Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONTAINER FOR FOOD PRODUCTS
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a container for food products.
Background of the invention
Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way
be considered as
an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common
general
knowledge in the field.
Containers for quick cooking foods, such as rice, noodles, beans, lentils or
other foods are
typically in a cup form and made of a material which can withstand very hot
water and/or
microwaving while the food cooks. Such containers are typically formed from a
plastic material,
and can include a sleeve or other member for insulation and safe holding, even
while the hot
water fills the container.
The cooking of the foods within typically includes adding hot or boiling water
to a rehydratable
base, and waiting a period of time, for example, a few minutes. Then some or
all of the water
can be poured off, typically out the top of the container, and separately
packed seasonings, sauce
or other toppings (e.g., vegetable pieces, condiments) may be added to the
cooked food. Such
additives can be stirred in, typically using a fork, spoon or other utensil.
EP 2423120 A2 describes a container which is formed of an inner part made of a
polymer and an
outer part formed of recycled materials to reduce the amount of plastic used
in such containers.
The inner part is then connected to the outer part by gluing, clamping or
latching, with at least
one projection being provided on the inner part, such as a rib, which can
engage with a
counterpart on the outer part to create a firm connection. The outer part can
also include a
vertically extending breaking line. This line can be used to open the outer
part, and separate it
from the inner part for disposing and/or recycling separately from each other.
However, many
consumers do not take the time to separate the different parts of the
container after use, and
simply throw away the entire container together, without separating for
recycling.
EP 1164093 B1 describes a lid for such a container, which includes multiple
layers to fit over a
cup or container and allows for draining. The lid includes a tab which can be
pulled up to pour
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hot water into the container, and then bent back over to reseal the container.
A surface sheet of
the lid can then be peeled away to reveal a number of slits or apertures. The
cup may then be
inclined to drain the liquid from the container while keeping the food
contents within. After
draining, the entire lid is peeled away for eating.
Summary of the invention
In one aspect of the present invention, a container is provided. The container
comprises a cup
and a sleeve. The cup comprises a base, a peripheral wall and a cup opening
opposite the base.
The sleeve comprises a base, a peripheral wall and a detached sleeve opening.
The sleeve is
connected around an outside of the cup, and is able to at least partially
detach from the cup. The
sleeve opening is dimensioned to fit inside the cup opening to engage an
interior of the cup and
define an interior volume between the cup and the sleeve. The engagement can
be a partial or
complete sealing engagement.
Such a configuration provides a simple and environmentally friendly container
for use with (quick-
cooking and/or rehydratable) food product. The configuration of an inner cup
and an outer sleeve
allows for the use of more environmentally friendly materials (e.g., paper in
the sleeve), while
providing a stable cup for the cooking and eating. The ability to separate,
and dimensioning of
the sleeve opening to fit inside the cup opening to engage the cup and define
an interior volume
provides a simple way for a consumer to form a "shaker' to evenly distribute
any additives (e.g.,
seasonings, sauces, etc.) into the food product. Additionally, this function
incentivizes the
consumer to separate the parts for easy recycling.
In general such containers can be used for food product that consists of a
carbohydrate base, a
dry seasoning mix, and in some cases a dressing for flavour additions. The
carbohydrates can
be pre-cooked (e.g., by steaming, frying, pre-gelling) for quick re-hydration,
and could be, for
example: pasta (fusilli, vermicelli, penne formats), noodles (fried noodles,
air-dried rice noodles),
rice (long, medium, short grains), and/or wheat (semolina, barley). Common
seasoning mixes
could include one or more of on top of flavour components (flavours, herbs,
spices, salt), taste
enhancer, fat, garnish and thickeners, dry vegetables, dairy, vegetable
extracts, tomato powder.
Specific seasoning mixes can aim toward a bouillon type of seasoning or
specific types of sauces
(e.g., bolognese, carbonara, Alfredo, creamy chicken mushroom), where
different ingredients are
brought together, including dehydrated/powder tomato, dried dairy components
(e.g., whey,
cream, butter, cheese powder), meat (e.g., freeze dried bacon, ham, chicken),
binders (e.g.,
rice/wheat flour, corn starch), dehydrated vegetables (e.g., broccoli,
mushrooms, carrots, chives,
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parsley). Dressing could include, for example, flavoured oil and soy sauce.
These are non-limiting
examples of the types of food products and additives with which the container
could be used.
According to an embodiment the sleeve comprises one or more openings on the
peripheral wall.
Optionally, the one or more openings can be located at or near the sleeve
opening. Further
optionally, the openings are positioned such that they are outside the cup
when the sleeve
opening is positioned inside the cup opening, for example in an upright
position. The positioning
could also be that in a tilted position, the one or more openings are
positioned on an inside of the
cup. Further optionally, the openings extend around 10%-50% of the sleeve
circumference,
preferably 15%-30%. The openings can be shaped, configured and/or sized
according to the
type of food product with which the container will be used. For example, a
container for use with
rice may have smaller openings than a container for use with noodles. By
placing one or more
openings on the peripheral wall, the container can be used for easily draining
liquid while ensuring
that the food product stays within the interior volume defined by the cup and
sleeve. The ability
to (at least partially) sealingly engage the cup and sleeve ensures that the
liquid only drains out
the one or more openings and/or positioning the openings such that they are
outside the cup
when engaged, makes for a more controlled and smooth flow of liquid.
According to an embodiment, the one or more openings are draining openings.
Such draining
openings can be sized and/or configured such that liquid can go through the
openings but not
any food product, and are properly positioned for such functions. Optionally,
the sleeve includes
no further cut-outs or holes beyond the one or more draining openings. This
would ensure that
the shaker functioning of the sleeve is not impaired by addition openings,
e.g., see-through
windows.
Draining the interior volume through the openings can also allow for more
drainage than past
containers which could only drain to a certain level before risking the food
product also leaving
the cup through the opening. This can allow for the preparation of less watery
food products, and
in that way more intense flavors can be achieved. The configuration of the
openings extending at
most around 50% of the circumference, and being located at or near the sleeve
opening allows
for the sleeve to be tilted with respect to the cup for different functions.
The tilting of the sleeve
with respect to the cup in one direction (while still engaging) allows for
draining out of the one or
more openings by positioning the one or more openings outside the cup. The
tilting of the sleeve
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in the other direction with respect to the cup to cover the one or more
openings with the interior
wall of the cup forms a "shaker" device for mixing and distributing additives
with the food product.
According to an embodiment, the container comprises a rim extending around the
cup opening.
Such a rim can provide a good place for attachment of a lid and/or a place for
gripping the cup
during draining, shaking and/or use.
According to an embodiment, the sleeve detaches from the cup through a
circumferential
perforated connection. Optionally, this could include more than one
circumferential perforated
connections. Further optionally, a tear strip could be used in combination
with or in alternative to
one or more perforated connections. Such perforations could be formed with the
forming of the
sleeve (e.g., punching in a blank which is used to form the sleeve) or after
connection to the cup.
The perforations and/or tear strips can provide a simple way for the
detachment of the sleeve
from the cup.
According to an embodiment, the detachment occurs at a distance from the top
of the sleeve
peripheral wall. Such a configuration can leave a part of the sleeve connected
around the cup at
or near a top of the cup. This can be a convenient place to connect the sleeve
to the cup (prior
to detachment), and can serve as a simple insulated place to hold or grip the
cup, avoiding any
potential burning of fingers when filled with very hot liquids.
According to an embodiment, the cup and/or the sleeve are rotationally
symmetric and/or conical
between the openings and the bases, respectively. This typically means that
the opening at a
top of the cup and sleeve are larger/wider than the bottom or base. Such a
configuration can
provide for better (sealing) engagement between the sleeve and cup when
detached and forming
the interior volume, as well as for good stacking before and/or after being
filled with food product.
According to an embodiment, the cup is a thermoformed plastic. Optionally, the
cup is
Polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate. Such material can form a
sufficiently rigid and
water-proof vessel for preparing and eating the food product, and can also be
useful for a long
storage/shelf life prior to use.
According to an embodiment, the sleeve is formed of a paper material, for
example, carton,
cardboard or other paper or fiber materials. Optionally, the material is
recycled material.
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Optionally, the material can be coated with another material such as plastic,
for example,
polypropylene. The sleeve can include additional features, such as an
insulating layer and/or
gripping features. Such materials are typically recyclable materials, so make
the container more
environmentally friendly, while also being suitable to form the interior
volume with the cup for
5 draining and/or shaking. In some embodiments, the sleeve could include a
coating on the interior
and/or exterior. This can be particularly useful in the interior to make it
more water-resistant for
the preparation, draining and/or shaking.
According to an embodiment, the cup comprises a lid. Such a lid could extend
over the cup
opening to keep the food product and any additive packages within the cup (and
sleeve) prior to
use. The lid could then be removed for some or all of the preparation steps.
The lid could take
many forms, for example, a removable plastic lid, a peel-back layer, etc.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of using a
container, the method
comprising detaching a sleeve from around a cup; and placing the sleeve
opening inside the cup
opening to form an interior volume between the cup and the sleeve. Such a
method provides a
simple way for a user to form a shaker to effectively distribute any additives
to food product within
the interior volume of the container. Detaching the sleeve from the cup to
form the "shaker" also
separates the container parts for easier recycling by the user, resulting in
an overall more
environmentally friendly container.
According to an embodiment, the sleeve comprises one or more openings on a
peripheral wall,
and the method further comprises tilting the sleeve with respect to the cup
such that any liquid in
the interior volume can drain out the one or more openings in the sleeve.
Optionally, the method
further comprises tilting the sleeve with respect to the cup such that the one
or more openings
are covered by the cup peripheral wall. By tilting the sleeve with respect to
the cup (or vice versa)
one way or the other, the user can have an effective way to first drain and
then distribute additives
into the food product using a single container. Such a method can allow for
more effective
draining without losing any food product, and cuts down on the number of
containers or other
preparation devices needed to effectively drain and then mix when preparing
the food product.
The sleeve can simply be tilted in one direction to allow flow through the one
or more openings,
and then tilted in the other direction to cover the one or more openings for
the effective shaking
and distribution of seasonings or other additives. The terms tilting the
sleeve with respect to the
cup generally indicates that the sleeve and the cup remain engaged, and a
principle axis of the
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sleeve is tilted with respect to a principle axis of the cup. The user would
also have to orient the
cup and sleeve correctly for the draining (e.g., openings facing downward).
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a
container is disclosed. The
method comprises obtaining a cup comprising a base, a peripheral wall and a
cup opening
opposite the base; obtaining a sleeve comprising a base and a peripheral wall;
and connecting
the sleeve around the cup such that the sleeve can at least partially detach
from the cup at a
detached sleeve opening; wherein the detached sleeve opening is dimensioned to
fit inside the
cup opening to engage an interior of the cup and define an interior volume
between the cup and
the sleeve. Optionally, the cup could be formed using, for example, injection
moulding or
thermoforming. Further optionally, the sleeve could be formed using, for
example, printed die-
cut cup board and processed in a machine for forming cups, which could include
steps of curling
cup blanks around a side seal mould and then sealing with hot air and
pressure, with the pre-cut
bottom pieces being inserted in the sleeve and sealed with heat and pressure.
Such a method
can form a container that is environmentally friendly and can be used for food
preparation and
eating, particularly with rehydrating food products and/or products where
seasonings and/or other
additives need to be distributed amongst the food product.
Optionally, the method further comprises forming one or more openings in the
peripheral wall of
the sleeve. This can be through punching, cutting or any other suitable
method, and can allow for
draining using the sleeve.
According to an embodiment, the step of connecting the sleeve around the cup
such that the
sleeve can at least partially detach from the cup at a detached sleeve opening
comprises forming
a circumferential perforation line and/or a circumferential tear-away strip in
the peripheral wall of
the sleeve; and connecting an inside of the peripheral wall above the
perforation line and/or a
circumferential tear-away strip to an outside of the cup peripheral wall.
Optionally, this can be
done using adhesive. Such a way of connecting gives a stable and secure
connection while still
allowing for easy removal by a user using the perforation line and/or tear
away strip to detach a
part of the sleeve from the cup. The remaining part of the sleeve above the
perforation line and/or
tear away strip remains attached to the cup and can be useful as an insulated
grip.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a kit comprising a cup
and sleeve of the
present invention and an instruction manual for use. The instruction manual
could be, for
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example, printed instructions on the sleeve and/or a small instruction sheet
connected to the cup
or the sleeve, for example, on a base or a peripheral wall, describing how to
use the cup and
sleeve for draining and/or shaking.
The invention will now be further exemplified with the following non-limiting
figures and examples.
Brief Description of the figures:
Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a container;
Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the container of Fig. 1A;
Figure 1C shows a top view of the container of Fig. 1A;
Figure 1D shows a side view of the container of Fig. 1A;
Figure 2A-2E show perspective views of a container with cup and sleeve being
detached; and
Figures 3A-3C show partially see-through views of a cup engaged with sleeve to
define an
interior volume and performing draining and shaking functions.
Detailed description of the figures:
Figure 1A shows a perspective view of a container 10; Figure 1B shows an
exploded view of
container 10; Figure 1C shows a side view of container 10; and Figure 1D shows
a top view of
container 10.
Container 10 includes cup 12 and sleeve 20 connected outside cup 12 and at
least partially
surrounding cup 12. In some embodiments, container 10 can include a lid, for
example, a layer
over the rim or another attaching lid, though none is shown in Figs. 1A-1D.
While container is
shown as having a circular cross-section, other versions could have a
different cross-section,
for example, oval, rectangular, etc.
Cup 12 includes base 14, peripheral wall 16, cup opening 18 and rim 32. Cup is
typically formed
of plastic, though could be paper, metal, composite or any other material that
is structurally
stable enough to hold the food contents. In some embodiments, cup could
include an inner
coating material, for example a water-proof coating such as a polyethylene
extrusion coating.
Sleeve 20 includes base 22, peripheral wall 24, openings 30, perforation lines
34a, 34b, tear
strip 36 and upper part 40. Sleeve 20 is typically formed of a paper material,
for example, 210
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gram per square meter ("gsm") cast-coated solid bleached board but could also
be a plastic,
composite or other material. Perforation lines 34a, 34b and tear strip 36
extend substantially
horizontally around sleeve 20 and allow sleeve 20 to at least partially detach
from cup 12. In
the container 10 shown in Figs. 1A-1D, sleeve 20 detaches from an upper part
40, which
remains attached around cup 12. Other embodiments may not include an upper
part 40, with
sleeve 20 completely detaching from cup 12. Some embodiments may only include
a single
perforation line (without a tear strip), no perforation lines, a tear string
or cord, or other method
of allowing sleeve 20 to detach around a horizontal position from cup 12.
Openings 30 are located on a side of sleeve 20, near the sleeve opening 26
when detached. In
the embodiment shown, seven openings 30 are present, extending in an arc shape
around
about 20% of the circumference of the sleeve. Openings 30 would typically
extend between
10% to 50% of the circumference of the sleeve, though could be more or less,
for example,
15%-30%, or 15%-25%. The size, shape and configuration of openings 30 would be
dependent
on the food products with which container 10 would be used as well as the
sleeve configuration
and material. For example, a container for use with rice may contain smaller
sized and/or
different shaped openings than one for use with noodles to ensure that the
food product would
not be able to exit or clog openings when draining. Similarly, some food
product may require
more openings (e.g., more than one row or arc) to ensure that drainage is
still possible even
when some openings become clogged. The term openings is used in general to
refer to a
passage, hole, slit or other type of opening through the sleeve 20 between an
outside and an
inside (typically on the peripheral wall) and which is of sufficient size to
allow liquid to flow
through.
In some embodiments, openings 30 could be covered by a tear away layer. This
could be for
sanitary reasons and/or to ensure that openings 30 remain clear for use when
needed. Such a
layer could be simply adhered over openings 30 and removed when sleeve 20 is
detached from
cup 12 for use.
Sleeve 20 is connected around cup 12, as shown in Fig. 1A, with base 22 and
peripheral wall
24 of sleeve 20 surrounding base 14 and peripheral wall 16 of cup 12. In the
connected state,
some or all of an inside of base 22 and peripheral wall 24 of sleeve 20 could
be in contact with
an outside of base 14 and peripheral wall 16 of cup 12, or could be offset
without any direct
connections.
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Peripheral wall 24 of sleeve 20 can extend to rim 32 of cup 12 (as shown in
Fig. 1A), or could
be situated below rim 32, with sleeve 20 having shorter walls. Connections
between the sleeve
20 and cup 12 can be through adhesive, clamping, welding, or any other
suitable means. In the
embodiment shown, upper part 40 would typically be securely connected to cup
12, for example
with adhesive connecting an inner side of upper part 40 to an outer side of
cup 12 peripheral
wall 16. The detachable part of sleeve 20 (below tear strip 36) would not be
directly connected
to cup 12 to enable easier detachment. Some embodiments could include
additional
connections, for example, in the part of sleeve 20 below tear strip 36. Some
embodiments may
not specifically adhere or clamp sleeve 20 to cup, but may size sleeve 20 such
that it normally
stays connected to cup 12 through friction, but may be removed when pulling
vertically with a
certain force (e.g., a force not likely to occur from normal handling for
filling, storage, transport,
etc.).
As can be seen in Fig. 1C, cup 12 can be conically shaped between the rim 32
and base 14,
with a larger diameter at rim 32 than at base 14. Sleeve 20 would typically
have a similar
conical shape, with a larger diameter at opening 26 than at base 22. This
conical shape can
help promote engagement between the sleeve 20 and cup 12 when used for
draining and/or
shaking (see Figs. 2E-2F), thereby minimizing any leakage from where sleeve 20
opening 26
contacts the inner side of cup 12 peripheral wall 16.
Figs. 1C and 1D shows example dimensions of a container 10. In the example
shown, cup 12
has a height Ho of 101 mm and a rim 32 diameter DR of 95 mm. Sleeve 20 upper
part 40
extends a height Hs of 14.75 mm from rim 32, with a height of tear strip HTs
being 4.75 mm, and
center opening 30 located about 10 mm below perforation 34b. Openings 30 form
an arc with a
radius R of 46 mm, and individual openings have a diameter Do of 3 mm. These
dimensions are
given as examples only, and various configurations and adjustments could be
made depending
on the container and expected usage.
Figure 2A-2F show perspective views of a container 10 with cup 12 and sleeve
20 being
detached and used for draining and/or shaking.
A user would typically start with opening a lid of the container (not shown)
and remove any
sachets containing the additives (seasonings, etc.). Hot or boiling water
would be added to the
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container (already filled with a food product), and wait for a few minutes,
e.g., 3 minutes. The
lid could be reclosed for the waiting. After the requisite waiting time, the
user would remove the
lid (if on), and then move on to the following steps for further preparation
of the food product. In
some cases, the user may prefer to detach the sleeve from the cup (as shown in
Figs 2A-2C)
5 prior to filling with hot water.
Figure 2A shows the tear strip 36 being torn away from sleeve 20. Tear strip
36 could include
an end 42 which is easy for a user to grab (e.g., not connected, slightly
elevated and/or with
different texture) for easy and secure grasping by a user. Tear strip 36 tears
horizontally
10 around the entire circumference of peripheral wall 24 on each of
perforated lines 34a, 34b. In
some embodiments, the tear strip could remain connected to upper part 40
(e.g., at an end) so
that a user does not have more loose parts to hold and/or dispose of.
Figures 2B-2C show the sleeve 20 being removed from the initial position
around cup 12 by
moving sleeve in a vertical direction downward after tear strip 36 has been
removed, thereby
detaching sleeve 20 from cup 12. Because upper part 40 is secured to cup 12
(e.g., through
adhesive or other means), upper part 40 remains in place around cup 12. This
can give a user
an insulated place to grip cup 12, which is particularly useful when container
10 is filled with hot
water.
Figure 2D shows sleeve 20 being placed in an inverted position to engage cup
12, as shown in
Fig. 3A. Sleeve 20 opening 26 is dimensioned to fit inside cup 12 opening 18
and engage an
inner side of cup 12 peripheral wall 16 to define an interior volume between
cup 12 and sleeve
20. This engagement can be a fully or partially sealing engagement, such that
the sleeve 20
opening 26 connects to an inside of cup 12 peripheral wall 16 to keep at least
the food contents
within the interior volume, and in some embodiments all liquid as well. Some
embodiments
could include a rim or other type of edge or reinforcement of sleeve 20
opening 26 to promote
the engagement and/or sealing between the sleeve 20 and the inner peripheral
wall 16 of the
cup 12. Some embodiments may engage such that some liquid is allowed to flow
between cup
12 peripheral wall 16 and sleeve 20 opening 26, depending on type of materials
used and
specific configurations of sleeve 20 and/or cup 12.
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Figures 3A-30 show partially see-through views of cup 12 engaged with sleeve
20 to define an
interior volume. Figure 3A shows straight engagement, with Figure 3B showing
tilting for
draining and Figure 3C showing tilting for shaking.
As can be seen in Figure 3A, sleeve 20 can engage with cup 12 such that it
extends to
approximately the level of the furthest openings 30 when connected straight.
In a cup of about
96 mm in height, this can be approximately 15 mm, though dimensions will vary
based on the
container and food product.
Figure 3B shows sleeve 20 being tilted such that openings 30 are located above
rim 32 when
sleeve 20 is engaged with cup 12 inner peripheral wall 16 to define the
interior volume. This
can allow for smooth drainage of any liquid from within the defined interior
volume through the
openings 30 without contacting cup 12. The size and configuration of openings
30 are such
that the food product within container 12 cannot escape through the openings
30 during
draining of any liquid.
After the desired amount of liquid has been drained off through the
configuration shown in Fig.
3B, sleeve 20 can be tilted the other way such that openings 30 are covered by
the inner side of
cup 12 peripheral wall 16 as shown in Fig. 3C. This can allow for shaking of
the cup 12 and
sleeve 20 to ensure that any flavorings, sauces, seasonings (or other
additive) is evenly
distributed over the food products within container 10. Such additives can be
added by
removing the sleeve 20 (fully or partially) between the draining and shaking.
By tilting sleeve 20
to cover openings 30, none of the additives can escape through the openings
during the
shaking or other motion to distribute the additives. As can be seen, such
tilting can be, for
example, around 10 degrees, though could be more or less depending on the
specific
configuration.
After this step, sleeve 20 can be removed from cup, and the food product can
be eaten. As
sleeve 20 is already detached from cup 12, it can be easily recycled
separately, making for a
more overall environmentally friendly packaging. As mentioned in the
background, in past
packaging systems, consumers would often not take the time to separate parts
of the container
after use, simply throwing away the whole thing. By already detaching the
sleeve to use in
draining and/or shaking for food preparation, the current container makes the
recycling easier
as the consumer has already went through the separation steps in the food
preparation. Thus,
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the container configuration ensures that the consumer does not simply forget
to separate parts
and promotes a more environmentally friendly packaging system.
Additionally, the configuration of the sleeve 20 opening 26 to fit inside the
cup opening 18 as
well as the dimensions and flexibility of materials, allows the engagement of
the sleeve with the
interior of the cup to allow for easy and effective distribution of any
additives into the food
product, such as seasonings, sauces, toppings, etc. In the prior art such
additives were simply
stirred into the food product, which resulted in a less even distribution of
such additives, for
example, leaving noodles on the bottom of the container with little to no
seasoning and/or
spilling food product when the container was full and/or attempting to stir in
the additive to all
parts of the food product. The configuration of container 12 allows for even
distribution of any
additive by forming an interior volume (and covering openings by tilting as
shown in Fig. 2F),
and allowing a user to shake or otherwise move the container 10 to mix the
additives and food
product within.
The configuration and placement of openings 30 on sleeve 20 also allows for
easy draining of
any liquid through openings 30 while ensuring the food product stays inside
container 12. Past
systems either relied on a user to simply tilt the container and try to drain
liquid out of the top of
container, thereby risking food product escaping with the liquid, as well as
not being able to fully
drain all the liquid. By including openings 30 in sleeve 20, the consumer is
incentivized to
remove the sleeve from the cup, use it for draining and then dispose of it
separately.
Additionally, forming the openings 30 in a sleeve 20 allows for easier
draining of all liquid and
use of the same cup 12 with a variety of different food products, and simply
altering the sleeve
20 (particularly the openings 30 of sleeve 20) for different food products,
thereby simplifying and
minimizing the costs of manufacturing. The ability to fully drain allows for
preparation of less
watery dishes more flavorful food in such a container.
While the invention has been described with reference to quick-cooking food
product, such as
noodles, rice, beans, and lentils, it could be used with any range of pre-
cooked carbohydrates
(processed via deep frying and/or steaming and post-drying), that could be
instantly rehydrated
by addition of hot or boiling water. Further, the container could be used with
other types of
products that may need draining and/or shaking without cooking or rehydrating,
for example,
salads.
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WO 2023/078867
PCT/EP2022/080433
13
The invention also covers the containers when in use and containing a
foodstuff. Therefore, the
container of the invention preferably comprises from 25 to 250 grams, more
preferably from 40
to 200 grams and even more preferably from 50 to 150 grams of a foodstuff. In
particular, the
container of the invention preferably comprises from 25 to 250 grams, more
preferably from 40
to 200 grams and even more preferably from 50 to 150 grams of carbohydrate
base.
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary or
preferred embodiments,
it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be
made and equivalents
may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of
the invention. In
addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or
material to the
teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is
intended that the invention not be limited to the particular or preferred
embodiments or preferred
features disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments
falling within the scope of
the appended claims.
CA 03235805 2024- 4- 19
