Microwaveable packaged food product

Abstract

A package containing nuts and suitable for microwave heating is described herein. The package is configured to heat the nuts and provide an aroma reminiscent of traditional, freshly-roasted nuts. The freshly-roasted nut attributes include an aroma, temperature, texture and taste, which are reproduced with the microwave package. The package preferably, though not necessarily, incorporates one or more susceptors in order to provide additional heating, such as conductive heating, to the nuts. The package also preferably includes a sufficient headspace to allow for the aromas to develop.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A packaged food product, comprising:
 a flexible film forming a pouch having an interior cavity formed by a first end seal and a second end seal with a longitudinal fin seal extending therebetween, the flexible film pouch being substantially hermetically sealed in a closed configuration;   at least one susceptor disposed on a majority of an interior surface of the flexible film pouch without contacting the first end seal, the second end seal, or the fin seal;   about 0.75 oz. to about 2.00 oz. pasteurized or at least partially roasted shelled nuts disposed within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, the shelled nuts having been pasteurized or at least partially roasted prior to being disposed within the flexible film pouch;   a coating on the shelled nuts being one of:
 a sweet glaze on the shelled nuts, wherein the sweet glaze and the shelled nuts have a combined moisture level within the range of 1.0% to 1.6%; or 
 a savory coating on the shelled nuts, wherein the savory coating and the shelled nuts have a combined moisture level within the range of 1.5% to 2.6%; 
   wherein the packaged food product is configured and arranged to be heated in a microwave oven in the closed configuration to roast the shelled nuts to a temperature of about 120° F. to about 260° F.; and   wherein the coating and the at least one susceptor are configured and arranged to moderate heating of the shelled nuts by absorbing and/or reflecting microwave energy thereby reducing an amount of microwave energy absorbed by the shelled nuts and increasing homogeneity of heating the shelled nuts.   
     
     
         20 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the flexible film is a multilayered film including a barrier material configured and arranged to limit migration of aroma components through the flexible film during storage and during microwave heating. 
     
     
         21 . The packaged food product of  claim 20 , wherein the barrier material is selected from the group consisting of EVOH, AlO x , and SiO x . 
     
     
         22 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the first end seal, the second end seal, and the fin seal are configured and arranged to remain sealed and not rupture during microwave heating. 
     
     
         23 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein a volume of shelled nuts is less than 75% of a total internal package volume, and wherein a volume of oxygen is less than 2% within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, further comprising a headspace within the interior cavity between the shelled nuts and the flexible film configured and arranged to allow aroma to develop during microwave heating. 
     
     
         24 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the coating is 1 mm to 3 mm thick on each of the shelled nuts. 
     
     
         25 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the flexible film includes a bottom wall portion and a top wall portion interconnected by the first end seal and the second end seal, the fin seal extending between the first end seal and the second end seal on the top wall portion, and wherein the at least one susceptor includes a first discrete susceptor on the bottom wall portion and a second discrete susceptor on the top wall portion. 
     
     
         26 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , further comprising nut flavorings comprising at least one of salt, black pepper, cinnamon, honey, sugar, peanut oil, caramel, and coconut. 
     
     
         27 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the sweet glaze or the savory coating is adapted to absorb and/or reflect microwave energy during exposure of the packaged food product thereto and be permeable to a portion of the microwave energy. 
     
     
         28 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the shelled nuts are pasteurized with a moisture level decreased by 15% to 25% during pasteurization. 
     
     
         29 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the shelled nuts are at least partially roasted having a moisture level between about 1.1% to about 1.4% due to the at least partial roasting. 
     
     
         30 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the shelled nuts are caramel peanuts having about a 64-fold increase in ethyl-pyrazine aroma compounds, about a 53-fold increase in furfural aroma compounds, and about a 21-fold increase in diacetyl aroma compounds after microwave heating. 
     
     
         31 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the shelled nuts are cinnamon almonds having about a 31-fold increase in ethyl-pyrazine aroma compounds, about a 144-fold increase in furfural aroma compounds, and about a 50-fold increase in diacetyl aroma compounds after microwave heating. 
     
     
         32 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the shelled nuts are coconut cashews having about a 54-fold increase in ethyl-pyrazine aroma compounds, about a 155-fold increase in furfural aroma compounds, and about an 93-fold increase in diacetyl aroma compounds after microwave heating. 
     
     
         33 . The packaged food product of  claim 19 , wherein the food product includes 20% to 40% sugar. 
     
     
         34 . A packaged food product, comprising:
 a flexible film forming a pouch having an interior cavity formed by a bottom wall portion and a top wall portion, the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion being interconnected by a first end seal and a second end seal, a longitudinal fin seal extends between the first end seal and the second end seal on the top wall portion, the flexible film pouch including a barrier the flexible film pouch being substantially hermetically sealed in a closed configuration;   at least one susceptor disposed on a majority of an interior surface of the flexible film pouch on the bottom wall portion and the top wall portion without contacting the first end seal, the second end seal, or the fin seal;   about 0.75 oz. to about 2.00 oz. pasteurized or at least partially roasted shelled nuts disposed within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, the shelled nuts having been pasteurized or at least partially roasted prior to being disposed within the flexible film pouch;   a coating on the shelled nuts being one of:
 a sweet glaze on the shelled nuts, wherein the sweet glaze and the shelled nuts have a combined moisture level within the range of 1.0% to 1.6%; or 
 a savory coating on the shelled nuts, wherein the savory coating and the shelled nuts have a combined moisture level within the range of 1.5% to 2.6%; 
   a headspace between the shelled nuts and the flexible film;   wherein the packaged food product is configured and arranged to be heated in a microwave oven in the closed configuration to roast the shelled nuts to a temperature of about 120° F. to about 260° F., and wherein the first end seal, the second end seal, and the fin seal are configured and arranged to remain sealed and not rupture during microwave heating; and   wherein the coating and the at least one susceptor are configured and arranged to moderate heating of the shelled nuts by absorbing and/or reflecting microwave energy thereby reducing an amount of microwave energy absorbed by the shelled nuts and increasing homogeneity of heating the shelled nuts.   
     
     
         35 . The packaged food product of  claim 34 , wherein the flexible film is a multilayered film including a barrier material configured and arranged to limit migration of aroma components through the flexible film during storage and during microwave heating. 
     
     
         36 . The packaged food product of  claim 34 , wherein a volume of shelled nuts is less than 75% of a total internal package volume, wherein a volume of oxygen is less than 2% within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, and wherein the shelled nuts and the headspace are configured and arranged to allow aroma to develop during microwave heating. 
     
     
         37 . The packaged food product of  claim 34 , wherein the sweet glaze or the savory coating is adapted to absorb and/or reflect microwave energy and be permeable to a portion of the microwave energy during exposure of the packaged food product thereto. 
     
     
         38 . The packaged food product of  claim 34 , wherein the shelled nuts are pasteurized with a moisture level decreased by 15% to 25% during pasteurization. 
     
     
         39 . The packaged food product of  claim 34 , wherein the shelled nuts are at least partially roasted having a moisture level between about 1.1% to about 1.4% due to the at least partial roasting. 
     
     
         40 . The packaged food product of  claim 34 , wherein the food product includes 20% to 40% sugar.