Microwaveable Packaged Food Product

Abstract

A package containing nuts and suitable for microwave heating is described herein. The package is configured to heat the nuts and provide an aroma reminiscent of traditional, freshly-roasted nuts. The freshly-roasted nut attributes include an aroma, temperature, texture and taste, which are reproduced with the microwave package. The package preferably, though not necessarily, incorporates one or more susceptors in order to provide additional heating, such as conductive heating, to the nuts. The package also preferably includes a sufficient headspace to allow for the aromas to develop.

1 . A packaged food product comprising:
 a flexible film forming a pouch having an interior cavity formed by a first end seal and a second end seal with a longitudinal seal extending therebetween, the flexible film pouch being substantially hermetically sealed,   about 0.75-oz. to about 2-oz. shelled nuts disposed within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch; and   a susceptor disposed on a top panel and a bottom panel of the flexible film pouch;   wherein the packaged food product is configured to be microwaved while sealed in a closed configuration to roast the shelled nuts to a temperature of about 120° F. to about 260° F.   
     
     
         2 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein a weight of the shelled nuts is about 1.0 oz. to about 1.5 oz.,
 the flexible film pouch is expandable and capable of remaining sealed in the closed configuration during a microwave operation lasting about 20 seconds to about 130 seconds roasting the shelled nuts contained therein, so as to enable a concentrated roasted aroma release upon subsequent package opening, and 
 the flexible film is a multilayered structure having at least one of the following layers therein: 
 a barrier material; 
 a printable film layer; 
 an oriented film layer; 
 a sealable layer; 
 a varnish, protective layer; 
 a coefficient of friction modified layer; and 
 a partial or patterned layer of any of the above. 
 
     
     
         3 . The packaged food product of  claim 2  wherein the pouch further includes a paper layer enabling stiffness and insulation thereof,
 the flexible film pouch is gas flushed prior to sealing the shelled nuts therein to reduce oxygen presence and provide a modified atmosphere in the flexible film pouch. 
 
     
     
         4 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein the susceptor has a grid-like configuration and is disposed such that the shelled nuts are in contact with the susceptor prior to package opening. 
     
     
         5 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein a volume of shelled nuts is less than 75% of a total internal package volume. 
     
     
         6 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein the volume of shelled nuts is about 20% to about 40% of the total internal package volume, and wherein the flexible film includes a metalized layer that forms the susceptor, and wherein the metalized layer has been treated with an acid solution to remove portions of the metalized layer forming a discontinuous metalized layer as a patterned susceptor, and wherein the susceptor includes at least one to three discrete susceptors. 
     
     
         7 . The packaged food product of  claim 6  comprising a first susceptor on a top panel of the pouch and a second susceptor on a bottom panel of the pouch, wherein the first and second susceptors are configured to heat and brown the shelled nuts and provide an aroma release. 
     
     
         8 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein the susceptor is disposed in a pattern on the flexible film, spaced from package seals. 
     
     
         9 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  further comprising nut flavorings comprising at least one of: salt, black pepper, cinnamon, honey, sugar, peanut oil, caramel, and coconut, and at least one of a coating or dry seasonings. 
     
     
         10 . The packaged food product of  claim 9  wherein the coating is effective to absorb and/or reflect microwave energy during exposure of the packaged food product thereto, while also being permeable to a portion of the microwave energy. 
     
     
         11 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein the shelled nuts comprise one or more of peanuts, cashews, almonds, and other tree nuts, whole, halves, or pieces with dimensions of about ¼″-1″ in length and ⅛″-½″ in width and have been pasteurized prior to packaging within the flexible film pouch. 
     
     
         12 . The packaged food product of  claim 11  wherein the shelled nuts have a moisture level that decreases by 15%-25% during pasteurization. 
     
     
         13 . The packaged food product of  claim 12  wherein the pasteurized shelled nuts have undergone at least one of a dry roast or an oil roast. 
     
     
         14 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  wherein the shelled nuts comprise peanuts having a moisture level between about 1.1% to about 1.4%. 
     
     
         15 . The packaged food product of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of:
 an aromatic compound disposed on an inside surface of the flexible film pouch prior to packaging the shelled nuts; or 
 a sprayable aromatic compound that is sprayed into the flexible film pouch after depositing the shelled nuts therein; 
 wherein the flexible film pouch is vacuum packaged after the shelled nuts are disposed therein, and the shelled nuts include at least one of almonds, cashews, or peanuts. 
 
     
     
         16 . A packaged food product comprising:
 a flexible film forming a pouch having an interior cavity formed by seals;   about 0.75-oz. to about 2-oz. shelled nuts disposed within the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, wherein the shelled nuts are coated;   a susceptor disposed in the interior cavity of the flexible film pouch, the susceptor configured to roast the shelled nuts during microwaving, the shelled nuts are roasted to a temperature of about 120° F. to about 260° F.; and   a sealed overwrap around the flexible film forming the pouch that is removed prior to microwaving;   wherein the flexible film pouch filled with the shelled nuts that have undergone a first heat treatment step and is configured to be microwaved in a closed configuration where the seals have not ruptured in a second heat treatment step.   
     
     
         17 . The packaged food product of  claim 16  wherein the flexible film pouch includes a longitudinal seal extending between end seals, and wherein the pouch and overwrap have been gas flushed to provide a modified atmosphere therein. 
     
     
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