Freeze and heat food preportioning bag

Abstract

A preportioning bag used in food operations where a bulk food supply is divided into portions of smaller size, individual portions are located in a bag, and the bag is stored for use at a later date. The bag includes a front wall and a back wall that are joined so that a main body having closed side and bottom edges is defined. Multiple vents in the form of semi-circular slits are formed in the front and back walls of the bag. The front and back walls are constructed of a material that will withstand freezing and heating by microwave or steam. The bag features a day of the week printed thereon and is color-coded accordingly. A set of the bags may be mounted on a saddle structure.

1 . A preportioning bag used in food operations where a bulk food supply is divided into portions of smaller size, individual portions are located in a bag, and the bag is stored for use at a later date, comprising:
 a. a front wall;   b. a back wall;   c. said front wall and back wall joined so that a main body having closed side and bottom edges and an open top is defined;   d. at least one vent formed in said main body, said at least one vent comprising at least one semi-circular slit wherein the semi-circular slit is adapted to remain substantially closed during freezing;   e. a closure for the open top of the bag; and   f. said front and back walls constructed of a material that will withstand freezing and heating with said at least said one vent permitting heat to escape when a food portion is heated in the bag; wherein a central plastic strip is connected to the main body by a perforated line.   
   
   
       2 . The preportioning bag of  claim 1  wherein the central plastic strip includes an opening adapted to receive a peg of a saddle structure. 
   
   
       3 . The preportioning bag of  claim 1  wherein the main body excludes vents other than slits. 
   
   
       4 . The preportioning bag of  claim 1  wherein the main body further comprises an array of vents wherein the array of vents comprises at least two semi-circular slits. 
   
   
       5 . The preportioning bag of  claim 4  wherein the array of vents further comprises semi-circular slits wherein each slit defines a distal lip formed from a flap. 
   
   
       6 . The preportioning bag of  claim 5  wherein the semi-circular slits comprising the array of vents are arranged so that the distal lip of each semi-circular slit does not oppose the distal lip of an immediately adjacent semi-circular slit. 
   
   
       7 . The preportioning bag of  claim 5  wherein the semi-circular slits comprising the array of vents are arranged so that the distal lip of each semi-circular slit opens in the same direction as the distal lip of all remaining slits comprising the array of vents. 
   
   
       8 . The preportioning bag of  claim 4  wherein the array of vents extends over substantially the entirety of the main body of the preportioning bag. 
   
   
       9 . The preportioning bag of  claim 4  wherein the spacing of the vents comprising the array of vents is proportional to the dimensions of the main body. 
   
   
       10 . A system used in food operations where a bulk food supply is divided into portions of smaller size, individual portions are located in a bag, and the bag is stored for use at a later date, comprising:
 a. a plurality of preportioning bags, each bag including:
 i) a front wall; 
 ii) a back wall; 
 iii) said front wall and back wall joined so that a main body having closed side and bottom edges and an open top is defined; 
 iv) at least one vent formed in said main body, said at least one vent comprising at least one semi-circular slit; wherein the semi-circular slit is adapted to remain substantially closed during freezing; 
 v) a closure for the open top of the bag; and 
 vi) said front and back walls constructed of a material that will withstand freezing and heating with said at least one vent permitting heat to escape when a food portion is heated in the bag; and 
   b. a saddle structure supporting the plurality of preportioning bags;   c. a central plastic strip to which the plurality of preportioning bags are joined by perforated lines, said central plastic strip resting on the saddle structure so that the preportioning bags are mounted thereon.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the saddle structure includes a peg and the central plastic strip includes an opening that engages the peg of the saddle structure. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein each preportioning bag main body excludes vents other than slits. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the main body further comprises an array of vents wherein the array of vents comprises at least two semi-circular slits. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the array of vents further comprises semi-circular slits wherein each slit comprises a distal lip formed from a flap. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the semi-circular slit vents comprising the array of vents are arranged so that the distal lip of each semi-circular slit does not oppose the distal lip of an immediately adjacent semi-circular slit. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the semi-circular slit vents comprising the array of vents are arranged so that the distal lip of each semi-circular slit opens in the same direction as the distal lip of all remaining vents comprising the array of vents. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the array of vents extends over substantially the entirety of the main body of the preportioning bag. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the spacing of the vents which comprise the array of vents is proportional to the dimensions of the main body. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the semi-circular slit vents comprising the array of vents are arranged so that the distal lip of each semi-circular slit opens in the same direction as the distal lip of all remaining vents comprising the array of vents and wherein the semi-circular slits vents occupy only one side of the main body of the bag.