Food package for use in a microwave oven

Abstract

A food package is provided wherein the accommodated food product, while remaining in the package, may be heated or cooked in a microwave oven. The food product has at least one predetermined portion thereof which requires enhanced heat while the product is being heated or cooked in the oven. The food package includes a container formed of heat resistant material which is pervious to the microwaves. A surface of the container is provided with an area which is in proximity to the predetermined portion of the food product requiring the enhanced heat. A metallized ink, consisting of metal particles suspended in an ink-like substance, is deposited on the surface area of the container. Thus, when the metallized ink is exposed to the generated microwaves, the required enhanced heat is produced in the vicinity of the surface area.

I claim: .[.1. A food package for heating or cooking a food product accomodated therein in a microwave oven, the accommodated food product having at least one predetermined portion thereof requiring enhanced heat during the heating or cooking of the product, said package comprising a container for the food product formed of a heat resistant material pervious to the microwaves generated within the oven, said container having a surface area of the material in proximity to the predetermined portion of the accommodated food product, said area having printed directly on the material surface a metallized ink, the latter having a predetermined amount of metal particles suspended in an ink-like substance, whereby when said metallized ink is exposed to generated microwaves, the printed surface area produces the requirement enhanced heat for the one predetermined portion of the accommodated food product..]. .[.2. The food package of claim 1 wherein the accommodated food product has a plurality of separate predetermined portions requiring enhanced heat during heating or cooking of the food product in the microwave oven, said container having a corresponding number of surface areas on which is directly printed the metallized ink for effecting the required enhanced heat..]. .[.3. The food package of claim 2 wherein the metallized ink printed on certain surface areas of the container has an amount of suspended metal particles which is different from the amount of suspended metal particles in the metallized ink printed on other surface areas thereby effecting enhanced heat of different temperatures when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven..]. .[.4. The food package of claim 1 wherein an exposed surface of the printed metallized ink is coated with a material having a non-stick surface characteristic for the purpose of direct food contact protection..]. .[.5. The food package of claim 1 wherein the metallized ink is printed on the container surface in a predetermined pattern..]. .[.6. The food package of claim 1 wherein the metallized ink is printed on a predetermined area of an interior surface of the container..]. .[.7. The food package of claim 1 wherein the metallized ink is printed on a predetermined area of an exterior surface of the container..]. .[.8. A disposable container for accommodating a food product having at least one predetermined portion requiring enhanced heat when the food product is heated or cooked within a microwave oven, said container being formed of a heat resistant material pervious to microwaves, said material having a surface area on which is directly printed a metallized ink, the latter having a predetermined amount of metal particles suspended in an ink-like substance, said surface area adapted to be in proximity to the predetermined portion of the food product and provide the required enhanced heat therefor when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven..]. .[.9. The disposable container of claim 8 wherein a plurality of surface areas are provided on which is printed the metallized ink, each surface area adapted to be in proximity to a corresponding predetermined portion of the accommodated food product which requires enhanced heat when the food product is being heated or cooked by microwaves generated in the oven..]. .[.10. The disposable container of claim 9 wherein the metallized ink printed on certain surface areas of the container material has an amount of suspended metal particles which is different from the amount of suspended metal particles in the metallized ink printed on the remaining surface areas..]. .[.11. The disposable container of claim 8 wherein the area thereof on which the metallized ink is printed is formed on an interior surface of the container and is adapted to be in contact with the accommodated food 
     
        product..]. .Iadd.12.  A food package for heating or cooking a food product accommodated therein in a microwave oven, the accommodated food product having at least a first predetermined portion thereof requiring enhanced heat during the heating or cooking of the product, and at least a second predetermined portion thereof requiring shielding from microwaves during the heating or cooking of the product, said package comprising a container for the food product formed of a heat resistant material which is capable of retaining its shape when subjected to heating or cooking temperatures and is pervious to the microwaves generated within the oven, said container having first and second surface areas of the material in proximity to the said first and second predetermined portions of the accommodated food product, respectively, said first area having printed directly on the material surface a metallized ink, the latter having a predetermined amount of metal particles suspended in an ink-like substance, whereby when said metallized ink is exposed to generated microwaves, the printed surface area retains its shape and produces the required enhanced heat for the said first predetermined portion of the accommodated food product, said second predetermined area having a metallized ink having a large amount or concentration of metal particles which will cause the microwaves to be reflected enabling the second predetermined portion to remain relatively cool instead of heating up when the microwaves are being generated within the oven. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The food package of claim 12 wherein the accommodated food product has a third predetermined portion requiring normal microwave heating during the heating or cooking of the product, said container having a third surface area in proximity to said third predetermined portion of the accommodated food product, said third area devoid of metallized ink. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The food package of claim 12 wherein the accommodated food product has a plurality of separate first predetermined portions requiring enhanced heat during heating or cooking of the food product in the microwave oven, said container having a corresponding number of first surface areas on which is directly printed the metallized ink for effecting the required enhanced heat. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The food package of claim 14 wherein the metallized ink printed on a certain first surface area of the container has an amount of suspended metal particles which is different from the amount of suspended metal particles in the metallized ink printed on another first surface area thereby effecting enhanced heat of different temperatures when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The food package of claim 14 wherein the accommodated food product has a plurality of second predetermined portions requiring shielding from microwaves during the heating or cooking of the product, said container having a corresponding number of second surface areas having a metallized ink with a large amount or concentration of metal particles for causing the 
     
     
        microwaves to be reflected. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17.  The food package of claim 16 wherein the metallized ink of a certain second surface area of the container has an amount or concentration of metal particles which is different from the amount or concentration of metal particles of another second surface area thereby effecting shielding to different degrees when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The food package of claim 12 wherein the accommodated food product has a plurality of second predetermined portions requiring shielding from microwaves during the heating or cooking of the product, said container having a corresponding number of second surface areas having a metallized ink with a large amount or concentration of metal particles for causing the microwaves to be reflected. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The food package of claim 18 wherein the metallized ink of a certain second surface area of the container has an amount or concentration of metal particles which is different from the amount or concentration of metal particles of another second surface area thereby effecting shielding to different degrees when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A disposable container for accommodating a food product having at least a first predetermined portion requiring enhanced heat and at least a second predetermined portion requiring shielding from microwaves when the food product is heated or cooked within a microwave oven, said container being formed of a heat resistant material which is capable of retaining its shape when subjected to heating or cooking temperatures and is pervious to microwaves, said material having a first surface area on which is directly printed a metallized ink, the latter having a predetermined amount of metal particles suspended in an ink-like substance, said first surface area adapted to be in proximity to said first predetermined portion of the food product and provide the required enhanced heat therefor while retaining its shape when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven, and said material having a second surface area on which is directly printed a metallized ink having a large amount or concentration of metal particles which will cause the microwaves to be reflected, said second surface area adapted to be in proximity to said second predetermined portion of the food product and provide the required shielding therefor when the food product is subjected to the microwaves generated within the oven. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The disposable container of claim 20 further having a third surface area adapted to be in proximity to a third predetermined portion of the food product requiring normal microwave heating during the heating or cooking of the product, said third area devoid of metallized ink. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The disposable container of claim 20 further having one or more other surface areas adapted to be in proximity to a corresponding one or more other predetermined portions of the food product requiring respectively one or more degrees of enhanced heat or shielding, said one or more other areas having metallized ink in such amounts or concentrations for effecting the required enhanced heat or shielding. .Iaddend.