Food Packaging Assemblies Comprising Composite Materials

Abstract

Food packaging assemblies of this invention comprise composite materials for food contact applications. Such composite materials include an absorbent layer and a non-absorbent layer, the absorbent layer having a textured surface for absorbing and trapping liquids, for example, oil, grease, or water, and the non-absorbent layer having an oleophobic surface that acts as an oil and grease specific liquid barrier. The material further includes one or more lamination layers. The lamination layer acts as a general liquid barrier between the absorbent layer and non-absorbent layer. This additional liquid barrier enhances the liquid repelling effect of the non-absorbent layer to more effectively trap liquids in the absorbent layer, thereby preventing liquids from seeping through the material onto an external surface.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pizza box assembly comprising:
 a pizza box liner disposed in the pizza box, the pizza liner comprising:
 a composite material having an absorbent surface positioned face up in the pizza box and a non-absorbent surface positioned face up in the pizza box, the composite material is disposed in the pizza so that the absorbent layer directly contacts a bottom or top surface of a pizza disposed in the pizza box and the non-absorbent layer directly contacts one or more pizza box surfaces; 
 one or more side panels positioned near the midpoint of the right and left sides of the liner, the side panels extended vertically from the absorbent surface of the liner, the side panels extending a distance from the absorbent surface that is slightly less than the height of a side wall of a pizza box so that the side panel can be disposed in the pizza box between a bottom surface and the top of a side wall of the box; 
 two or more rear panels positioned near the midpoint of the back side of the liner, the rear panels further stack on top of each other so that the bottom rear panel is positioned below the top rear panel, the bottom rear panel extended vertically from the absorbent surface of the liner, the bottom rear panel extending a distance from the absorbent surface that is slightly less than the height of a rear panel of a pizza box so that the rear panel can be disposed in the pizza box between a bottom surface and a hinge above a rear wall of the box, the top rear panel extended out from the bottom rear panel toward the center of the absorbent surface, the top rear panel extending a distance above the rear wall of the pizza box so that the top rear panel contacts the top of the pizza box when the box is closed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top rear panel of the pizza liner further comprises a printable surface that pops out from the rear wall of the pizza box when the box is opened, the printable surface is configured to receive an hold ink so that advertisements and other messages may be printed on the top rear panel and displayed when the box is open. 
     
     
         3 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a scored edge at the base on at least one panel of the pizza box liner. 
     
     
         4 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the scored edge marks a pre-folded path for assembling the pizza liner from a flat configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more front edges cut into one or more corners of the front side of the pizza liner, the edges distort the rectangular shape of the pizza liner at the front side so that the liner may be disposed in pizza boxes having a front wall with one ore more corners folded in toward the center of the pizza box. 
     
     
         6 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a pizza box liner having one or more front panels positioned near the front edges, the front panels extended vertically from the absorbent surface of the liner, the front panels extending a distance from the absorbent surface that is slightly less than the height of the front wall of a pizza box so that the front panels can be disposed in the pizza box between a bottom surface and the top of the front wall of the box. 
     
     
         7 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pizza liner is removable from the pizza box to allow the liner and the box to be disposed separately. 
     
     
         8 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pizza liner further comprises one or more half circle tabs positioned on top of the side panels. 
     
     
         9 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the half circle tabs are positioned on the side panels to align with one or more holes in the side wall of the pizza box, in this configuration, the half circle tabs are accessible through the holes in the side wall of the box and provide a surface to mainplate the pizza liner when the box is partially or fully closed. 
     
     
         10 . The pizza box assembly of the  claim 1 , wherein the pizza liner is disposed in the main body of the pizza box opposite the pizza box top. 
     
     
         11 . The pizza box assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a second pizza liner attached to the underside of the top of the pizza box, the second pizza liner is positioned to absorb liquid from the top surface of the pizza when the pizza box is closed. 
     
     
         12 . A food bag assembly comprising:
 an inner surface for receiving take out food, the inner surface comprising an absorbent layer;   an outer surface for handling the bag, the outer surface comprising a nonabsorbent layer; and   one or more liquid barriers between the inner surface and the outer surface, the liquid barriers repel liquid and thereby prevent absorbed liquid in the absorbent layer from reaching the non-absorbent layer,   wherein the inner surface, the outer surface and the liquid barriers are included in one sheet of composite material.   
     
     
         13 . The food bag assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising an outer surface with an absorbent layer laminated to the nonabsorbent layer. 
     
     
         14 . The food bag assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the absorbent layers contained in the inner surface and outer surface of the food bag have a surface texture comprising a system of ridges and valleys, the ridges are configured to adsorb liquid from a food surface and facilitate absorption of liquid by the absorbent layer, the valleys are configured to absorb liquid into the main body of the absorbent layer, the valleys further configured to trap and hold absorbed liquid in the absorbent layer. 
     
     
         15 . The food bag assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a first scored edge running down the middle of the side portions of the bag assembly and a second set of scored edges extended out from the mid point of the bottom of the bag toward the front and back surfaces of the bag assembly, the scored edges mark a pre-folded path for assembling the food bag from a flat configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The food bag assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the food bag is dimensioned to receive lasagna, fries, nachos, burritos, tacos, fried rice, stir fry, macaroni and cheese, pasta, fried noodles, fried chicken, hot dogs, burgers, bbq, popcorn, dounuts, tater tots, corn dogs, biscuits, and other take out foods. 
     
     
         17 . A baking sheet comprising:
 a top surface disposed face up in a baking pan, the top surface for receiving food to be cooked on the pan and comprising an absorbent layer; and   a bottom surface disposed face down in a baking pan, the bottom surface for contacting the baking pan and comprising one or more liquid barriers,   wherein the top surface and bottom surface are included in one sheet of composite material.   
     
     
         18 . The baking sheet of  claim 17 , further comprising a scored edge set back some distance from the outer edge of the baking sheet, the scored edge marks a pre-folded path for assembling the baking sheet from a flat configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The baking sheet of  claim 18 , wherein the scored edge is set back at least one quarter inch from the outer edge of the baking sheet. 
     
     
         20 . The baking sheet of  claim 17 , wherein the liquid barriers included in the bottom surface comprise at least one of a lamination layer, a non-absorbent layer, or some combination.