Packaging for food products

Abstract

The invention relates to packaging for food products, particularly for baked goods such as muffins, cookies, pastries, cupcakes, breads or the like, wherein a container comprises a base or article-receiving portion, and a lid portion that is hinged to the base or article-receiving portion. Both portions have side flanges, wherein the flanges are selectively connected to one another by a fastener system to close the article-receiving portion with the lid portion. The article-receiving portion is formed to conform to and house a single-serving baked food product. The base portion may also have at least one stability member extending therefrom to provide stability of the base portion on a surface. A package of a plurality of containers may be provided, with each individual container being selectively detachable from the package. In an example, the individual containers may be attached to one another by micro perforations, such that upon detachment of an individual container, the connecting portion is smooth and does not have any sharp edges or protrusions which could harm a consumer.

1 . A package for baked food products comprising:
 a plurality of individual containers for single-serving baked food products,   wherein each of the individual containers comprises an article-receiving portion, and a lid portion that is hinged to the article-receiving portion,   the article-receiving and lid portions have a fastening system associated with the portions to selectively close the lid portion to the article-receiving portion, wherein the article-receiving portion is formed to house a single-serving baked food product, and wherein,   the plurality of individual containers are removably attached to one another, to allow each individual, single-serving container to be selectively released from the plurality of containers in the package.   
   
   
       2 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the article-receiving and lid portions have side flanges and the fastening system comprises at least one of said lid or article-receiving portions having at least one male part extending from at least one side flange and one of said portions having at least one corresponding female part formed in the at least one flange to mate with the at least one male part, such that the flanges are selectively connected to one another by the at least one male-female parts. 
   
   
       3 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the article-receiving and lid portions have flanges and the fastening system comprises a heat seal or adhesive connection between said lid and article-receiving portions. 
   
   
       4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the individual container lid portions have an upper cavity portion and the article-receiving portions have a lower cavity portion, with the cavity portions shaped to accommodate a predetermined baked food product. 
   
   
       5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the individual containers are connected by a perforated edge between the article-receiving portions, the lid portions or both. 
   
   
       6 . The package of  claim 5 , wherein the perforated edge is formed by micro perforations. 
   
   
       7 . The package of  claim 6 , wherein the micro perforations are formed such that upon detachment of an individual container, the perforated edge is a substantially smooth edge. 
   
   
       8 . The package of  claim 6 , wherein the micro perforations are formed in the range of 10-20 perforations per inch. 
   
   
       9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of each individual container is designed to conform to the shape of a baked food product. 
   
   
       10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the lower cavity further comprises an upper shelf and a bottom surface. 
   
   
       11 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the upper shelf has a larger diameter than the bottom surface. 
   
   
       12 . A container for baked food products comprising:
 a lid portion comprising a first cavity, the first cavity being bound by a first flange,   a product-receiving portion comprising a second cavity, the second cavity being bound by a second flange, and a fastening system to selectively connect the first flange with the second flange to selectively close the lid portion with the article-receiving portion;   wherein the first and second cavities are formed to accommodate a single-serving baked food product when the lid portion is closed and connected with the article-receiving portion.   
   
   
       13 . The container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the shape of the first and second cavities are selected to conform to the shape of a single-serving baked food product. 
   
   
       14 . The container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein article-receiving portion includes at least one stabilizer associated therewith. 
   
   
       15 . The container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the fastening system is selected from the group consisting of female and male connecting structures, a heat seal and an adhesive seal. 
   
   
       16 . The container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the second cavity further comprises an upper shelf and a bottom surface. 
   
   
       17 . The container as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the upper shelf has a larger diameter than the bottom surface. 
   
   
       18 . The container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the second flange has an outer skirt portion formed on the periphery of at least a portion of the second flange; and
 wherein outer skirt encompasses at least a portion of the first flange upon selectively closing the lid portion with the article-receiving portion.   
   
   
       19 . A method of packaging and dispensing baked goods in individual containers, comprising the steps of:
 providing a package for baked food products comprising a plurality of individual containers for single-serving baked food products, wherein each of the individual containers comprises an article-receiving portion, and a lid portion that is hinged to the article-receiving portion, the article-receiving and lid portions have a fastening system associated with the portions to selectively close the lid portion to the article-receiving portion, wherein the article-receiving portion is formed to house a single-serving baked food product, and wherein the plurality of individual containers are removably attached to one another,   placing a single-serving of the baked goods in the individual containers in a first open position;   closing the individual containers into a second closed position; and,   selectively detaching at least one of the individual containers from the package.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of selectively detaching one or more individual containers from the plurality of containers for dispensing thereof.