Packaged Ready to Eat Fresh Food Items and Method of Packaging Fresh Ready to Eat Food Items

Abstract

Packaged food items, such as a fresh, ready to eat salad, comes in a container maintaining a substantially inert, low pressure atmosphere therein. The salad includes a salad dressing positioned lowermost in the container and a lettuce item positioned upper most in the container. Various additional food items are positioned within the container between the salad dressing and the lettuce item. The additional food items include pickled, raw or cooked vegetable items, grain or pasta items, protein items and cheese items. All of the food items are present in different measured proportions depending on the combination of items in the container. The additional food items are layered in a particular order also dependent upon the combination of items present in the container.

1 - 85 . (canceled) 
     
     
         86 . A container for holding food items, said container comprising:
 a sidewall surrounding a central space for receiving said food items, said sidewall defining an opening at a first end;   a bottom attached to a second end of said sidewall opposite to said first end;   a gas permeable membrane covering said opening and attached to said sidewall to promote and extend freshness and edible life of said food items; and   a lid covering said membrane and removably attached to said sidewall.   
     
     
         87 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein said sidewall is cylindrical. 
     
     
         88 . The container according to  claim 87 , wherein said opening has a diameter equal to or less than 3.75 inches in diameter. 
     
     
         89 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein said food items primarily comprised of fresh, ready to eat vegetables and lettuces. 
     
     
         90 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein said food items primarily comprised of fresh, ready to eat fruits. 
     
     
         91 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein one or more inert gases are contained within said central space. 
     
     
         92 . The container according to  claim 91 , wherein said inert gases include carbon dioxide or nitrogen or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         93 . The container according to  claim 91 , further comprising residual oxygen contained within said central space. 
     
     
         94 . The container according to  claim 91 , wherein said inert gases comprise carbon dioxide over a range from 0% to 40% by volume. 
     
     
         95 . The container according to  claim 91 , wherein said inert gases comprise nitrogen over a range from 60% to 100% by volume. 
     
     
         96 . The container according to  claim 91 , further comprising a gas content from 0.5% to 20% oxygen by volume. 
     
     
         97 . The container according to  claim 91 , wherein said inert gases comprise 5% oxygen, 18% carbon dioxide and 77% nitrogen by volume. 
     
     
         98 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein said gas permeable membrane has a permeability such that equilibrium between said central space and the ambient is achieved within 48 hours of sealing said membrane to said container. 
     
     
         99 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein said gas permeable membrane has a permeability such that said food items maintain freshness from 30% to 40% longer than comparable packaged food items. 
     
     
         100 . The container according to  claim 86 , wherein said gas permeable membrane has a permeability such that said food items maintain freshness for at least 10 days.