Food container

Abstract

To obtain a food container capable of compensating for changing flavor of a food.SOLUTION: A food container 10 comprises: a storage part 12 for storing a food; a lid plate part 14 that allows the storage part 12 to be opened and closed; and an adsorbent 20 that is provided on at least a part of the inner surface 14A of the storage part 12 and the lid plate part 14 and adsorbs predetermined odor component and desorbs the predetermined odor component when heated to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food container. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a lunch box that includes a storage section for storing food and a lid plate section that enables the storage section to be opened and closed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-80212 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is a problem in that the flavor of food stored in a food container changes over time after cooking and storage.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a food container that can compensate for changes in the flavor of food. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The food container described in claim 1 comprises a storage section for storing food, a cover plate section that allows the storage section to be opened and closed, and an adsorbent that is placed on at least a portion of the inner surface of the storage section and the cover plate section while adsorbing a predetermined odor component, and that desorbs the predetermined odor component when heated to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher.

[0007] In the food container described in claim 1, an adsorbent is provided on at least a portion of the inner surface of the container and the cover plate. This adsorbent is arranged in a state in which it adsorbs a predetermined odor component, and desorbs the predetermined odor component when heated to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher. As a result, for example, when eating food stored in the food container, the food container can be heated to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher, causing the adsorbent to desorb the odor component into the food container. As a result, changes in the flavor of the food can be compensated for by the odor component.

[0008] A food container according to a second aspect of the present invention has the configuration according to the first aspect, wherein the predetermined odor component is an odor component that simulates the flavor of the food contained in the container portion.

[0009] In the food container described in claim 2, when the food container is heated to a predetermined temperature or higher together with the food, the odor components that mimic the flavor of the food are released from the adsorbent, allowing food that has lost its flavor over time to be enjoyed.

[0010] A food container according to a third aspect of the present invention has the structure according to the first or second aspect, wherein the adsorbent includes a porous coordination polymer.

[0011] In the food container described in claim 3, the properties of the porous coordination polymer, which allows the adsorption and desorption of specific gas molecules, etc., can be utilized to compensate for changes in the flavor of food by the odor components that desorb from the adsorbent. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, the food container according to the present invention can compensate for changes in the flavor of food. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a food container according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cover plate taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3]1 is a schematic diagram of a porous coordination polymer contained in an adsorbent, showing the state in which a specific odor component has been adsorbed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A food container 10 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that unless otherwise specified in the specification, each element is not limited to one, and multiple elements may be present. Furthermore, in the drawings, substantially identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations in the specification will be omitted.

[0015] 1 is a perspective view of a food container 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in this figure, food container 10 is, for example, a lunch box, and includes a storage section 12 for storing food and a lid plate 14 that allows storage section 12 to be opened and closed.

[0016] The storage section 12 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular box with an opening that opens upward. The cover plate 14 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate and is configured to be able to open and close the opening of the storage section 12.

[0017] Although a configuration in which the storage section 12 and the lid plate 14 are detachable and separable is described here, this configuration is not essential. The food container may be formed from a food container made by folding cardboard into a box shape, with the storage section 12 and the lid plate 14 integrated and openable. Furthermore, the food container 10 may be an outer packaging container for takeout food made from a plastic material or the like.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cover plate 14 taken along line 2-2 in Fig. 1. When the cover plate 14 covers the opening of the storage section 12, it has an inner surface 14A that faces the inner surface 12A of the storage section 12 and an outer surface 14B that faces the outside.

[0019] Here, an adsorbent 20 is provided on the inner surface 14A of the cover plate 14. Note that, although an example is shown here in which the adsorbent 20 is disposed only on the inner surface 14A, this is not essential. The adsorbent 20 may also be disposed on the inner surface 12A of the storage section 12. The location of the adsorbent 20 can be changed as appropriate. Disposing the adsorbent 20 on the inner surface 14A of the cover plate 14 is advantageous in that odor components 40 (FIG. 3), which will be described later, are easily released when the food container 10 is opened.

[0020] The adsorbent 20, having adsorbed predetermined odor components, is placed on the inner surface 14A of the cover plate 14. The adsorbent 20 is configured to desorb predetermined odor components 40 when heated to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher.

[0021] The adsorbent 20 having the above configuration includes, for example, a porous coordination polymer 30 (FIG. 3).

[0022] Here, the porous coordination polymer 30 contained in the adsorbent 20 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the porous coordination polymer 30 contained in the adsorbent 20, showing the state in which a predetermined odor component 40 has been adsorbed.

[0023] Porous coordination polymers (PCPs) 30, also known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are materials formed by metal ions 31 and organic ligands 32 and have a highly regular lattice structure. Porous coordination polymers 30 can occlude (adsorb) particles such as gas molecules within their lattice structure and release them under specific conditions. These properties allow porous coordination polymers 30 to perform functions such as "storage" of specific gas molecules, "separation" of specific gas molecules from a gas mixture, and "transformation" using metal ions 31 in the porous coordination polymer 30 as a catalyst. It is also known that porous coordination polymers 30 can change color depending on the type of gas molecules occluded (adsorbed) within their lattice structure.

[0024] The metal ions may be extracted from inorganic metal compounds such as metal oxides or metal salts of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), zirconium (Zr), etc. The organic ligands may be those having functional groups capable of coordinating with metal atoms, such as carboxyl groups, imidazole groups, and amide groups.

[0025] As an example, the porous coordination polymer 30 of this embodiment adsorbs odor components 40 that simulate the flavor of food contained in the storage portion 12. As a result, when eating food contained in the food container 10, the food container 10 is heated together with the food to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher, and the porous coordination polymer 30 contained in the adsorbent 20 desorbs the odor components 40 into the container. As a result, when the cover plate portion 14 is opened, the flavor of the food in the container is enhanced, making it possible to compensate for any change in the flavor of the food. For example, carboxylic acid esters, which are an example of odor components, are contained in tropical fruits such as pineapple and are known to be odor components that impart the pineapple scent. Therefore, if they are used in food containers 10 for packaging processed foods that contain pineapple as an ingredient, the pineapple flavor can be enhanced when the food contained in food container 10 is eaten.

[0026] Furthermore, anethole, an example of an odor component, is known to be an odor component that imparts the scent of anise as well as fennel, green basil, celery, etc. Therefore, if anethole is used in food containers 10 for packaging processed foods containing spices such as anise or aromatic herbs, the flavor of the food stored in the food containers 10 can be enhanced when eaten.

[0027] Benzoic acid, an example of an odor component, is known to be an odor component that imparts an almond scent. Therefore, if benzoic acid is used in food containers 10 for packaging processed foods containing almonds, the almond flavor can be enhanced when the food contained in the food containers 10 is eaten.

[0028] The adsorbent 20 may be disposed by, for example, mixing the powdered porous coordination polymer 30 into the resin material used to form the cover plate 14. Alternatively, the adsorbent 20 may be disposed at a predetermined location on the cover plate 14 by applying a mixture of the powdered porous coordination polymer 30 and a resin-based adhesive or the like as a binder. Alternatively, the adsorbent 20 may be formed of a film containing the powdered porous coordination polymer 30 and disposed on the inner surface of the food container 10.

[0029] (Action and effect) As described above, in the food container 10 according to this embodiment, the adsorbent 20 is provided on at least a portion of the inner surfaces 12A, 14A of the storage portion 12 and the cover plate portion 14. The adsorbent 20 is disposed in a state in which it has adsorbed a predetermined odor component 40, and desorbs the predetermined odor component 40 when heated to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher. As a result, for example, when eating food contained in the food container 10, the food container 10 is heated together with the food to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher, causing the adsorbent 20 to desorb the odor component 40 into the food container 10. As a result, changes in the flavor of the food can be compensated for by the odor component.

[0030] In this embodiment, by heating the food container 10 together with the food to a predetermined threshold temperature or higher, odor components 40 that mimic the flavor of the food are desorbed from the adsorbent 20. This allows food that has lost its flavor over time to be enjoyed deliciously.

[0031] In addition, in this embodiment, by utilizing the properties of the porous coordination polymer 30 that enable the adsorption and desorption of specific gas molecules, etc., the odor components 40 desorbed from the adsorbent 20 can compensate for changes in the flavor of food. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 10 Food containers 12 Storage section 12A Inner side 14 Lid plate part 14A Inner surface 20 Adsorbents 30 Porous coordination polymer 31 Metal ions 32 Organic Ligands 40 Odor components

Claims

1. a storage section for storing food; a cover plate portion that allows the storage portion to be opened and closed; an adsorbent that adsorbs a predetermined odor component and is disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of the storage section and the cover plate section, and that desorbs the predetermined odor component when heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold temperature; A food container comprising:

2. The predetermined odor component is an odor component that simulates the flavor of the food contained in the container. The food container of claim 1.

3. The adsorbent comprises a porous coordination polymer. The food container according to claim 1 or 2.

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