A method of forming a container from a blank. The method can comprise obtaining a blank having a wall portion, a flange portion, and a coating on at least a portion of the flange portion. At least one score line can extend at least partially in the flange portion, and the coating can at least partially cover the at least one score line. The method further can comprise forming the container from the blank by forming a wall of the container from the wall portion and forming a flange of the container from the flange portion. The flange can extend from the wall. The forming the container further can comprise forming the at least one score line into at least one pleat in at least the flange. The coating can at least partially cover the at least one pleat to form a substantially continuous sealing surface on the flange.

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 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.

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.

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.

A package for combined steam and microwave heating of food, wherein the package may include microwave energy interactive materials (MEIMs) configured for providing rapid, simultaneous microwave and steam cooking in a domestic microwave oven. The MEIMs may be configured for controlling the heating pattern within the package and to control volumetric heating of food in the package. The MEIMs may include one or more of a susceptor, shield, and/or resonating patch antenna. The package may be paper-based, or it may be manufactured of any other suitable material. One or more of the different sections of the package may comprise separate chambers respectively for the steam source and the food to be steamed, so that the steam source and the food to be steamed are separated from one another during manufacturing, storage, and cooking.

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 container for heating a food product with microwave energy having a wavelength. The container can include a generally circular centerline having an axis, and a receptacle including a sidewall extending at least partially around a cavity. At least a portion of the cavity can extend along at least a portion of the centerline. The sidewall can include an inner edge and an outer edge each being spaced apart from the axis of the centerline for at least partially retaining the food product in the cavity in proximity to the centerline.