A biodegradable microwave susceptor and constructs incorporating the susceptor are disclosed for heating a food item in a microwave oven. The biodegradable microwave susceptor includes a patterned susceptor layer of metal on a biodegradable substrate. Selected areas of the susceptor layer may be demetallized to remove susceptor material. The susceptor may be incorporated into a construct for containing or supporting a food item to be heated.

The present invention relates to a vessel having an area for holding at least one food item for being heated in a solid state microwave oven. Additionally, disclosed is a method for heating a food item in a solid state microwave oven. Particularly, the vessel comprises a tray having an area for holding at least one food item and a susceptor wherein there is a thermal insulation between the susceptor and the food item. The tray may include two- or multi-compartment configurations wherein the susceptor only spans at least along a portion of one compartment to heat various food item simultaneously within a solid state microwave oven.

An air circulation system for an oven includes a plenum disposed proximate to the cooking chamber, an airflow generator configured to draw air from the cooking chamber through a chamber outlet port and discharge the air into the plenum, and an air heater configured to heat at least some of the air in the plenum prior to a portion of the air entering the cooking chamber from the plenum via air delivery orifices. The chamber outlet port includes outlet perforations combining to form a first geometric shape centered on an axis of the airflow generator. The air delivery orifices include a first set of inlet perforations and a second set of inlet perforations. The first and second sets of inlet perforations combine to form respective second and third geometric shapes that are disposed on opposite sides of the outlet perforations. The second and third geometric shapes are different than the first geometric shape.

In certain examples, a food processing machine for processing a food product includes a housing defining a cavity, a conveyor with a belt comprising metal for conveying the food product through the cavity in a longitudinal direction, and a convection heating system for heating air in the cavity such that heated air heats the food product as the food product is conveyed through the cavity. A microwave launch box system is configured to emit microwave energy into the cavity in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction to thereby further heat the food product as the food product is conveyed through the cavity.

A liner for a crisp plate includes ceramic nanoparticles and a polymer material combined with the ceramic nanoparticles to provide a mixture. A network of carbon nanotubes is embedded within the mixture to form a composite matrix, wherein the carbon nanotubes are unidirectionally aligned within the composite matrix.

The present invention provides packages pre-packed with nuts/seeds for roasting thereof in a microwave.

A biodegradable microwave susceptor and constructs incorporating the susceptor are disclosed for heating a food item in a microwave oven. The biodegradable microwave susceptor includes a patterned susceptor layer of metal on a biodegradable substrate. Selected areas of the susceptor layer may be demetallized to remove susceptor material. The susceptor may be incorporated into a construct for containing or supporting a food item to be heated.

Disclosed is a cooking apparatus for providing a cooking vessel suitable for a simmer cooking function. A cooking apparatus of the present invention includes a cooking room; a cooking vessel accommodated in the cooking room, and including a main body, and a heating element attached on a bottom of the main body and configured to be heated by microwaves to heat the main body; a microwave heater configured to radiate microwaves to the cooking vessel; an input device configured to receive a simmer cooking command; and a controller configured to repeatedly perform a process of turning on the microwave heater for a first time period, when the simmer cooking command is received through the input device, and turning off the microwave heater for a second time period when the first time period elapses, for a cooking time period, and configured to perform a keeping-warm process when a door does not open in a third time period after the cooking time period elapses.

Processes and systems that enhance the heating of packaged foodstuffs and other items in various microwave heating systems are described herein. The foodstuffs may be contained in a package including one or more energy control elements that interact with microwave energy in order to alter the effect that microwave energy has on the foodstuff. These energy control elements can enhance or inhibit microwave energy and a single package may include one or more energy control elements. In some cases, the energy control element may respond differently to different types of microwave energy. As a result, some packages described herein may exhibit different absorption or reflectance characteristics when exposed to microwave energy while being pasteurized or sterilized in a larger-scale microwave heating system than when the package is reheated in an at-home microwave oven prior to consumption or use.

A cooking appliance including a cooking chamber configured to cook food therein and openable in a first direction, a shelf provided to be inserted into the cooking chamber in the first direction and on which food is placed, and a plurality of heaters configured to supply heat to the shelf and disposed at one side of the cooking chamber. Where the shelf includes a first area arranged at one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a second area arranged at another side in the second direction. The plurality of heaters includes a first heater disposed to correspond to the first area in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second areas and a second heater disposed to correspond to the second area in the third direction. The plurality of heaters configured to provide more heat to the first area than to the second area.