Methods and apparatus for manufacturing vacuum forming a produce container using a fiber-based slurry. The slurry includes a moisture barrier comprising alkylketene dimer in the range of about 4% by weight, and a cationic liquid starch component in the range of 1%-7% by weight.

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.

An ovenable package comprises an ovenable receptacle configured to hold a food product. The receptacle has an open face surrounded by a rim. An ovenable laminated film lid is attached to the rim of the receptacle by a welded seal between a lower face of the laminated film lid and the rim of the receptacle. The laminated film lid comprises a first layer, a second layer above the first layer and a resealable adhesive between the first and second layers. An unopened package is openable by separating the second layer from the first layer in a peripheral region. The opened package can be reclosed to a ventable state by reattaching the second layer to the peripheral region of the first layer by the resealable adhesive. The ventable state permits venting of gas from an interior of the receptacle between the second layer and the peripheral region of the first layer.

A construct for holding one or more food products includes a plurality of panels and a film secured to the plurality of panels with an adhesive. The plurality of panels is for at least partially surrounding an interior of the construct and includes a bottom panel and at least one side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel. The film is thermally-activable such that upon exposure to heat, one or more compressive stresses are generated across the film.

A method for forming a laminate can comprise moving an initial laminate and a sacrificial web at least partially coated with an adhesive in a downstream direction. The initial laminate can comprise a base web and an interactive web comprising a retained section and a scrap section. The method also can comprise forming a compound laminate by nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web between a raised feature of a nip roller and an opposing support surface so that the adhesive at least partially bonds the sacrificial web to the scrap section. In addition, the method can comprise separating the compound laminate into a resultant laminate, comprising the base web and at least the retained section of the interactive web, and a sacrificial laminate, comprising the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web.

Portions of microwave energy interactive material may be cut and removed during intermediate steps in a lamination processes, so that remaining microwave energy interactive material in a resultant laminate is arranged in a pattern. Regarding the removal of the portions of the microwave energy interactive material, a compound laminate may be delaminated into parts, and one of the parts may be a sacrificial laminate that includes the removed portions of the microwave energy interactive material.

A raised resin portion 8, 9 is formed by thermally spraying a powdered resin on a local portion such as a bonding step portion of a cup-shaped formed paper article 1 to improve sealing performance of the formed paper article and form a resin coating layer 60 including a scorching-preventing substance on a local region where scorching tends to occur during heating in a microwave oven. The raised resin portion is formed on the local region by intermittently discharging the resin powder from a tank with a shutter device and repeatedly thermally spraying the resin powder on the local region with a pressurized gas.

A cooking apparatus capable of reading or detecting coded information printed on or otherwise associated with food packaging is provided. Food packaging capable of being read or detected by a cooking apparatus is also provided. The cooking apparatus sets cooking time and cooking temperature as a result of reading or detecting coded information printed on or otherwise associated with food packaging. The cooking apparatus is capable of interacting with a user of the cooking apparatus to further assist the cooking process started as a result of reading or detecting coded information printed on or otherwise associated with food packaging. The cooking apparatus capable of connecting to a remote computer and server and receiving and displaying web pages generated by the remote server to further assist the cooking process.

Various blanks are provided for forming sleeves, containers, and other constructs for heating, browning, and/or crisping of a food item in a microwave oven, and for holding and/or transporting the food item after heating. The various blanks, sleeves, containers, and other constructs may include a removable portion defined by one or more lines of disruption that enable the removable portion to be separated from the remainder of the blank, sleeve, container, or other construct.