WO2022254089A1

WO2022254089A1 - Meal packet

Info

Publication number: WO2022254089A1
Application number: PCT/FI2022/050370
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pekka Nuutinen
Original assignee: Komerofood Oy
Priority date: 2021-05-31
Filing date: 2022-05-31
Publication date: 2022-12-08
Also published as: FI20215634A1

Abstract

A meal packet comprising vegetables, a protein source, and dry ingredients is disclosed. Preparing a meal packet for consumption is further disclosed. A meal packet prepare for immediate consumption is finally disclosed.

Description

MEAL PACKET TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a meal packet comprising vegetables, a protein source, and dry ingredients. The present disclosure further relates to preparing a meal packet for consumption. The present disclosure finally relates to a meal packet prepared for immediate consumption. BACKGROUND

Many types of meal packets are sold that are intended to be easily and quickly prepared for consump tion and consumed immediately. One example of meal pack ets are so-called cup noodles. Cup noodles usually con- sist precooked instant noodles with flavoring powder and/or seasoning sauce sold in a polystyrene, polyeth ylene, or paper cup. The flavoring can be in a separate packet or loose in the cup. Hot water is the only in gredient that is needed separately. Cooking takes 3-5 minutes. Cup noodles have been consumed in Asia for many years. It has started to arise worldwide and it has made them a popular staple around the world.

Cup noodles can typically include, in addition to flavoring, ingredients such as dried vegetables or protein sources. Addition of boiling water to the cup provides a meal that includes noodles and rehydrated vegetables and protein in a soup or broth.

SUMMARY A meal packet is disclosed. The meal packet may comprise :

- fresh vegetables,

- a protein source, and

- dry ingredients, wherein the ingredients are packed in a sealable container.

A further meal packet is disclosed. The further meal packet may comprise: - processed vegetables,

- a protein source, and

- dry ingredients, wherein the ingredients are packed in a sealed container.

Additionally, a method for preparing a meal packet is disclosed. The method for preparing a meal packet may comprise:

- Adding hot water to the meal packet, - allowing the ingredients to steep for at least 1 min until the dry ingredients are cooked.

Finally, a meal packet prepared for immediate consumption is disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawing, which is included to provide a further understanding of the embodiments and constitute a part of this specification, illustrates various embodiments. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 presents a meal packet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In Fig. 1, 1 rep resents dry ingredients, 2 represents vegetables, and 3 represents a protein source.

Fig. 2 presents a measurement of humidity in a meal packet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when a dry ingredient is included.

Fig. 3 presents a measurement of humidity in a meal packet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure without a dry ingredient included. Fig. 4 present a measurement of the moisture content of the noodles in a meal packet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A meal packet is disclosed. The meal packet may comprise:

- fresh vegetables,

- a protein source, and

- dry ingredients, wherein the ingredients are packed in a sealable container.

A second meal packet is disclosed. The meal packet may comprise:

- processed vegetables,

- a protein source, and

- dry ingredients, wherein the ingredients are packed in a sealable container.

A method for preparing a meal packet as disclosed herein for consumption is disclosed. The method comprises:

- Adding hot water to the meal packet,

- allowing the ingredients to steep for at least 1 min until the dry ingredients are cooked.

In certain embodiments, the meal packet may comprise both fresh and processed vegetables. In certain embodiments, the meal packet comprises fresh vegetables. In certain embodiments, the meal packet comprises processed vegetables. In certain embodiments, the meal packet comprises fresh vegetables and processed vegetables. As used herein, the term "sealed container" refers to a container that is sealed to prevent the contents from coming into contact with the atmosphere outside the container. The sealing of the container must be waterproof, airproof, and dustproof to ensure that the storage conditions remain constant.

In one embodiment, the contents of the container are packed in a shielding gas. The shielding gas may be any gas suited for the storage of food and foodstuff known to a person skilled in the art, such as nitrogen, argon, or any combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the meal packet is suitable for storage in a refrigerator or other refrigerated storage.

The amount and type of micro-organisms found in foodstuffs have a significant effect on the safety of consuming the foodstuff as well as having an effect on the storage stability of food. To ensure that a meal packet according to the present disclosure is suited for storage of food and that the meal packet is safe for consumption after storage, a microbiological analysis of the meal packet was performed before storage, after storage, and after cooking the meal packet. The results of the analyses are presented in Example 3.

As used in this description, a meal packet refers to a package containing the ingredients for a meal that is to be cooked or prepared before consumption. This can, in certain embodiments, mean that the ingredients or part of them are e.g. boiled or allowed to steep in hot water until sufficiently cooked and/or warmed to be suitable for consumption. In one embodiment, preparing the meal means that a dried component such as noodles or pasta included in the meal packet is allowed to steep until they are soft and ready to be consumed. In one embodiment, a meal packet according to the present disclosure comprises dry ingredients that are cooked by the addition of hot water. When water of a temperature of 90 - 100 °C is added to the dry ingredients they also absorb water during the cooking process. In certain embodiments, a meal packet according to the present disclosure is cooked by adding cold water to the meal packet and heating the resulting mixture in a microwave until the water has reached the desired temperature and/or the contents of the meal packet have been cooked. In certain embodiments, a meal packet according to the present disclosure is cooked by adding to it boiling water and allowing the ingredients to steep until the meal packet is ready for consumption. In certain embodiments, a meal packet according to the present disclosure is cooked by adding to it water at a temperature of 90 - 100 °C and allowing the ingredients to steep until the meal packet is ready for consumption.

In certain embodiments, the meal packet is cooked or prepared immediately before consumption. As used herein, the expression "immediately before consumption" means that once the meal is considered ready for consumption, it is consumed without e.g. refrigerating and/or re-heating it before consumption. As used herein the expressions "cooked",

"prepared for consumption", "cooking", and similar are used to mean that an uncooked or pre-cooked ingredient is prepared for consumption. Depending on the ingredient, cooking can include e.g. heating the ingredient, steeping the ingredient in hot water, and/or the ingredient absorbing hot water for the purpose of e.g. softening the ingredient to prepare it for consumption. A non-limiting example of cooking may be subjecting noodles or dry pasta to hot water for a sufficient amount of time to soften the pasta for consumption. As will be obvious to a person skilled in the art, the time required for cooking the meal packet will depend on the ingredients. As a non-limiting example, it is noted that fresh or pre-cooked pasta or noodles require less time for cooking than dry pasta or noodles.

The meal packet is packed in a container that is sealed with a lid, a resealable lid, an airtight film, a gas-permeable film, or any combination thereof In certain embodiments, the film sealing the container may be a plastic film, a metallic film, a paper- or cardboard-based film, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the container may be a cup, a bag, a sachet, a cup with a lid, or any other suitable container known to a person skilled in the art.

In certain embodiments, the meal packet may be packed in a container that is clear, opaque, or partly opaque.

In certain embodiments, the meal packet may be packed in any container suitable for preparing the meal for consumption such as glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, paper, cardboard, styrofoam, or any combination thereof. In embodiments where the meal packet is packed in a container made of plastic or carboard, the material must be chosen so that it can withstand temperatures of at least 80 °C. In certain embodiments, the container is heat and microwave resistant.

In one embodiment, the meal packet may be packed in a clear container manufactured from polypropylene (PP). In certain embodiments, the meal packet may be packed in any container with a weight of 12 - 40 g, or 18 - 35 g, or 23 - 30 g for an empty container excluding a lid.

The fresh vegetables in the meal packet may be any vegetables suitable for consumption as raw or cooked. In certain embodiments, the fresh vegetables may be selected from the group consisting of carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, chili, bamboo sprouts, corn, kale, Cabbage, white cabbage, red cabbage, bok choy, sugar peas, cauliflower, broccoli, beans, cabbages, roots, tubers, onions, leeks, asparagus, radish, sweetpea, and any combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the fresh vegetables included in the meal packet comprise kale, white cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. In one embodiment, the fresh vegetables included in the meal packet comprise kale, white cabbage, red cabbage, sweet peas, and carrots. In one embodiment, the fresh vegetables included in the meal packet comprise kale, cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. In one embodiment, the fresh vegetables included in the meal packet white cabbage, carrots, and sweet peas. In certain embodiments, the meal packet comprises processed vegetables, in certain embodiments, the processed vegetables may be dried vegetables, freeze-dried vegetables, fried vegetables, vegetables in oil, pickled vegetables, ..., or any combination thereof.

The processed vegetables in the meal packet may be any vegetables suitable for consumption cooked. In certain embodiments, the processed vegetables may be selected from the group consisting of carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, chili, bamboo sprouts, corn, kale, Cabbage, white cabbage, red cabbage, bok choy, sugar peas, cauliflower, broccoli, beans, cabbages, roots, tubers, onions, leeks, asparagus, radish, sweetpea, and any combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the vegetables included in the meal packet may be sliced, diced, cubed, cut, grated, or otherwise processed to decrease their size in order to speed up cooking the vegetables. In one embodiment, the vegetables included in the meal packet may include 3 ^c 3 mm sticks of e.g. carrots. The size of the vegetables included in the meal packet is important to ensure that the vegetables are cooked evenly and provide a pleasant mouth feel.

The meal packet comprises a protein source. In certain embodiments, the protein source may be fish, meat, chicken, tofu, seitan, soy protein, vegan protein, oat-based protein, broad bean-based protein, chickpea- based protein, protein powder, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the protein source may also be a high-protein preparation suitable for consumption such as protein powder. As used herein,

"high-protein" refers to a preparation containing 6 g of protein per 100 g of total dry weight.

In certain embodiments, the protein source may be raw, pre-cooked, cooked, freeze dried, or any combination thereof. The protein source may comprise protein that is cooked or pre-cooked. In certain embodiments, the cooked or pre-cooked protein that is boiled, broiled, fried, deep fried, smoked, dried, salted, cold-smoked, grilled, cured, or any combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the protein source may be included in the meal packet in a sealed packet. The sealed packet containing the protein source may be packed inside the container with the other ingredients or separately outside the container.

In one embodiment, the meal packet comprises a sauce or dressing in a sealed packet. The sealed packet containing the sauce or dressing may be packed inside the container with the other ingredients or separately outside the container. In certain embodiments, the sealed packet containing the sauce or dressing may be a bag, a sachet, a cup with a lid, or any other suitable packet known to a person skilled in the art.

The meal packet includes dry ingredients comprising a carbohydrate source. In certain embodiments, the meal packet comprises, as a carbohydrate source, noodles, pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa, oat, corn, cereals, or any combination thereof.

In certain embodiment, the dry ingredients comprise ingredients that are cooked immediately for consumption. In certain embodiment, the dry ingredients comprise raw or pre-cooked ingredients. In certain embodiment, the dry ingredients comprise raw or pre cooked ingredients that are cooked immediately for consumption.

In certain embodiments, the meal packet may include as dry ingredients dried mushrooms, dried fruits, dried berries, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the meal packet may include as seeds dry ingredients such as pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the meal packet may include dried nuts such as peanuts, cashew nuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, pecan nuts, hazelnuts, or any mixture thereof.

In one embodiment, the meal packet comprises the dry ingredients comprising a carbohydrate source arranged on the bottom of a container. The fresh or processed vegetables are arranged on top of the dry ingredients. The protein source is finally arranged on top of the vegetables, optionally packed in a sealed packet. In one embodiment, the separate packet containing the protein source is not in the same container as the dry ingredients and the vegetables. In one embodiment, the meal packet comprises a sauce or dressing packed in a sealed packet that may be packed in the same container as the dry ingredients and vegetables or outside said container.

In certain embodiments, a meal packet according to the present disclosure may comprise one or more servings. In certain embodiments, a meal packet according to the present disclosure has an energy content of approximately 400 - 1000 kcal per serving. The meal packet described in the current specification comprising dry ingredients and fresh vegetables in a sealed container has the added utility of providing a meal packet, wherein the dried ingredients can absorb moisture from the container thus maintaining the humidity inside the container stable. Maintaining a stable and/or lower level of humidity inside the container provides the advantage that the fresh vegetables maintain their consistency and thereby a crispier mouthfeel also after the meal has been prepared.

The relative humidity (RH) inside the container is preferably maintained on level so that the content of water in the fresh vegetables does not rise to 100 % during storage of up to 10 days. In one embodiment, the moisture content of the fresh vegetables is stable at approximately 90 - 98 % for a period of at least 5 days when stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 2 - 8 °C. During the storage, the moisture content of the dry ingredients may rise from an initial level of 50 - 75 % to over 80 %.

A meal packet according to the present disclosure can be prepared for consumption by adding hot water to the container and allowing the contents of the container to steep until the dry ingredients are sufficiently cooked for consumption. In one embodiment, the preparation of the meal is performed by adding water with a temperature of at least 85 °C and allowing the contents of the container to steep for at least one minute. In certain embodiments, the dry ingredients of the meal packet will absorb part of the hot water during the cooking process.

In certain embodiments, the sauce or dressing is added to the container before adding the hot water. In certain embodiments, a separately packed sauce or dressing is added to the prepared meal packet after steeping. In certain embodiments, the protein source may be added to the meal packet from a separate packet either before or after the addition of hot water to the container. In one embodiment, the protein source is added to the container prior to the addition of hot water, in which case the protein source is also allowed to cook when the contents of the container are steeped. In one embodiment, the protein source is added to the container once the steeping is complete. In one embodiment, the temperature of the meal when ready to eat is around 50 °C. In certain embodiments, the temperature of the meal when ready to eat is at least 40 °C.

In one embodiment, a meal packet according the present disclosure is prepared for immediate consumption according to the method of the present disclosure.

A meal packet according to the present disclosure prepared for immediate consumption according to the method of the present disclosure is disclosed herein.

The meal packet described in and prepared for consumption as described in the present specification has the added advantage that the temperature of the meal, when ready to eat, will be at most 70 °C, significantly reducing the risk of burn the tongue or mouth of the person eating the meal. A further added advantage of a meal packet according to the present disclosure is that the addition of hot water to the meal packet significantly reduces micro-organisms in the meal prepared for consumption, thus improving the safety of the food for consumption after storage.

An added advantage of a meal packet according to the present disclosure prepared for immediate consumption according to the method of the present disclosure is that the addition of hot water to the meal packet reduces the amount of microbes (including bacteria, yeasts, and molds) compared to the unprepared meal packet.

EXAMPLES

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments.

The description below discloses some embodiments in such a detail that a person skilled in the art is able to utilize the embodiments based on the disclosure. Not all steps or features of the embodiments are discussed in detail, as many of the steps or features will be obvious for the person skilled in the art based on this specification.

Example 1 - Meal packet and preparation thereof

A meal packet was prepared from the following ingredients:

• Mixed vegetables: 15 g chopped sweet peas, 50 g cabbage mix (50 % kale, 25 % red cabbage, 25 % white cabbage), 35 g carrot sticks (approximately

3 x 3 mm)

• Mixed seeds: 20 g pumpkinseeds and sesame seeds (1:1 mixture baked at 200 °C for 30 min)

• 50 g protein selected from chicken (cooked, salted), tofu (grated, seasoned), smoked salmon.

• 60 g noodles (wheat noodles or rice noodles)

• 70 g sauce or dressing (may be selected according to the other ingredients.

All ingredients were packed in a plastic container, with the mixed seeds, protein, and sauce or dressing are packed individually so that they could be removed prior to cooking. The packets of sauce or dressing and the protein were removed from the container prior to cooking. Approximately 250 ml boiling water was poured over the vegetables and noodles and allowed to steep for 3 min with intermittent stirring. Finally, the protein was added, and the resulting product stirred thoroughly to provide a meal ready for consumption.

A meal packet according to the above recipe produced a final meal containing approximately 400 - 700 kcal. The pH of the broth was approximately 4.4 - 4.7. The temperature of the meal when ready to eat was approximately 50 °C.

Example 2 - Storage stability of a meal packet

Two meal packets were prepared, one as in Example 1 and one without noodles. Both meals were packed in sealed plastic containers and stored in a refrigerator at approximately 8 °C for 7 days. The relative humidity (RH %) of the air space in both containers was measure as well as the moisture content of the noodles. The results are presented in Figure X.

In the meal packet container without noodles, the RH quickly rose to 100 % (Fig. 2), meaning that the air was saturated with moisture. As a consequence of this, the vegetable in the container became soggy.

In the meal packet that included noodles the humidity rose more slowly and reached a maximum value of about 97 % RH (Fig 3). At the same time, the moisture content of the noodles rose from the starting value of approximately 60 % to approximately 80 % (Fig. 4). As the noodles absorbed moisture from the air, the vegetables in the sealed container remained crisp for the entire seven-day period.

Example 3 - Microbiological analysis Food packets according to the present disclosure were subjected to microbiological analysis before and after storage for 3 days at +3 °C. After storage, the food packet was prepared for consumption by adding 0.3 1 of boiling water and the analysis repeated .

A food packet according to Example 1 including salmon as the protein source was analyzed.

The analyses performed measured the amounts of aerobic micro-organisms, yeasts, and molds using methods according to standards ISO 4833-1:2013, ISO 7954:1987, and ISO: 7954:1987, respectively. The results from the analyses are presented in Table 1. Table 1.

cfu = colony forming unit

The samples analyzed were:

1. Meal packet, newly prepared 2. Meal packet, stored 3 days

3. Meal packet, stored 6 days

4. Salmon, fresh

5. Salmon, stored 3 days

6. Salmon, stored 6 days 7. Meal packet, after cooking

The results of the measurements show that even though the amounts of potentially harmful microbiological contaminants increase during storage, cooking the meal packet using hot water eliminates essentially all microbes from the meal.

Comparison of the values for samples 1- 3 with those for samples 4 - 6 also shows that the microbes present in the samples originate mostly from sources other than the protein sources, e.g. the vegetables or noodles. All analyzed samples conform with the recommendations of The Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea may be implemented in various ways. The embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.

The embodiments described hereinbefore may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment. A meal packet, or a method for preparing a meal packet for consumption, disclosed herein, may comprise at least one of the embodiments described hereinbefore. It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will further be understood that reference to 'an' item refers to one or more of those items. The term "comprising" is used in this specification to mean including the feature (s) or act(s) followed thereafter, without excluding the presence of one or more additional features or acts.

Claims

1. A meal packet containing the ingredients for a meal that is to be cooked or prepared before consumption comprising:

- fresh vegetables (2),

- a protein source (3), and

- dry ingredients (1), wherein the ingredients are packed in a sealable container, characterised in that the dry ingredients comprise ingredients that are cooked immediately before consumption.

2. The meal packet of claim 1, wherein the meal packet comprises processed vegetables.

3. The meal packet of claim 2, wherein the processed vegetables are dried vegetables, freeze-dried vegetables, fried vegetables, vegetables in oil, pickled vegetables, or any combination thereof.

4. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the dry ingredients comprise a carbohydrate source.

5. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the sealable container may be sealed with a lid, a resealable lid, an airtight film, a gas- permeable film, or any combination thereof.

6. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the meal packet comprises a source of protein packed in a sealed package.

7. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the meal packet comprises a sauce or dressing packed in a sealed package.

8. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the meal packet comprises, as a carbohydrate source, noodles, pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa, oat, corn, cereals, or any combination thereof.

9. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the meal packet comprises, as a protein source, fish, meat, chicken, tofu, seitan, soy protein, vegan protein, oat-based protein, broad bean-based protein, chickpea-based protein, protein powder, or any combination thereof.

10. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein source is raw, pre-cooked, cooked, or freeze dried.

11. The meal packet of claim 10, wherein the cooked or pre-cooked protein is boiled, broiled, fried, deep fried, smoked, dried, salted, cold-smoked, grilled, cured, or any combination thereof.

12. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the vegetables are selected from the group containing carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, chili, bamboo sprouts, corn, kale, Cabbage, white cabbage, red cabbage, bok choy, sugar peas, cauliflower, broccoli, beans, cabbages, roots, tubers, onions, leeks, asparagus, radish, sweetpea, and any combination thereof.

13. The meal packet of any of the preceding claims, wherein the meal packet is stored in a refrigerator or other refrigerated storage.

14. Method for preparing a meal packet according to any one of claims 1 - 13 for consumption comprising

- Adding hot water to the meal packet,

15. A meal packet according to any of claims 1 - 13 prepared for immediate consumption according to the method of claim 14.