Pouches and assemblies for use in sous vide cooking, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In several embodiments, a sous vide pouch includes a sealable chamber having a sauce for cooking with a food product. The chamber can have a partition that provides a boundary a boundary between a first and second portion of the chamber to receive two food products during a sous vide cooking process. In some embodiments, the sous vide pouch can further include a vacuum valve for removing air from the chamber.

A machine for cooking a dose of pasta in a container has a hot water supply pipe to selectively inject hot water into the container above the dose of pasta; a steam supply pipe to selectively inject steam into the container independently of the water injection; and a dispenser comprising at least one first nozzle connected to the hot water supply pipe to deliver hot water into the container and at least one second nozzle connected to the steam supply pipe to deliver steam into the container.

A zipper tape includes a pair of belt-shaped bases bondable to a film of a bag body, and mutually engageable engagement portion each integrally provided to corresponding one of the belt-shaped bases. One of the belt-shaped bases includes at least two portions having different bonding strengths to the film on a side opposite a side provided with the engagement portion and between an edge of the one of the belt-shaped bases in a width direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction to a point at which the engagement portions are provided. A bonding strength of a first portion of the at least two portions to the film may be larger than a bonding strength of a second portion to the film.

An assembly may include a shelf-stable pouch for fruits or vegetables. The assembly may comprise a pouch having a closed condition and an open configuration. The dosed configuration may be configured to seal portions of at least one of the fruits and vegetables and brine prior to heating the pouch for pasteurization. The open condition may allow for the removal and serving of the portions after pasteurization from heating,

In a method for cooking food in a container, in particular in a bag, the container, during heating, is opened at a particular overpressure of the medium and closed when the overpressure drops. A closing device is connected to the container and equipped with a pressure relief valve by means of which the container is opened at a particular overpressure of the medium and closed when the overpressure drops. The closing device includes at least one inner elongate retaining element and at least one sleeve body which surrounds the retaining element. The container is provided with an opening, and fed between the retaining element and sleeve body and through a longitudinal slit in the sleeve body. The retaining element and its surrounding sleeve body form the pressure relief valve. Optimal cooking of the food introduced into the container is achieved and fast preparation of the food is possible.

A reusable cooking bag having first and second panels joined at a perimeter seam to form a cavity between the first panel and the second panel, and at least one preformed folding seam comprising a line of reduced thickness of at least one of the first panel and the second panel. The least one folding seam extends along a direction of the opening and is spaced from the opening to provide a discrete location at which the first panel and the second panel can be folded.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stand-up pouch for retort which has a high rate of gas barrier property recovery after retort processing and can stably retain high gas barrier properties. The stand-up pouch for retort of the invention comprises a laminate which comprises a base film and, disposed over one surface of the base film, a polyamide resin layer, a saponified ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer layer, and a heat-sealing resin layer, wherein the polyamide resin layer adjoins the saponified ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer layer.

A method includes inserting a food item into an inner volume of a thermal container. A liquid circulating through a liquid jacket at least partially surrounding and fluidically isolated from the inner volume of the thermal container is cooled such that thermal energy from the food item is transferred to the cooled liquid. After the cooling, thermal energy from a first heating element is transferred to the liquid circulating through the liquid jacket such that thermal energy from the heated liquid is transferred to the food item. Thermal energy from a second heating element is transferred to the food item in response to a criterion being satisfied. The second heating element is different from the first heating element and is disposed in the inner volume of the thermal container.

A method includes inserting a food item into an inner volume of a thermal container. A liquid circulating through a liquid jacket at least partially surrounding and fluidically isolated from the inner volume of the thermal container is cooled such that thermal energy from the food item is transferred to the cooled liquid. After the cooling, thermal energy from a first heating element is transferred to the liquid circulating through the liquid jacket such that thermal energy from the heated liquid is transferred to the food item. Thermal energy from a second heating element is transferred to the food item in response to a criterion being satisfied. The second heating element is different from the first heating element and is disposed in the inner volume of the thermal container.

A method of preparing a food item, including the steps of: placing at least one uncooked protein element and at least one cooked bread element into a package without sealing the at least one cooked bread element to any other element in the package, sealing the package without sealing the at least one cooked bread element to any other element in the package, and forming a food item by cooking the uncooked protein element in the sealed package without sealing the at least one cooked bread element to any other element in the package.