A microwaveable product can include a container with an interior and a fluted first sidewall. The product can include a susceptor. The susceptor can be disposed within the container interior. The susceptor can have a fluted second sidewall. The fluted second sidewall can conform to the fluted first sidewall. A food product can be disposed in the interior. The food product can conform to the fluted second sidewall. Microwave energy can reach the food product via the susceptor.

A food tray has a lower tray containing a first food product and an upper tray nested stably at least partly inside the lower tray, with the upper tray containing a second food product. An air permeable interface is provided between the upper tray and lower tray to allow venting of steam from the lower tray during cooking. A cover is provided for the food tray. Each of the lower tray and the upper tray are formed of a material that is suitable for use in a microwave or conventional oven. Various constructions may be used to create the air permeable interface, such as lugs, ledges and lips. The upper tray may sit above the lower tray. The trays are nested loosely for ease of removal of the upper tray from the lower tray. Various configurations of cover may be used such as a sleeve, carton or lid. The upper tray may contain the higher value food product.

An ovenable cooking apparatus for facilitating the cooking of food components while maintaining the separateness thereof may include a first container for holding a first food component, and a second container for holding a second food component. The separation of the first food component from the second food component maintains the surface area for the first and second food components to facilitate heating of the first and second food components. The first food component may have a liquid based content for producing steam when heated, and one or both of the first container and the second container may define a passage for providing airflow and steam flow for contacting the second container and/or the second foodstuff and heating or steaming the second food component. Additionally, the second container may be steam impermeable for cooking bread and the like.

A package for storing or preparing food or other products includes a flexible pouch within which the product can be sealed, and a box or other container sized to hold the pouch. To seal the product in the pouch, the pouch includes a peelable seal that seals a portion of a first thermoplastic film to a portion of a second thermoplastic film, such films optionally forming walls of the pouch. The package, including the container and the pouch, is configured for beating the sealed product m a microwave oven, in a heated state, pressure inside the pouch increases to expand the pouch, and the container constrains or limits expansion of the pouch in some places but not at an expansion region of the container. A portion of the peelable seal is proximate such region, producing a separation in such peelable sea! portion such that the pouch self-vents through the separation.

A container for holding a food product. The container can comprise a flange comprising a central panel. An opening can extend in the central panel. The container further can comprise a sidewall comprising at least a panel foldably connected to the central panel and a denesting feature extending outwardly from the sidewall. The denesting feature can be for engaging a nested container positioned below the container in a stacked arrangement and for forming a denesting gap between the flange and the nested container.

A container for holding a food product. The container can comprise a base layer and a liner at least partially attached to an inner surface of the base layer, a flange comprising a central panel of the base layer, an opening extending in the central panel, and a sidewall comprising at least a panel foldably connected to the central panel along the opening.

A convection cooking appliance and removable utensil for air frying within the convection cooking appliance is provided herein. The utensil may include a utensil housing, a lid attached to the utensil housing, and a perforated basket. The utensil housing may define an enclosed fry chamber and a basket opening permitting access thereto. The utensil housing may include a non-permeable base wall and a sidewall. The sidewall may define an airflow passage to receive a convection airflow therethrough. The lid may be movable between a closed position restricting access to the basket opening and an open position permitting access to the basket opening. The perforated basket may be removably positioned within the enclosed fry chamber.

A peelable package is described. The package comprises a first sealant layer comprising low density polyethylene and a first contaminant and a second sealant layer comprising polyethylene polymer, such as high-density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer or blends of such, and a second contaminant. The first contaminant and the second contaminant are selected from the group consisting propylene/ethylene copolymer with ethylene content from about 0.1 mol % to about 5 mol %, polypropylene homopolymer, butene/ethylene copolymer and polybutene homopolymer. The first contaminant of the first sealant layer may be the same as or different than the second contaminant of the second sealant layer. Also described are various embodiments of the first sealant layer, the second sealant layer and the peelable seal that is formed between the first sealant layer and the second sealant layer.

There is provided a container that makes it possible to suppress intrusion of bacteria from the tip of a pleat part into the inside of the container. The container includes: a main body that includes a body part defining a containing portion and a flange part extending outward from an upper portion of the body part; and a lid that is joined to the flange part of the main body via an outer edge seal portion so as to cover the containing portion, the lid being formed by a lid member folded back at a fold-back portion such that portions of the lid member overlap each other. The lid has: a pleat part that includes the portions of the lid member overlapping each other and that extends from an edge of one side to an edge of the other side of the lid in a first direction; and a first lid part and a second lid part that are formed by the lid member and that are arranged on opposite sides of the pleat part. The pleat part includes: a pleat seal portion in which inner surfaces of the portions of the lid member are joined together and that extends from the edge of the one side to the edge of the other side of the lid in the first direction; and a steam passing portion that includes a through hole or a cutout formed in the pleat seal portion. Seal strength of the pleat seal portion is lower than that of the outer edge seal portion.

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a microwavable food container include: forming a wire mesh over a mold comprising a mirror image of the microwavable food container; immersing the wire mesh in a fiber-based slurry bath; drawing a vacuum across the wire mesh to cause fiber particles to accumulate at the wire mesh surface; and removing the wire mesh including the accumulated fiber particles from the slurry bath; wherein the slurry comprises a moisture barrier, an oil barrier, and a vapor barrier.