with a lid material 11 made of a material with properties (FIG. 1).

Below, we actually put this product in a microwave oven, irradiated it with microwaves for a predetermined period of time, steamed the stored Shumai in the microwave, and conducted an experiment to see how well it was steamed.We will describe the results. .

[Experiment example]

As shown in Fig. 1, a food storage container 1 made of synthetic resin has a food storage section 2 that stores eight pieces of 25g of shumai, and a water storage container 10 that holds the required amount of water in its central water storage storage section 3. was stored, and the opening of the food storage container 1 was sealed with a lid material 11 made of polyvinylidene chloride to obtain a food package for microwave steaming. This package was placed in a microwave oven and heated at 600 W for 3 and a half to 4 minutes. A sensory test was conducted on it by five panelists. The results are as follows: It was found that there was almost no difference in taste, outer skin, and warmth compared to those cooked by steaming using the conventional method.

Therefore, it was confirmed that even the simple microwave steam cooking method using this food package is sufficiently practical.

Sensory test results (evaluation criteria) Good - Bad 10 points - 10 points In the illustrated example, a food package for microwave steaming of the food "Shumai" is realized, and the necessary container body and water retention However, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to such embodiments.
All meat buns and other steamed foods are eligible for implementation. At that time, it is conceivable that the container, water retaining body, lid material, etc. may have an appropriate shape corresponding to each food, but all of these are included in the technical scope of the present invention.

"Effects" The first invention of the present application has a container with a bottom and an opening, as shown diagonally above.
A container body is prepared in which a food storage part and a water retaining body storage part are arranged in parallel and divided so that the storage spaces of both are in communication with each other, and the food to be stored is stored in the food storage part, and
The water-retaining body storage section houses a water-retaining body made of a water-retaining material that retains a necessary amount of water, and the opening is covered with a lid material made of a material having microwave permeability, heat resistance, and water resistance. I sealed it and made it into a food package for microwave steaming, so when I want to eat it, I just put it in the microwave as it is packaged.
All you need to do is irradiate the microwave for a predetermined period of time. Then, the irradiated microwaves cause microwave heating (self-heating) of the stored food and the water held in the water holding body, causing the water held in the water holding body to evaporate and inside the sealed container body. At the same time, the stored food is heated by microwaves (self-heating) and its temperature rises, resulting in a steamed and cooked state. In this way, the moisture necessary for steaming is stored inside the package, and the steamed food can be eaten by simply placing the packaged food in the microwave and turning on the switch. is an excellent food because of its simplicity. In particular, the water for steaming is retained by a water-retaining material, which eliminates the difficulty of handling due to the fluidity inherent to liquids, and allows it to be handled in the same way as solid foods, allowing it to be used not only for frozen foods but also for chilled foods. , it has become possible to apply it to foods that can be distributed at room temperature.

A second invention of the present application is a food storage container that also serves as a steamer and is composed of a container body, a water retaining body, and a lid material to constitute the food package for steaming in a microwave oven. The first feature is that it has both the function of a storage container for food distribution and the function of a steamer. In particular, the container body is divided into a food storage section and a water retention body storage section in a parallel manner and the storage spaces of both are in communication with each other. while ensuring that the entire container is filled with microwaves.
Since they are arranged in parallel so that the stored food and the water retaining body are irradiated with light, steam cooking in the microwave can be performed efficiently and reliably.

In addition, the water-retaining material is made of paper, cloth, non-woven fabric, sponge, natural water-supplying substances, polymeric water-absorbing materials, or a combination thereof, so that the necessary moisture for steaming can be obtained regardless of the fluidity specific to the liquid. Now it can be held and handled like a solid object. In this way, even if water is firmly held in the water retaining material when it is in a liquid state, when the water generates heat on its own due to microwave irradiation and becomes steam (gasification), it will separate from the water retaining material and flow into the space. Fill up. Utilizing this principle, the major technology of the present invention is to control the moisture required for steaming like a solid substance during the manufacturing and distribution stages, and directly evaporate it from the state retained in the water retaining material during the steaming stage. It is a characteristic of

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the food package for microwave steaming according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a container main body used in the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the container main body. 4 are longitudinal sectional side views of a food storage container that also serves as a steamer according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a water retaining material. ``Explanation of main symbols j l... Container body, 2... Food storage section, 3... Water retaining body storage section, 4... Partition, 5... Circumferential wall, 6... Storage area Food, 7... Convex part, 8... Pedestal part, 9... Liquid reservoir part, 0... Water retaining body, Oa... Water retaining material, 1... Lid body.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Inside a bottomed open container made of heat-resistant and water-resistant material, a food storage section and a water-retaining body storage section are arranged in parallel and divided so that the storage spaces of both are in communication with each other. A container main body is prepared, the food to be stored is stored in the food storage part, a water retention body made of a water retention material retains a required amount of water is stored in the water retention body storage part, and the A food package for steaming in a microwave oven, characterized in that an opening is sealed with a lid material made of a material having microwave permeability, heat resistance, and water resistance. (2) Inside a bottomed open container made of heat-resistant and water-resistant material, a food storage section and a water-retaining body storage section are arranged in parallel and divided so that the storage spaces of both are in communication with each other. The food storage section divides the food to be stored individually as necessary, and has a base on which the food is placed and a liquid reservoir lower than the base. A container body made of a water-retaining material, a water-retaining material formed of paper, cloth, non-woven fabric, sponge, natural water-supplying substance, polymeric water-absorbing material, or a combination thereof formed into a shape that can be stored in the water-retaining body storage part, and a microwave-transmitting material. A food storage container that also serves as a steamer, comprising: a lid material made of a material having heat resistance, heat resistance, and water resistance so as to be able to seal the opening;