A method of heating or cooking liquid-exuding product includes placing the liquid-exuding product onto a package (10). The package includes a porous material (20), an absorbent material (21) and a tray (12). The porous material is attached to or contacts at least a portion of the tray. The absorbent material (21) is located between the porous material and the tray. The method includes heating or cooking the combined liquid-exuding product and package. At least some liquid exuded from the liquid-exuding product during heating or cooking travels through the porous material (20) and contacts at least some of the absorbent material (21).

A microwavable dish having a body with a microwave-absorbing coating. A bottom of the microwavable dish or the microwave-absorbing coating defines or includes a dome portion. The microwave-absorbing coating can be coupled to or formed with the bottom of the microwavable dish. The microwave-absorbing coating provides heat to the body by transforming microwaves to heat. The microwave-absorbing coating can include a plurality of nubs, where each nub has a height and a nub diameter.

The present application relates to glass-ceramics that are white, opalescent or opaque, of the lithium aluminosilicate (LAS) type, containing a solid solution of β-spodumene as the main crystalline phase. The application also provides articles that are constituted, at least in part, of said glass-ceramics, precursor glasses for said glass-ceramics, and a method of preparing said article. Said glass-ceramics have a composition that is free from arsenic oxide and antimony oxide, with the exception of inevitable traces, and that contains the following, expressed as percentages by weight of oxides: 60% to 70% of SiO.sub.2, 18% to 23% of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 3.0% to 4.3% of Li.sub.2O, 0 to 2% of MgO, 1 to 4% of ZnO, 0 to 4% of BaO, 0 to 4% of SrO, 0 to 2% of CaO, 1.3% to 1.75% of TiO.sub.2, 1% to 2% of ZrO.sub.2, 0.05% to 0.6% of SnO.sub.2, 0 to 2% of Na.sub.2O, 0 to 2% of K.sub.2O, 0 to 2% of P.sub.2O.sub.5, 0 to 2% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, with Na.sub.2O+K.sub.2O+BaO+SrO+CaO≤6% and Na.sub.2O+K.sub.2O≤2%, and a maximum of 500 ppm of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3.

A smart inductive heating appliance includes an interface for interacting with a package intelligence and communication module on a smart package. The smart heating appliance may also detect and charge chargeable devices inductively. A number of data sets may be utilized to enhance control of heating/cooking and to enhance safety. A thermodynamic load profile of the package may include detailed data correlations established in a package testing step and utilized to control heating of the package as well as to validate and authenticate the package.

The present invention provides a lidded container which, even when a flange portion of the container warps during microwave heating, can prevent a contact between the flange portion and a lid and allows steam to pass from a steam escape mechanism. The lidded container is provided with a container having an opening and a lid which covers the opening and is joined to the container. The container is provided with a bottom portion, a side portion standing upright from the bottom portion, and a flange portion which is continuously connected to an upper portion of the side portion and includes a first plane. A circumferential seal portion is formed between the lid and the first plane of the flange portion. The seal portion is provided with a main seal portion and a protruding seal portion protruding inward with respect to the main seal portion. At least one of the flange portion and the lid is formed with a contact suppression mechanism for suppressing a contact between the flange portion and the lid, which is provided outside the protruding seal portion at a position corresponding to at least the protruding seal portion.

A multi-functional cooking device and a food capsule are provided. The multi-functional cooking device integrates a plurality of cooking functions through circuits, structures, and software programs that are implemented by an embedded system. The multi-functional cooking device includes a body formed with an accommodating space for disposing the food capsule, a main body structure including a water storage component, an accommodating component, a water providing component, a heating component, a penetrating component, and one or more cooking tools disposed inside the body that cook food inside the food capsule. The multi-functional cooking device includes a circuit system implementing a plurality of cooking programs, the circuit system including a control circuit for controlling the multi-functional cooking device, a control panel for providing a selection of the cooking programs, and functional components, e.g., a heater, a microwave emitter, a fan unit, a water spray unit, and a sealing unit.

A heating apparatus for multiple modes of heating including microwave heating in combination with other traditional modes of heating is disclosed, having a base; a grill configured with the base and adapted to support a container from a rim of the container holding the container in suspended position; a lid pivotally held with the base for movement between a raised open position and a lowered closed position over the container. At least one microwave generating device is coupled with the lid such that in closed position of the lid, microwave heating using the at least one microwave generating device can be done. A sensing mechanism comprising a plurality of plungers on periphery of the lid is provided such that when the lid is closed over the container, the plungers come in contact with top surface of the rim of the container to detect if the lid is properly closed over the container.

Improvements in and relating to a cooking apparatus A container (201) for storing and steaming food is disclosed, together with a packaged food product, a method of packaging food items and a method of cooking food items. The container (201) comprises a first compartment (202) for containing a steam source and a second compartment (203) for containing at least one food item. The second compartment (203) is disposed above the first compartment (202). Preferably, the first compartment (202) is separated from the second compartment (203) by a partition (221) and an adjustable barrier (240), the partition (201) comprising at least one opening (223) for admitting water vapour into the second compartment (203) from the first compartment (202). Preferably, the adjustable barrier (240) is movable from a) a food storing configuration in which the adjustable barrier (240) prevents flow of at least one of i) liquid and ii) gas from the first compartment (202) to the second compartment (203), to b) a food steaming configuration in which at least one of i) liquid and ii) gas is able to flow between the first and second compartments (202, 203).

A packaging device including a breathable or non-breathable, microwavable composite film structure in the form of a bag, a tray or other type of container is disclosed. The device may include atmospheric control attributes in the form of microperforations, and steam venting mechanisms in the form of precision cuts or channels. The microperforations may form atmospheric conditions within the device for the storage of perishable and/or respiring food products, and the steam venting mechanisms may regulate the pressure and/or heat within the device during microwave cooking of the food products within.

An apparatus to speed the heating of a soup-type comestible and to assist in the heat retention of the comestible includes a lithic body that is microwavable and food safe. The apparatus when placed in a bowl, arranges a quantity of soup-type comestible into a form readily heated by microwaves, and the apparatus is capable of functioning as a heat absorber and thermal reservoir to lose heat to the surrounding soup-type comestible after removal from the microwave oven in order to maintain a temperature for the comestible that is desirable.