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 microwave energy interactive structure includes a first susceptor film including a first layer of microwave energy interactive material supported on a first polymer film, a moisture-containing layer joined to the first layer of microwave energy interactive material, an adjoining layer joined to the moisture-containing layer such that the moisture-containing layer is disposed between the susceptor film and the adjoining layer, and a second layer of microwave energy interactive material on a side of the adjoining layer opposite the moisture-containing layer. The adjoining layer may be joined to the moisture-containing layer by a discontinuous adhesive layer.

A cooking appliance can include a housing including a cavity; a door connected to the housing and configured to open and close the cavity; a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to generate RF power for generating electric fields in the cavity; an RF matcher configured to match an impedance of the RF power with a load of the cavity. Also, the cooking appliance can further include a working coil configured to emit magnetic fields toward the cavity.

A frangible laminate includes first, second and third webs, and the second web is positioned between the first and third webs. The forming of the frangible laminate includes adhesively bonding a first plurality of sections of the second web to the first web, applying release material in order to inhibit at least some of any bonding between the first plurality of sections of the second web and the third web, and adhesively bonding a second plurality of sections of the second web to the third web. The frangible laminate is separated into a first laminate and a second laminate, so that the first laminate includes the first web and the first plurality of sections of the second web, and the second laminate includes the third web and the second plurality of sections of the second web.

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.

A cartridge holds a perishable dielectric load, e.g. blood plasma, during heating n a heating chamber by means of an electromagnetic field from an emitting element. A conducting container of the cartridge is arranged between the emitting element and the perishable dielectric load. The conducting container holds dielectric matter and is arranged in contact with a load container for the perishable dielectric load, so that energy from the electromagnetic field is bridged into the perishable dielectric load. A first surface of the cartridge faces the emitting element and contains a recess for receiving any fluid having leaked out from the conducting container and/or the load container. A transmitter module for generating the electromagnetic energy repeatedly measures an impedance of the perishable dielectric load and the conducting container. If, due to any fluid being located in the recess, the impedance deviates substantially from a previous measurement, an alarm signal is generated.

Several embodiments include a cooking instrument. The cooking instrument can include a heating system. The heating system can include one or more heating elements capable of emitting wireless energy into the cooking chamber. The cooking instrument can also include a control system. The control system can select a quantifiable cooking result and drive the heating system to achieve such cooking result. In at least one mode of operation, the control system can increase power density despite a power draw limit of an external power source.

The present invention relates to a microwave interactive susceptor structure for the microwave heating of food products. In one aspect, the invention relates to a duplex design for the microwave interactive structure on cellulose-based substrates. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of patterning the duplex microwave interactive structure on the substrates using a printing press with or without an alignment function.

An automated microwave oven configured to autonomously determine a duration of time for heating an object based on a location of the object in a microwave cavity. The heating duration may be a function of cumulative energy estimated to be experienced by the object due to the object location, e.g., radial distance from center, under rotational motion of the rotating tray. A concentric energy visualization is provided on an interior surface of the microwave cavity, representing a function of cumulative energy experienced under rotational motion of a rotating tray about its center-line. The visualization may comprise a plurality of rings concentric about the center-line, each concentric ring representing a constant value of the function of cumulative energy, oscillating in value along the radial length of the rotating tray.

An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a heat modulating material (HMM), a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber, and a cooking controller configured to control the frequency of RF energy provided by the RF heating system into the cooking chamber. The MINI may be configured to contain a food product and may include a thermally active section. The thermally active section may include a base matrix and a particulate material dispersed in the base matrix.