Container for cut product

Abstract

Containers for cut product include a peripheral sidewall and a floor panel integrally formed from polymer material, the floor panel extending inward from the sidewall to define a container interior. The floor panel includes at least one island including a product support surface elevated relative to a base surface of the container. The at least one island is at least partially surrounded by at least one reservoir. The product support surface is distributed across the floor panel to support cut product placed in the container interior above the at least one reservoir. The product support surface is interrupted or discontinuous in a direction parallel to the base surface of the container. The container interior defines a product volume above the product support surface of the at least one island and the at least one reservoir defines a fluid volume within the container interior and below the product support surface.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A container for cut product comprising:
 a peripheral sidewall and a floor panel integrally formed from polymer material, said floor panel extending inward from the sidewall to define a container interior, the floor panel including at least one island, the at least one island including a product support surface elevated relative to a base surface of the container and at least partially surrounded by at least one reservoir, said product support surface distributed across the floor panel to support cut product placed in the container interior above the at least one reservoir, said product support surface being interrupted or discontinuous in a direction parallel to the base surface of the container,   wherein the container interior defines a product volume above the product support surface of the at least one island and the at least one reservoir defines a fluid volume for liquid released from the cut product, said fluid volume within the container interior and below the product support surface, said fluid volume being between 3% and 15% of said product volume.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said floor panel includes a radially inward projecting shoulder defining a peripheral product support surface extending inwardly from a lower end of the peripheral side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral product support surface extends continuously around the lower end of the peripheral side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral product support surface is sloped toward the reservoir to guide liquid released from the cut product into the one or more reservoirs. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral product support surface is interrupted around the lower end of the side wall. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one island comprises a plurality of islands, each island at least partially surrounded by the at least one reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the product support surface of one or more of the plurality of islands is connected to the peripheral support surface. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the product support surface has a height above the base surface of the container and includes product support surface portions spaced from each other a lateral distance by the at least one reservoir, the height of the product support surface corresponding to a depth of the reservoir, the depth of the reservoir being no greater than 75% of the lateral distance between product support surface portions. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the product support surface and the peripheral support surface have a combined surface area between approximately 27% and approximately 47% of an area of the floor panel. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein cut product rests directly on the product support surface and the floor panel consists essentially of a single thickness of polymer material. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one island includes a channel interrupting the product support surface, said channel defined above a bottom of the at least one reservoir and providing a flow path for fluid flow between regions of the at least one reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one reservoir is interrupted by the at least one island into a plurality of reservoirs, said channels connecting the plurality of reservoirs into a single connected volume. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is thermoformed from a sheet of thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the container is injection molded from thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , comprising a lid hingedly connected to an upper end of the sidewall, said sidewall upper end including a rim configured to mate with a complementary lip on the lid to close a container interior, said rim and said lip cooperatively defining a vent allowing gas exchange between the container interior and the ambient environment. 
     
     
         16 . A container for cut product comprising:
 a sidewall and a floor panel formed from polymer material, said floor panel extending inward from the sidewall to define a container interior, the floor panel including including product support means elevated relative to a base surface of the container and at least partially surrounded by at least one reservoir, said product support means distributed across the floor panel to support cut product placed in the container interior above the at least one reservoir, said product support means being interrupted or discontinuous in a direction parallel to the base surface of the container,   wherein the container interior defines a product volume above the product support means and the at least one reservoir defines a fluid volume within the container interior and below the product support means, said fluid volume being between 3% and 15% of said product volume.   
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein said product support means includes a radially inward projecting shoulder defining a peripheral product support surface extending inwardly from a lower end of the sidewall. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the product support means comprises at least one island including a product support surface elevated above the base surface of the container, the product support surface of the at least one island cooperating with the peripheral product support surface to support cut product above the at least one reservoir. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the peripheral product support surface is sloped toward the reservoir to guide liquid released from the cut product into the at least one reservoir. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the peripheral product support surface is interrupted around the lower end of the side wall. 
     
     
         21 . A method of extending shelf-life of stored cut product, said method comprising:
 providing a container having a sidewall and a floor panel defining a container interior, said floor panel including a base surface configured to support the container in a horizontal position;   configuring the floor panel to include an interrupted or discontinuous product support surface, said product support surface elevated relative to the base surface of the container, said floor panel defining at least one reservoir inward of the sidewall and below the product support surface;   storing cut product in the container with the cut product supported by the product support surface;   wherein liquid released from the cut product during storage descends into the at least one reservoir and the cut product is supported above the liquid during storage.