Food package

Abstract

A food package comprising a sealed flexible pouch and a utensil, the pouch containing one or more food items. The inferior of the pouch is depleted of oxygen, and the one or more food items are held in substantially fixed positions within the pouch. The food package is resealable after opening.

1 . A food package comprising a sealed flexible pouch and a utensil, the pouch containing one or more food items,
 wherein the pouch contains the utensil held in a substantially fixed position within the pouch, and the pouch comprises a base with a first corner and a top with a second corner diagonally opposite the first corner, wherein respective ends of the utensil are engaged with the first and second corners, respectively, to reinforce the food package,   wherein the food package is resealable after opening.   
     
     
         2 . The food package of  claim 1 , wherein the interior of the pouch is depleted of oxygen, and the one or more food items are held in substantially fixed positions within the pouch. 
     
     
         3 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the pouch comprises first and second films that are sealed together at their periphery. 
     
     
         4 . A food package according to  claim 3 , wherein juxtaposed surfaces of the first and second films have a dimpled or uneven texture, or are laser-etched. 
     
     
         5 . A food package according to  claim 3 , wherein the films are of plastics material. 
     
     
         6 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the utensil is a rigid component. 
     
     
         7 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein respective ends of the utensil are engaged with the first and second corners, respectively, to reinforce the food package, because the utensil is sized to fit snugly along a main diagonal of the pouch between the first corner and the second corner. 
     
     
         8 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the utensil is a culinary utensil by which the one or more food items may be removed from the package after the package has been opened in use. 
     
     
         9 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the utensil is a fork, spoon, cocktail stick or chopstick. 
     
     
         10 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the utensil has a bore, one end of which is exposed when the package is opened in use, whereby air may be blown into the package to facilitate subsequent removal of the one or more food items. 
     
     
         11 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the package further comprises an additional protector held in a substantially fixed position within the pouch. 
     
     
         12 . A food package according to  claim 11 , wherein the additional protector is a stiffening rod. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The food package of  claim 1 , wherein a base of the pouch is formed by a gusset of resilient material. 
     
     
         15 . The food package of  claim 14 , wherein the gusset is configured to provide for shock absorption for the one or more food items when the base of the pouch is subject to an impact. 
     
     
         16 . The food package of  claim 15 , wherein the pouch comprises:
 a first gusset corner adjacent to a first end of the gusset; and   a second top corner spaced apart from a second end of the gusset and diagonally opposite the first gusset corner,   wherein respective ends of the utensil are configured to engage with the first gusset corner and the second top corner to reinforce the food package.   
     
     
         17 . The food package of  claim 14 , wherein the gusset is configured to provide a containment barrier for containing a sharp utensil within the pouch. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealed flexible pouch is substantially evacuated of air, the pouch comprising side walls and a base,
 and wherein the base is a resilient member, the resilient member being deformed from its rest configuration when the package is in a sealed condition, and the resilient member being arranged to return to the rest configuration when the pouch is opened, thereby drawing air into the pouch and causing the side walls of the pouch to separate.   
     
     
         27 . A food package according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealed flexible pouch comprises side walls and a base, and wherein the base is of greater thickness than the side walls. 
     
     
         28 . The food package of  claim 1 , wherein the food package incorporates a sealing strip that is exposed when the pouch is opened. 
     
     
         29 . The food package of  claim 28 , wherein the pouch comprises a top portion connected to a body portion by a frangible section and the sealing strip is positioned between the frangible section and the body portion, the sealing strip comprising a reinforcing structure configured to deflect tears away from the body portion when the pouch is opened by tearing the frangible section. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         37 . (canceled)