Packaging container and package containing soft food

Abstract

To provide a packaging container, capable of inhibiting the transfer of taste and / or color between soft food and liquid and preventing the soft food from collapsing, and a package containing soft food.SOLUTION: Packaging container 11, in which soft food 31 and liquid 32 are contained and sealed by a lid 12, has a recessed part 27 in which soft food 31 is stored and a housing part 21 in which a headspace is formed above the soft food 31 for filling the liquid 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging container for storing soft food and a package containing soft food in which soft food is stored in the packaging container. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, soft foods have been distributed as nursing care foods for elderly people who have difficulty chewing or swallowing. Soft foods are, for example, made by grinding solid foods and re-forming them into a desired shape. In addition, a product is known as a package containing soft foods, in which a mousse-like food as a soft food and a seasoning liquid as a liquid are filled in a cup container as a packaging container, and the cup container is sealed with a sealing lid (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 146618 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned package containing soft food, the soft food is sealed in a state where it is suspended in the seasoning liquid filled in the cup container, so that the entire surface of the soft food comes into contact with the seasoning liquid. Therefore, the taste and / or color of the seasoning liquid is likely to transfer to the soft food, and there is a risk that the original taste and / or color of the soft food may be impaired. In addition, there is a risk that the soft food suspended in the seasoning liquid in the cup container may crumble due to vibrations that occur during transportation, etc.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a packaging container and a package containing soft food that can suppress the transfer of taste and / or color between soft food and liquid and prevent the soft food from crumbling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a packaging container is a packaging container in which soft food and liquid are contained and sealed by a lid, and is provided with a recess in which the soft food is contained and a storage section in which a head space is formed above the soft food in which the liquid is filled.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a container is provided that comprises soft food, liquid, a storage section that has a recess in which the soft food is stored and a head space above the soft food in which the liquid is filled, and a lid that seals the storage section. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaging container and a package containing soft food that can suppress the transfer of taste and / or color between soft food and liquid and prevent the soft food from crumbling. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view, partially in cross section, showing the configuration of a packaging body containing soft food according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a packaging container used in the soft food packaging body. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the packaging containers in a stacked state. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the soft food-containing packaging body. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the soft food packaging body. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the soft food packaging body. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the soft food packaging body. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the soft food packaging body. [Figure 10]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of another example of the soft food packaging body. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the configuration of another example of the packaging container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, the structure of a packaging container 11 containing soft food according to one embodiment of the present invention and the structure of the packaging container 11 used in a packaging body 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10.

[0011] Fig. 1 shows the structure of a soft food-containing package 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a side view showing a part of the food 13 contained therein, with a part of the packaging container 11 of the soft food-containing package 1 in cross section. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of the packaging container 11. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing two packaging containers 11 stacked together. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the packaging container 11. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the soft food-containing package 1, and Figs. 6 to 10 are cross-sectional views showing the structure of other examples of the soft food-containing package 1.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, the soft food-containing package 1 comprises a packaging container 11, a lid 12, and food 13 including soft food 31 and liquid 32. The soft food-containing package 1 is a product in which the packaging container 11 is filled with soft food 31 and liquid 32 and the packaging container 11 is sealed with the lid 12. The packaging container 11 and the lid 12 form a package that contains the food 13. The soft food-containing package 1 packages the food 13 (soft food 31 and liquid 32) by sealing the packaging container 11 with the lid 12 while the packaging container 11 is filled with the soft food 31 and the liquid 32.

[0013] The soft food-containing package 1 is formed so that it can be cooked, for example, in a microwave oven and / or in a hot water bath. The soft food-containing package 1 is also formed so that it can be stored, for example, at room temperature, in a refrigerator, and / or in a freezer. In the following description, the up-down direction is defined by defining the packaging container 11 side as the lower side and the lid body 12 side as the upper side.

[0014] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the packaging container 11 includes a storage section 21, a flange section 22, a convex seal section 23, and a splash prevention convex section 24. The packaging container 11 is formed by shaping a multi-layer thermoplastic resin sheet. That is, the packaging container 11 includes the storage section 21, the flange section 22, the convex seal section 23, and the splash prevention convex section 24, which are integrally formed by the thermoplastic resin sheet. In addition, the molding method for molding the thermoplastic resin sheet into the packaging container 11 is typically pressure molding or injection molding, but other molding methods may also be used. The packaging container 11 has self-supporting properties due to the storage section 21, for example. Note that the packaging container 11 may not have self-supporting properties.

[0015] The thermoplastic resin sheet forming the packaging container 11 may be formed from a single-layered resin sheet or a multi-layered resin sheet, so long as the protruding seal portion 23, where the lid 12 is heat-sealed, is formed from a resin having heat-sealing properties. Preferably, the packaging container 11 has a multi-layered structure including a resin layer having heat-sealing properties as an outer layer. It is preferable that the packaging container 11 has gas barrier properties in addition to heat-sealing properties.

[0016] In this embodiment, the packaging container 11 is formed of a multi-layer thermoplastic resin sheet in which the inner and outer surface layers made of polypropylene and the intermediate layer made of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer are bonded via an adhesive layer. The surface layer is made of a heat-sealable olefin resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, or a blend of these. The intermediate layer is made of a thermoplastic resin having gas barrier properties such as Mx nylon, vinylidene chloride resin, or nylon resin. The surface layer and the intermediate layer are bonded via an adhesive layer made of a resin that exhibits thermal adhesion to both of them, such as an acid-modified olefin resin, a copolyester adhesive resin, or an epoxy-modified thermoplastic adhesive resin.

[0017] The storage section 21 has a plurality of recesses formed therein into which the soft food 31 is filled. As a specific example, the storage section 21 has a side wall section 25, a flat section 26, and a recess section 27.

[0018] The side wall portion 25 is integrally continuous with the flange portion 22 at the open end (upper end) and is integrally continuous with the flat portion 26 at the lower end. In this embodiment, the side wall portion 25 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. As a specific example, the side wall portion 25 is formed to have the same diameter from the upper end to the center in the vertical direction, and is formed in a cylindrical shape that is tapered at the center and gradually tapered from the center toward the lower end.

[0019] The flat portion 26 is formed in a flat shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the side wall portion 25. The flat portion 26 is formed to have a circular outer periphery. The flat portion 26 is recessed at certain points to form recesses 27.

[0020] For example, a plurality of recesses 27 are provided. For example, it is preferable that three or more recesses 27 are provided. For example, the plurality of recesses 27 are formed to have different shapes. Here, the different shapes refer to the opening shape of the recesses 27, the shapes of the side and bottom surfaces of the recesses 27, the depth of the recesses 27, etc. Note that the plurality of recesses 27 do not all need to have different shapes, and it is sufficient that the recesses 27 have at least two or more types of shapes.

[0021] In this embodiment, three recesses 27 are provided, and the three recesses 27 are formed to the same depth, but have different shapes other than the depth. In this embodiment, the three recesses 27 have side walls that are inclined so that the opening shape becomes smaller from the opening at the top to the bottom. The side walls may be shaped along the vertical direction.

[0022] For example, of the three recesses 27, one is a pocket recessed in an omelet shape, one is a pocket recessed in a sausage shape or an arc shape, and one is a pocket recessed in a substantially triangular shape with curved corners. The shapes of these recesses 27 are not limited. For example, like recesses 27 of another embodiment shown in Fig. 11, a pocket recessed in a shape imitating a fillet of fish rather than an omelet shape may be used.

[0023] The multiple recesses 27 are arranged on the flat surface portion 26 such that parts of the flat surface portion 26 are present between adjacent recesses 27. In other words, the multiple recesses 27 are arranged on the flat surface portion 26 at a distance from each other.

[0024] The multiple recesses 27 are arranged on the flat surface portion 26 such that at least one recess and a part of the flat surface portion 26 are present in each of two mutually perpendicular directions along the surface direction of the flat surface portion 26. In other words, the multiple recesses 27 are arranged such that at least one recess 27 is present in the radial direction from the center of the flat surface portion 26 and in the direction along the radial direction.

[0025] That is, when the multiple recesses 271 are uniformly arranged like the multiple recesses 271 of the comparative example shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 4, only the planar portion 26 exists in any one direction, and an area A where the recesses 271 are not arranged is generated. In contrast, the multiple recesses 27 of the embodiment are formed in the planar portion 26 in a non-uniform arrangement where no area A where the recesses 27 are not arranged is generated in the planar portion 26 except for the outer circumferential edge of the planar portion 26, by arranging at least one of the multiple recesses 27 in the radial direction (diameter direction) from the center of the planar portion 26 and in the direction along the radial direction (diameter direction).

[0026] Furthermore, in the case where the packaging container 11 is configured to be self-supporting, the multiple recesses 27 may be self-supporting through the bottom of any one of them, or the multiple recesses 27 may be self-supporting through the bottoms of two or more of them.

[0027] The flange portion 22 is provided in the storage portion 21. The flange portion 22 extends outward from the open end of the side wall portion 25 of the storage portion 21. The outer peripheral edge shape of the flange portion 22 is set to an irregular shape such as a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, or a combination of a corner and a circle. In this embodiment, the flange portion 22 has a square outer edge shape with four corners formed in an arc shape, and the inner peripheral edge shape continuing to the open end of the storage portion 21 is formed in a circle.

[0028] In addition, the flange portion 22 is formed with the convex seal portion 23 and the splash prevention convex portion 24 that protrude upward from the upper surface of the flange portion 22 on the side opposite to the storage portion 21 side (the side of the flat portion 26 and the multiple recesses 27). That is, the flange portion 22 has the convex seal portion 23 and the splash prevention convex portion 24 that are integrally formed when the packaging container 11 is molded.

[0029] The convex seal portion 23 protrudes upward from the main surface of the flange portion 22. The convex seal portion 23 is formed in a ring shape that is continuous with the upper surface of the flange portion 22. In other words, the convex seal portion 23 extends around the entire circumference of the flange portion 22 so as to surround the inner peripheral edge of the flange portion 22 (the opening end of the accommodation portion 21).

[0030] The upper surface of the convex seal portion 23 is formed in a flat shape. The upper surface of the convex seal portion 23 is the sealing surface to which the lid body 12 is heat-sealed and the lid body 12 is in close contact. The convex seal portion 23 protrudes upward from the main surface of the flange portion 22 with a predetermined width and height. The width and height of the convex seal portion 23 are appropriately set based on various conditions such as moldability, sealing property and openability of the lid body 12. That is, the sealing surface of the convex seal portion 23 is set to a predetermined sealing area, and good sealing property and openability are ensured. Here, the width of the convex seal portion 23 means the dimension in the direction along the main surface of the flange portion 22 perpendicular to the extension direction of the convex seal portion 23.

[0031] In addition, a beak portion (first convex portion) 23a is provided in a part of the convex seal portion 23 at a position corresponding to the opening start portion for opening the lid body 12. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the beak portion (first convex portion) 23a is provided in four places corresponding to the corners of the square flange portion 22 having curved corners. Note that since the beak portion 23a is provided in the opening start portion of the lid body 12 of the convex seal portion 23, for example, when there is one opening start portion, the beak portion 23a may be provided in one place of the convex seal portion 23. That is, the opening start portion is appropriately set depending on the shape and use of the packaging container 11, and the beak portion 23a is provided in a part of the convex seal portion 23 corresponding to the set opening start portion.

[0032] The beak portion 23a is formed as a convex stripe that protrudes outward from the flange portion 22. That is, the beak portion 23a is a convex portion formed by a part of the convex stripe seal portion 23 protruding outward in the radial direction of the opening of the storage portion 21. As a specific example, the beak portion 23a is formed to have the same width and height as the convex stripe seal portion 23, and is formed to have a pointed tip. Here, the pointed tip shape of the beak portion 23a includes a beak shape, a mountain shape, a L-shape (V-shape), etc.

[0033] Beak 23a does not have to be beak-shaped or sharp-tipped as long as the shape of the beak allows stress to be concentrated at the tip of the beak when lid 12 heat-sealed to convex seal portion 23 is peeled off from packaging container 11, making it the starting point for opening and facilitating peeling off of the lid. In other words, beak 23a can be appropriately set to any shape with a protruding tip, such as a curved shape without a sharp tip, so that when lid 12 is moved in the direction of peeling off lid 12 at the opening start portion, the contact area with lid 12 is reduced, thereby making it possible to concentrate the force for opening lid 12.

[0034] The splash prevention convex portion (second convex portion) 24 is provided on the inner circumferential side of the beak portion 23a at a predetermined distance from the beak portion 23a. The splash prevention convex portion 24 has a side surface along the inner surface (inner side surface) of the beak portion 23a, and is disposed on the flange portion 22 at a predetermined distance from the beak portion 23a. For example, the gap between the beak portion 23a and the splash prevention convex portion 24 is set to about 1 mm.

[0035] The splash prevention convex portion 24 is positioned with a predetermined gap between it and the beak portion 23a of the convex stripe seal portion 23, thereby forming a gap along the inner surface of the beak portion 23a between the inner side of the beak portion 23a and the splash prevention convex portion 24.

[0036] For example, the upper surface of the splash prevention convex portion 24 is formed in a flat shape. The upper surface of the splash prevention convex portion 24 becomes a sealing surface, and when the lid body 12 is heat-sealed to the convex seal portion 23, the lid body 12 is heat-sealed to the upper surface.

[0037] The splash prevention convex portion 24 may be formed so that both ends are spaced apart from the beak portion 23a (convex stripe seal portion 23), or may be formed so that one end is spaced apart from the beak portion 23a (convex stripe seal portion 23) and the other end is continuous with the beak portion 23a (convex stripe seal portion 23).

[0038] For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the splash prevention convex portion 24 is formed in a dogleg (V-shape) so as to fit along the beak portion 23a. When such a splash prevention convex portion 24 is applied, a double beak portion is provided at the opening start portion of the flange portion 22 by the beak portion 23a and the splash prevention convex portion 24. The splash prevention convex portion 24 may be triangular in shape.

[0039] In addition, when the inner surface of the convex seal portion 23 and the side surface of the anti-splash protrusion 24 extend in a direction that is inclined relative to the main surface of the flange portion 22, the extension direction of the side surface of the anti-splash protrusion 24 needs to be along the extension direction of the beak portion 23a, and the inclination directions of the inner surface of the beak portion 23a and the side surface of the anti-splash protrusion 24 may be different.

[0040] That is, the splash-prevention protrusion 24 may have any shape as long as the ridge line (ridge portion) on the beak 23a side is along the extending direction of the beak 23a.

[0041] The height of the splash prevention convex portion 24 is set to be equal to or lower than the height of the convex seal portion 23 (beak portion 23a). Preferably, the height of the splash prevention convex portion 24 is set to be lower than the height of the convex seal portion 23 (beak portion 23a). Note that the height of the splash prevention convex portion 24 is preferably set to a height that can prevent the effect of splash prevention from decreasing, and can prevent the heat seal strength between the splash prevention convex portion 24 and the lid body 12 from increasing and decreasing the ease of opening. That is, the splash prevention convex portion 24 is preferably set to a height that can obtain the effect of splash prevention, and has a weak adhesive force between the splash prevention convex portion 24 and the lid body 12, so that the lid body 12 can be peeled off smoothly without resistance.

[0042] The width of the splash-preventing protrusion 24 is set appropriately. The width of the splash-preventing protrusion 24 is set appropriately depending on the adhesion force when the lid 12 and the splash-preventing protrusion 24 are adhered to each other by heat sealing. That is, the width of the splash-preventing protrusion 24 is set depending on the height, area and shape of the upper surface of the splash-preventing protrusion 24. Note that the width of the splash-preventing protrusion 24 means the dimension in the direction along the main surface of the flange portion 22 perpendicular to the extension direction of the splash-preventing protrusion 24.

[0043] In addition, the inner surface (inner face) of the convex stripe seal portion 23 and the side surface facing the convex stripe seal portion 23 (beak portion 23a) of the splash prevention convex portion 24 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the flange portion 22, or may extend in a direction inclined relative to the main surface of the flange portion 22.

[0044] The lid body 12 is fixed to the flange portion 22 and covers the storage portion 21 to seal the storage portion 21. The lid body 12 is welded to the packaging container 11 by heat sealing to the convex seal portion 23 and the splash prevention convex portion 24 formed on the flange portion 22. The lid body 12 is formed in a film shape. As an example, the lid body 12 is formed from a multilayer film of PET / adhesive layer (modified polypropylene) / unstretched polypropylene.

[0045] The lid 12 is not limited to being welded to the convex seal portion 23 and the splash prevention convex portion 24. For example, the lid 12 may be welded directly to the flange portion 22 without the convex seal portion 23 and the splash prevention convex portion 24 being formed on the flange portion 22. The lid 12 may be formed in a cup or dish shape, rather than being welded, and may be shaped to fit onto the outer periphery of the flange portion 22. The lid 12 may be configured to fit onto the inner periphery of the flange portion 22, i.e., the upper inner edge of the side wall portion 25 of the storage portion 21.

[0046] The food 13 includes at least a soft food 31 and a liquid 32. According to one example, the food 13 is a universal design food provided as food for people with swallowing difficulties or chewing difficulties. The universal design foods are classified into four categories according to hardness, namely, "easy to chew," "crushable with gums," "crushable with tongue," and "no chewing required." Foods in the "easy to chew" category have a hardness of 5×10 5 N / m 2 Foods in the "gum-mashable" category are required to have a hardness of 5 x 10 4 N / m 2 Foods in the category "can be crushed with the tongue" must have a hardness of 2×10 4 N / m 2 Foods in the "no chew" category are required to have a hardness of 5 x 10 3 N / m 2 The following is required:

[0047] The soft food 31 is, for example, a mousse-like food. The soft food 31 may be a food obtained by solidifying a liquid containing protein by utilizing thermal denaturation of the protein, such as a pudding.

[0048] A mousse-like food product is a food product obtained by grinding a solid food product, mixing it with a coagulant and the like, and then forming this mixture into the shape of the portion accommodated in the recess 27.

[0049] The solid food may be, for example, an animal food material, a plant food material, or a combination thereof. The solid food may include meat, seafood, seaweed, fruit, nuts, grains, vegetables, mushrooms, or two or more thereof. The solid food may be an ingredient before cooking or a cooked food. In the latter case, the solid food may further include one or more of oils and fats and seasonings such as sugar and salt.

[0050] It is preferable to grind solid foods to a desired particle size. The smaller the particle size, the smoother the mouthfeel of the soft food 31. The particle size of the ground food is preferably 2.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.1 mm or less. Here, the "particle size" is a value obtained by measuring particle size distribution by a laser diffraction / scattering method.

[0051] The coagulant is, for example, a protein that is thermally denatured and irreversibly solidified by heating. Such a protein is mixed, for example, in the form of an aqueous solution, with the mashed food. As the protein or its aqueous solution, for example, egg white can be used. The protein is preferably added so that the concentration in the soft food 31 is within the range of 0.1 to 25% by mass, and more preferably within the range of 1 to 15% by mass.

[0052] The mixture of the mashed food and the coagulant, etc., is formed into a shape similar to that of the food before mashing or the soft food 31, whose taste is to be reproduced. For example, the shape of the recess 27 of the packaging container 11 is made similar to that of the food whose taste is to be reproduced, and the mixture is filled into the recess 27 and heated. This heating is preferably performed at a temperature in the range of 50 to 130°C, more preferably at a temperature in the range of 60 to 130°C, and even more preferably at a temperature in the range of 80 to 130°C. This causes thermal denaturation of the protein and coagulates the mixture. The mixture filled into the recess 27 may be heated before the packaging container 11 is sealed with the lid 12, or after the packaging container 11 is sealed with the lid 12. The mixture may be heated before being filled into the recess 27.

[0053] Soft Food 31 is 5 x 10 4 N / m 2 The soft food 31 preferably has a hardness of 5×10 3 N / m 2 The problem of deformation becomes more pronounced when the soft food 31 is soft. The method described here is particularly useful when the soft food 31 has a low hardness.

[0054] Soft Food 31 is 2 x 10 3 N / m 2 It is preferable that the soft food 31 has a hardness of 1×10 or more. If the soft food 31 is made too soft, it becomes difficult for the soft food 31 to maintain its shape. 4 N / m 2 It may be more than that.

[0055] The soft food 31 is formed to a predetermined height from the bottom surface of the recess 27. For example, the soft food 31 may be formed to the upper end of the recess 27, or may be formed below the upper end of the recess 27, or may be formed above the recess 27, i.e., above the flat surface 26 and below the upper end of the side wall 25. In other words, the height of the soft food 31 is lower than the height from the bottom of the soft food 31 (the bottom surface of the recess 27) to the flat surface 26, or the same as the height from the bottom of the soft food 31 (the bottom surface of the recess 27) to the flat surface 26, or higher than the height from the bottom of the soft food 31 (the bottom surface of the recess 27) to the flat surface 26 and lower than the height from the top of the side wall 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12). The soft food 31 is also formed in close contact with the recess 27 without any gaps. That is, the soft food 31 is formed in close contact with the bottom and side surfaces of the recess 27.

[0056] The relationship between the soft food 31 and the head space inside the packaging container 11 and the lid 12, which are packaging bodies formed on the soft food 31, will be described. As shown in Fig. 5, the height from the lower surface of the soft food 31 formed in the recess 27 (the bottom surface of the recess 27) to the upper surface of the soft food 31 (the height of the soft food 31) is defined as H1. Also, the height from the upper surface of the soft food 31 to the lower surface of the lid 12 (the height of the head space) is defined as H2. In this case, the height of the soft food 31 is defined as H1, and the height of the head space H2 has a relationship of H1>H2.

[0057] The liquid 32 is water, a seasoning liquid, a porridge, or the like. In the example of this embodiment, the liquid 32 is a seasoning liquid, and hereinafter, the liquid 32 will be described as the seasoning liquid 32. The seasoning liquid 32 is a liquid containing water, a seasoning, an extract of an animal food ingredient, an extract of a plant food ingredient, an oil or fat, or a combination thereof. The seasoning liquid 32 is, for example, a solution, a dispersion such as a sol, or a combination thereof.

[0058] The seasoning liquid 32 may further include a thickening agent, examples of which include, but are not limited to, guar gum, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, locust bean gum, curdlan, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, gellan gum, gum arabic, karaya gum, chitin, chitosan, arabinogalactan, welan gum, sesbania gum, aloe vera extract, dalman resin, gadi gum, elemi resin, dextran, oligoglucose, and the like. Cosamine, Aoi tororo, microfibrous cellulose, tragacanth gum, Bacillus subtilis natto gum, Fukuronori extract, furcellan, cassia gum, macrophomopsis gum, pullulan, Aloe arborescens extract, peach resin, Aureobasidium ferment broth, guar gum enzyme hydrolysate, rhamsan gum, glucosamine, levan, Agrobacterium succinoclican, yeast cell membrane, amas seed gum, Artemisia officinalis seed gum, almond gum, sclerogum, or two or more thereof.

[0059] Preferably, the thickening agent is guar gum, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, locust bean gum, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, gum arabic, karaya gum, welan gum, tragacanth gum, Bacillus subtilis natto gum, furcellaran, cassia gum, peach resin, guar gum enzymatic hydrolysate, rhamsan gum, Agrobacterium succinoclicans, or two or more thereof.

[0060] More preferably, the thickening agent is guar gum, xanthan gum, tamarind gum, carboxymethylcellulose, tara gum, locust bean gum, sodium alginate, psyllium seed gum, welan gum, tragacanth gum, rhamsan gum, Agrobacterium succinoclicans, or two or more thereof.

[0061] According to one example, the liquid seasoning 32 contains xanthan gum and guar gum as thickeners, and according to one example, the concentration of the thickener in the food product 13 is in the range of 0.01% by mass to 3.00% by mass.

[0062] The liquid seasoning 32 may further contain a gelling agent. The gelling agent is, for example, pectin, gelatin, agar, or two or more of them. The concentration of the gelling agent in the liquid seasoning 32 is preferably 1.0% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less.

[0063] The viscosity of the liquid seasoning 32 is preferably in the range of 0.3 to 20.0 Pa·s, more preferably in the range of 0.3 to 10.0 Pa·s, and even more preferably in the range of 1.5 to 2.0 Pa·s. The above categories of "crushable with the tongue" and "no chewing required" solutions or sols are required to have a hardness of 1500 mPa·s or more. Sols in the category of "crushable with the tongue" are required to have a hardness of 1×10 4 N / m 2 The hardness of the sol in the "no need to chew" category is required to be less than 3×10 3 N / m 2 The following is required:

[0064] The higher the viscosity of the seasoning liquid 32, the more vibrations of the surface of the soft food 31 and the seasoning liquid 32 are alleviated during transportation of the package 1 containing the soft food. Also, the higher the viscosity of the seasoning liquid 32, the more the movement of the soft food 31 in the package container 11 is hindered, and the less likely the soft food 31 will come into contact with the inner surface of the container. Therefore, the soft food 31 is less likely to move from the recess 27 of the soft food 31 to the head space between the upper surface of the soft food 31 and the lower surface of the lid 12, or to lose its shape, due to these factors.

[0065] The viscosity of the seasoning liquid 32 was measured using a B-type rotational viscometer at a measurement temperature of 20±2°C, rotating an M3 rotor or an M4 rotor at 12 rpm, reading the reading after 2 minutes, and multiplying the reading by the corresponding coefficient, and the value was expressed in Pa·s.

[0066] The liquid seasoning 32 is filled into the head space formed above the soft food 31 in the packaging container 11. The liquid seasoning 32 is filled into the packaging container 11 in an amount such that the liquid level is at a height position equal to or higher than the flat portion 26. The liquid seasoning 32 may be filled in an amount less than the volume of the head space, or may be filled in an amount equal to the volume of the head space. That is, the liquid seasoning 32 may be filled up to a height position lower than the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12) so that a space is generated above the head space. The liquid seasoning 32 may also be filled up to the same position as the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12) and fill the head space so that no gas is present in the head space.

[0067] Such food 13 is, for example, a main dish and / or a side dish. Examples of the main dish and side dish reproduced by the soft food 31 and seasoning liquid 32 of the food 13 include, but are not limited to, stews such as curry, stew, boiled vegetables, and sukiyaki, or combinations of grilled, fried, or steamed dishes with sauce, such as hamburger steak, chicken stewed in tomato sauce, stir-fried meat and vegetables, Vienna sausage, boiled fish, grilled fish, omelette, vegetables and tofu, etc.

[0068] Next, several examples of the soft food 31 and the liquid seasoning 32 filled in the packaging container 11 of the soft food-containing package 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 10. Note that the soft food 31 and the liquid seasoning 32 are not limited to the several examples described below. In Figs. 5 to 10, the packaging container 11 is shown in a schematic manner, with some components omitted.

[0069] The soft food-containing package 1 of the first embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the soft food 31 contained in the multiple recesses 27 is different types of soft food 31A, 31B. Here, different types of soft food are two or more types of soft food with different ingredients, and different ingredients means that at least a part of the ingredients is different. That is, different types of soft food means that at least one soft food among two or more soft foods contains a different ingredient from the other soft foods, or all of the ingredients of one soft food are formed from ingredients different from the other soft foods. In addition, the different ingredients include ingredients themselves that are different, and also include ingredients that are different in amount. In addition, each soft food 31A, 31B is filled to a height up to the middle of each recess 27 in the height direction. The liquid seasoning 32 is filled into the head space inside the package, up to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12).

[0070] A soft food-containing package 1 of the second embodiment is shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 6, the same type of soft food 31 is contained in the multiple recesses 27. The soft food 31 is filled beyond each recess 27 up to above the flat surface portion 26. The liquid seasoning 32 is filled in the head space within the package, and is filled up to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12).

[0071] A third embodiment of the soft food-containing package 1 is shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, different types of soft foods 31A and 31B are contained in the multiple recesses 27. As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 7, the soft food 31 contained in one recess 27 is filled with the first soft food 31A, and the soft food 31 contained in another recess 27 is filled with the second soft food 31B in the lower layer and the first soft food 31A in the upper layer. The first soft food 31A is filled beyond each recess 27 up to above the flat surface portion 26. The seasoning liquid 32 is filled in the head space in the package, and is filled to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12).

[0072] A soft food-containing package 1 of the fourth embodiment is shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 8, among the multiple recesses 27, one or more recesses 27 contain soft food 31, and at least one recess 27 is not filled with soft food 31. The soft food 31 contained in the recesses may be the same soft food 31 or different soft foods. As a specific example, as shown in Fig. 8, at least one recess 27 is filled with soft food 31 up to a height halfway in the height direction of the recess 27. The seasoning liquid 32 is filled up to the upper end of the recesses 27 filled with soft food 31 and the recesses 27 not filled with soft food 31, that is, up to the flat portion 26.

[0073] FIG. 9 shows a packaging body 1 containing soft food according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the soft food 31 contained in the multiple recesses 27 contains different types of soft food 31A and 31B. The first soft food 31A is filled to a height up to the middle of the recess 27 in the height direction, and the second soft food 31B is filled to the upper end (flat surface 26) of the recess 27. The seasoning liquid 32 is filled in the head space in the packaging body, and is filled to a position lower than the upper end (lower surface of the lid 12) of the side wall portion 25. The soft food 31B contains a content 31a inside that has a different taste, color, and / or hardness from the mousse-like food that constitutes the soft food 31B. The content 31a is, for example, a mousse-like food that forms the soft food 31B. The content 31a is not limited to a mousse-like food, and may be various foods such as solid foods as long as it is edible by the subject who eats the soft food 31B. Furthermore, for example, the contents 31a may be liquid seasoning 32 having a different taste from the liquid seasoning 32 solidified with a gelling agent.

[0074] A packaging body 1 containing soft food according to a sixth embodiment is shown in Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 10, the soft food 31 contained in the multiple recesses 27 is soft food 31 of the same or different types 31A. For example, the soft food 31A is filled beyond each recess 27 up to the top of the flat surface portion 26. The liquid seasoning 32A is filled in the head space in the packaging body, and is filled up to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid body 12). In addition to the multiple recesses 27 formed in the flat surface portion 26, the packaging container 11 has one or more recesses 28 provided in the flange portion 22, and the soft food 31B and / or the liquid seasoning 32B is contained in the recess 28. For example, the soft food 31A and the seasoning liquid 32A contained in the multiple recesses 27 are a main dish and / or a side dish, and the soft food 31B and the seasoning liquid 32B contained in the recess 28 provided in the flange portion 22 are a main dish and / or a side dish of a different flavor, or a sweet such as a pudding, jelly, or mousse cake.

[0075] As illustrated in each of these embodiments, the soft food-containing package 1 can have various configurations of the soft food 31 and the seasoning liquid 32 contained therein, as long as the height H1 of the soft food 31 is higher than the height of the head space H2 and the seasoning liquid 32 is filled at least up to the flat portion 26. Moreover, each of the above-mentioned embodiments is merely an example, and the configurations of various embodiments can be combined. That is, the seasoning liquid 32 of the first and second embodiments may be filled until the head space is filled. Moreover, the soft food 31 filled in one recess 27 may be two or more different types, stacked in two or more layers, or one or more types of contents 31a may be contained in the soft food 31. Moreover, the contents 31a may be included in the seasoning liquid 32. Moreover, the seasoning liquid 32 may be formed by filling two or more different types of seasoning liquid and mixing them in a common head space generated above the multiple recesses 27.

[0076] According to the soft food-containing package 1 configured in this manner, the soft food 31 is accommodated in the recess 27 in the shape of the recess 27, and the liquid seasoning 32 is filled in the head space generated around the soft food 31. As a result, the area where the soft food 31 comes into contact with the liquid seasoning 32 is the upper surface of the soft food 31. That is, in the soft food-containing package 1, the soft food 31 is filled in the recess 27, so that the area where the soft food 31 comes into contact with the liquid seasoning 32 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the taste and / or color of the liquid seasoning 32 from being transferred excessively to the soft food 31. Note that when the liquid seasoning 32 has a lighter taste and / or color than the soft food 31, it is possible to prevent the taste and / or color of the soft food 31 from being transferred excessively to the liquid seasoning 32.

[0077] In addition, in the soft food-containing packaging body 1, if the soft food 31 filled in the recess 27 is at a height equal to or lower than the flat portion 26, the area of ​​contact between the liquid seasoning 32 and each soft food 31 can be made as small as possible, thereby suppressing the transfer of the flavor of the soft food 31 to the liquid seasoning 32, and the transfer of the flavor and color of the liquid seasoning 32 to the soft food 31.

[0078] In addition, since the soft food 31 is formed into the shape of the recess 27 and is contained in the recess 27, even if vibrations or impacts are applied to the package 1 containing soft food during transportation, the soft food 31 is unlikely to move and the soft food 31 can be prevented from collapsing. In addition, since the soft food 31 is contained in the recess 27, drips generated from the soft food 31 after the soft food 31 is formed are mixed with the liquid seasoning 32, and therefore the drips generated from the soft food 31 are not visible.

[0079] Moreover, even when different soft foods 31 are stored in a plurality of recesses 27, the liquid seasoning 32 comes into contact with each soft food 31. As a result, even when different soft foods 31 are handled, the soft food-containing package 1 is configured so that the liquid seasoning 32 comes into contact with the upper surface of each soft food 31, so that the flavor and taste transferred from each soft food 31 is reduced. Therefore, the soft food-containing package 1 can achieve an appropriate balance of the flavors of the liquid seasoning 32 and can suppress excessive mixing of flavors. Moreover, since the liquid seasoning 32 comes into contact only with the upper surface of the soft food 31, it is possible to reduce excessive penetration of the soft food 31 by the liquid seasoning 32 and changes in taste and hardness.

[0080] Furthermore, the soft food-containing package 1 is configured such that the height H1 of the soft food 31 is higher than the height H2 of the head space. When the soft food-containing package 1 is turned upside down during transportation, i.e., when the storage section 21 side is on the top and the lid body 12 side is on the bottom, even if the soft food 31 moves away from the recess 27, the soft food 31 does not completely come out of the recess 27, and a part of the soft food 31 remains in the recess 27. As a result, when the soft food-containing package 1 returns to its original position, i.e., when the storage section 21 side is on the bottom and the lid body 12 side is on the top, the soft food 31 is contained in the recess 27 again.

[0081] Furthermore, by making the liquid level of the seasoning liquid 32 at the same position as the upper surface of the flat surface portion 26 or above the flat surface portion 26, even if the packaging body 1 containing soft food is tilted and the seasoning liquid 32 moves, the packaging body 1 will return to its original position and the seasoning liquid 32 will be able to come into contact with the upper surface of the soft food 31 provided in each recess 27.

[0082] In addition, the packaging container 11 has a flat portion 26 and is arranged such that a portion of the flat portion 26 is located between adjacent recesses 27, thereby improving the strength compared to a configuration in which multiple recesses 27 are connected together.

[0083] In addition, the packaging container 11 is configured such that the arrangement of the multiple recesses 27 provided on the flat portion 26 is such that at least one of the recesses 27 and the flat portion 26 are arranged in two orthogonal directions along the surface direction of the flat portion 26. This can improve the strength of the packaging container 11. That is, in a configuration in which the multiple recesses 271 are arranged at uniform intervals as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, a region A in which the recesses 271 are not arranged is generated in one direction. Then, since the strength of this region A is the strength of the flat portion 26, bending deformation occurs in the region A when the strength of the flat portion 26 is exceeded when an external force is applied. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 1, only the flat portion 26 is arranged in the direction along the surface direction of the flat portion 26 except for the outer periphery of the flat portion 26, and no region A in which the recesses 27 are not arranged is generated. This can improve the strength of the flat portion 26 of the packaging container 11 by the recesses 27.

[0084] In addition, the number of recesses 27 provided in the packaging container 11 is not limited, but by providing three or more, it becomes easier to improve the strength of the flat portion 26 and to arrange at least one recess 27 in the surface direction of the flat portion 26. In addition, since three or more different types of soft foods 31 can be arranged in the soft food-containing package 1, the variety of colors and flavors can be increased.

[0085] As described above, the soft food-containing packaging body 1 and packaging container 11 of this embodiment can suppress the transfer of taste and / or color between the soft food 31 and the liquid seasoning 32, and can prevent the soft food 31 from crumbling.

[0086] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention. The embodiments may be combined as appropriate, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-mentioned embodiment includes various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combinations selected from the multiple components disclosed. For example, if the problem can be solved and the effect can be obtained even if some components are deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment, the configuration from which the components are deleted can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1...packaging containing soft food, 11...packaging container, 12...lid, 13...food, 21...storage section, 22...flange section, 23...convex seal section, 23a...beak section (first convex section), 24...preventive convex section (second convex section), 25...side wall section, 26...flat section, 27...recess, 28...recess, 31, 31A, 31B...soft food, 31a...contents, 32, 32A, 32B...seasoning liquid (liquid).

Claims

1. A packaging container that contains soft food and liquid and is sealed with a lid, a storage section in which a recess in which the soft food is stored and a head space in which the liquid is filled above the soft food are formed, The recessed portion is provided in plurality, The housing portion has a flat surface portion, the plurality of recesses are formed in the flat surface portion at intervals, A packaging container, wherein at least one recess is arranged on the planar portion in a direction along the surface direction of the planar portion.

2. The packaging container according to claim 1 , wherein the number of recesses is three or more.

3. Soft foods and Liquid and a storage section in which a recess in which the soft food is stored and a head space in which the liquid is filled above the soft food are formed; a lid that seals the storage section; Equipped with The recessed portion is provided in plurality, The housing portion has a flat surface portion, the plurality of recesses are formed in the flat surface portion at intervals, A package containing soft food, wherein at least one recess is arranged on the planar portion in a direction along the surface of the planar portion.

4. The soft food package according to claim 3, wherein the number of recesses is three or more.

5. The soft food package according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of recesses contain soft food items containing different ingredients.

6. 4. The soft food-containing package according to claim 3, wherein the height of the soft food contained in the recess is higher than the height of the head space from the upper surface of the soft food to the lower surface of the lid.

7. 4. The soft food-containing package according to claim 3, wherein the height of the soft food contained in the recess is greater than the height from the bottom of the soft food to the flat surface.

Images