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 packaged salad, said packaged salad comprising:
 a container defining a single central space enclosing a single modified atmosphere;   a plurality of food items positioned within said container, said plurality of food items including at least a salad dressing positioned lowermost in said container, a lettuce item positioned uppermost in said container, and at least one of a pickled vegetable item, a grain food item, a pasta food item, a raw vegetable item, a cooked vegetable item, a protein item, or a cheese item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item, each food item of said plurality of food items defining a layer within said single central space; wherein said container comprises:
 a sidewall surrounding said single central space, 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 thereby defining said single central space enclosing said single modified atmosphere; and 
 a lid covering said membrane and removably attached to said sidewall; wherein 
   said container, said single modified atmosphere, and layering said plurality of food items promotes and extends freshness and edible life of said plurality of food items.   
     
     
         87 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a pickled vegetable item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         88 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a grain food item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         89 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a pasta food item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         90 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a raw vegetable item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         91 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a cooked vegetable item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         92 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a protein item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         93 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said plurality of food items further includes a cheese item positioned between said salad dressing and said lettuce item. 
     
     
         94 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , wherein said container comprises:
 a gas impermeable sidewall and bottom, said sidewall defining an opening oppositely disposed from said bottom;   a membrane attached to said container overlying and enclosing said opening.   
     
     
         95 . The packaged salad according to  claim 94 , wherein said membrane comprises a gas permeable barrier film. 
     
     
         96 . The packaged salad according to  claim 94 , further comprising one or more gases within said container. 
     
     
         97 . The packaged salad according to  claim 96 , wherein said one or more gases are at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         98 . The packaged salad according to  claim 86 , further comprising a lid removably attached to said container overlying said opening. 
     
     
         99 . The packaged salad according to  claim 96 , wherein said one or more gases comprise at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or oxygen. 
     
     
         100 . The packaged salad according to  claim 96 , wherein said one or more gases comprise carbon dioxide over a range from 0% to 40% by volume. 
     
     
         101 . The packaged salad according to  claim 96 , wherein said one or more gases comprise nitrogen over a range from 60% to 100% by volume. 
     
     
         102 . The packaged salad according to  claim 96 , wherein said one or more gases comprise oxygen over a range from 0.5% to 20% by volume. 
     
     
         103 . The packaged salad according to  claim 96 , wherein said one or more gases comprise 5% oxygen, 18% carbon dioxide and 77% nitrogen by volume. 
     
     
         104 . The packaged salad according to  claim 95 , wherein said container comprises a space in communication with said opening, wherein said gas permeable barrier film has a permeability such that equilibrium between said space within said container and an ambient is achieved within 48 hours of sealing said membrane to said container. 
     
     
         105 . The packaged salad according to  claim 95 , wherein said gas permeable barrier film has a permeability such that said plurality of food items maintain freshness for at least 10 days.