Method of Securing Food

Abstract

A method of securing food in a delivery food container includes preparing food, placing the prepared food in the delivery food container, placing a tamper-evident seal across an opening of the delivery food container to secure the prepared food in the delivery food container, and delivering the sealed delivery food container. The tamper-evident seal may be a label, such as an adhesive label, and may display indicia when placed across the opening of the delivery food container. The indicia may include at least one of color, text, and a hologram. The delivery food container may include one of a box, a bag, and a wrapper.

Claims

1. A method of securing food in a delivery food container, the method comprising: placing prepared food in the delivery food container; and placing a tamper-evident seal across an opening of the delivery food container to secure the prepared food in the delivery food container.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: preparing the food; and delivering the sealed delivery food container.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-evident seal displays text when placed across the opening of the delivery food container.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein delivery food container includes one of a box, a bag, and a wrapper.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tamper-evident seal is a label bearing indicia.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the indicia include at least one of color, text, advertising, and a hologram.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the indicia include at least advertising and a statement that the container has been sealed.

8. A secured food container comprising: a closed delivery food container containing prepared food therein; and a tamper-evident seal placed across an opening of the closed delivery food container to secure the prepared food in the delivery food container.

9. The secured food container according to claim 8, wherein the tamper-evident seal displays text when placed across the opening of the closed delivery food container.

10. The secured food container according to claim 8, wherein the delivery food container includes one of a box and a bag.

11. The secured food container according to claim 8, wherein the tamper-evident seal is a label bearing indicia.

12. The secured food container according to claim 11, wherein the indicia include at least one of color, text, advertising, and a hologram.

13. The secured food container according to claim 8, wherein the tamper-evident seal is configured to adhere to delivery food containers made from one or more of paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal foil.

14. The secured food container according to claim 13, wherein the tamper-evident seal is configured to adhere to the delivery food containers when subjected to temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

15. The secured food container according to claim 11, wherein the indicia include at least advertising and a statement that the container has been sealed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a tamper evident seal placed on a food container.

[0010] FIG. 1A shows an embodiment of a temper evident seal placed on a food container, where the seal bears advertising.

[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a workflow of securing food.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] As used herein, the term “delivery food container” refers to containers used by any food establishment, such as a restaurant, that prepares food in its establishment and delivers the prepared food outside its establishment. Such containers are generally disposable and may be made from one or more of paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal foil. Without limitation, examples of delivery food containers include cardboard pizza boxes, paper boxes (typical for Chinese restaurants), paper and plastic bags, wax paper, and metal foil pouches. As used herein, the term “tamper-evident” refers to visual evidence of tampering. As used herein, the term “tamper-evident seal” refers to a visual indicator that the seal has been broken and that the seal has been opened.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a delivery food container 101 that is sealed with a tamper-evident seal 102. The seal 102 is applied to parts of the container 101 that closes access to the food contents (not shown) in the container 101. The container 101 in FIG. 1 is a box having a hinged lid 103 and a front side 104. The hinge may be a fold in the box material. The seal 102 is shown attached to the lid 103 and the front side 104 across an opening 105 of the container 101, which prevents the lid 103 from being opened, and thereby protecting the food contents from being tampered with. While only one seal 102 is shown in FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that additional seals may be used for added security.

[0014] The tamper-evident seal 102 may be formed as a small adhesive-backed label that is applied across the opening 105 of the container 103. The tamper-evident seal 102 may be manufactured as a roll of labels attached to an adhesive transfer medium, as is known, and peeled off of the roll and placed on the container 101 when securing prepared food in the container 101. The tamper-evident seal 102 may be made from Syntherm® (a registered trademark of Acucote, Inc. of Graham, N.C.) TE/SA200/40#, a product of Acucote, Inc. of Graham, N.C. The tamper-evident seal 102 may also be configured to adhere directly to delivery food containers made from one or more of paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal foil. Preferably, the tamper-evident seal 102 will remain adhered to the delivery food container 101 even when the seal 102 is subjected to temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This may prevent the tamper-evident seal 102 from falling off delivery food containers 101 that contain heated prepared foods. The tamper-evident seal 102 is attached securely to the delivery food container such that portions of the seal 102 remain attached to the delivery food container 101 when the seal 102 is tampered with and especially when the delivery food container 101 has been opened, thereby providing a visual indication of the state of the container 101 to a consumer receiving the container 101.

[0015] The tamper-evident seal 102 may be rectangular and have dimensions of about 1 inch×2 inches. Also, the tamper-evident seal 102 may have other dimensions and/or shapes, such as square, circular, or triangular. Preferably, the tamper-evident seal 102 is easily visible to a user such that it facilitates quick review of its condition upon receipt of the delivered food container 101. The tamper-evident seal 102 may be a label and bear indicia. Such indicia may include one or more of text, color(s) (e.g., red, blue and/or silver), and hologram(s). For example, the seal 102 may display text, such as “SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION”. Also, as shown in FIG. 1A, the seal 102 may display advertising, which may include one or more of a logo, a company name (e.g., PEPSICO®), a product name (e.g., PEPSI®), and a tagline (e.g., “It's the cola”). The tamper-evident seal 102 protects the food delivery from the time it is applied at the food establishment, until the time it reaches the consumer, who is the only party who is intended to open the food delivery container after it is sealed.

[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a workflow 200 for securing food in a delivery food container 101. At 201 food is prepared in an establishment, such as by a food establishment that delivers prepared food for delivery outside of their establishment. At 202 the prepared food is placed in a delivery food container, such as container 101 in FIG. 1. At 203 a tamper-evident seal, such as seal 102 in FIG. 1, is placed across an opening, such as opening 105, of the delivery food container to secure the food contents inside the delivery food container. For example, where the tamper-evident seal is an adhesive label on a roll of labels, one of the labels may be peeled off the roll and applied to the delivery food container. At 204 the sealed delivery food container is delivered by an employee of the establishment or by a third party to a customer.

[0017] There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a method of securing food in a delivery food container and a tamper-evident seal. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Thus, while particular tamper-evident seals have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that similar seals may be used as well. In addition, while particular types of delivery food containers have been disclosed, it will be understood other types can be used. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as claimed.