Packaged frozen food, method for thawing packaged frozen food, method for manufacturing packaged frozen food, and packaging container

Abstract

To provide a packaged frozen food suitable for heating and thawing even for frozen foods in which the preferred degree of heating differs depending on the part, a method for thawing the packaged frozen food, a method for manufacturing the packaged frozen food, and a packaging container. [Solution] The packaged frozen food of the present invention is a packaged frozen food that is heated and thawed before being eaten, and comprises a frozen food having a first portion that requires heating when thawing and a second portion that requires heating to a lesser degree than the first portion or that does not require heating at all, and a cooling agent that is placed in correspondence with the second portion, is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves, and is a cooled liquid composition and / or gel composition.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaged frozen food, a method for thawing a packaged frozen food, a method for producing a packaged frozen food, and a packaging container. [Background technology]

[0002] Frozen foods, which are frozen and distributed in a frozen state, and then thawed and served at the place of consumption such as a home or a restaurant, are widely available. Such frozen foods are easy to prepare, and in some cases do not even require cooking at the place of consumption, can be stored for a long period of time, and can be thawed and served when needed.

[0003] Common methods for thawing frozen foods include natural thawing, thawing under running water, and heat thawing using a microwave oven, etc. Of these, heat thawing is widely used because it can significantly reduce the thawing time compared to natural thawing or thawing under running water.

[0004] On the other hand, heat thawing generally heats the entire frozen food, but because heat flows into the frozen food rapidly from its surface, the thawing process tends to be uneven, and if the food is heated sufficiently, it is difficult to select the part of the food that will be thawed. Therefore, there are many frozen foods that are not suitable for heat thawing.

[0005] For example, in frozen sushi, the toppings (sushi ingredients) and cooked rice are frozen at the same time, and while the cooked rice needs to be cooked thoroughly, excessive heating of the raw ingredients can cause the ingredients to deteriorate, ruining the flavor and texture of the resulting sushi. For this reason, frozen foods such as frozen sushi, whose optimum thawing temperature varies depending on the part of the food, are generally not suitable for thawing using a microwave oven or other device, and are generally thawed using methods such as running water.

[0006] Patent Document 1 proposes a packaging container for frozen foods that is characterized by forming an electromagnetic wave shielding layer on the inner wall surface of the packaging container around the filling and forming an electromagnetic induction heating layer on the inner wall surface of the packaging container around the cooked rice molded body as a method for thawing frozen sushi in a short time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-126181 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The frozen food packaging container described in Patent Document 1 employs an electromagnetic wave shielding layer to prevent the ingredients from heating, but the electromagnetic wave shielding layer is made of aluminum. When using microwaves such as in a microwave oven, it is not desirable to use a large amount of metal. Furthermore, the frozen food packaging container described in Patent Document 1 cannot be used for heating and thawing by methods other than microwaves, such as steam.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a packaged frozen food that is suitable for heating and thawing even for frozen foods in which the preferred degree of heating varies depending on the part of the food, a method for thawing the packaged frozen food, a method for producing the packaged frozen food, and a packaging container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of intensive research into achieving the above-mentioned object, the inventors have discovered that by placing a cooled ice pack of a liquid composition and / or gel composition capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves in a location corresponding to a portion of a frozen food that requires less heating or no heating, it is possible to properly heat and thaw frozen foods in which the preferred degree of heating varies depending on the portion, and have arrived at the present invention.

[0011] The gist of the present invention is as follows. [1] A frozen food product having a first portion that requires heating when thawed by heating and a second portion that requires heating to a lower degree than the first portion or that does not require heating at all; A packaged frozen food that can be heated and thawed before consumption, the packaged frozen food having a cooling agent that is installed in correspondence with the second part, is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves, and has a liquid composition and / or a gel composition cooled therein. [2] The packaged frozen food according to [1], wherein the ice pack is solidified. [3] The packaged frozen food according to [1] or [2], wherein the ice pack contains water. [4] Further, a food carrier that supports the frozen food, The frozen food is placed so that the second portion contacts a portion of the food carrier; The packaged frozen food according to [1], wherein the ice pack is arranged in contact with the surface of the food carrier opposite to the portion where the second portion is in contact. [5] The packaged frozen food described in [4] further comprises a refrigerant carrier for carrying the refrigerant, and the refrigerant is disposed between the food carrier and the refrigerant carrier. [6] A packaged frozen food as described in [4] or [5], wherein the food carrier has a recessed portion in the food carrier section that can support the frozen food, and a convex portion in the direction opposite to the frozen food. [7] Further, a refrigerant carrier for carrying the refrigerant is provided, The packaged frozen food according to claim [6], wherein the ice storage material carrier has a recess at a position corresponding to the protrusion of the food carrier. [8] The packaged frozen food according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the frozen food is frozen sushi. [9] A method for thawing a packaged frozen food, comprising heating the packaged frozen food according to any one of [1] to [8].

[10] A method for producing a packaged frozen food, which simultaneously cools a pre-frozen food having a first portion that requires heating when made into a frozen food and a second portion that requires heating to a lesser extent than the first portion or that does not require heating at all, and a liquid composition and / or gel composition ice pack that is placed in correspondence with the second portion and is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves.

[11] A packaging container for packaging frozen food that is to be thawed by heating and served to the consumer, and that has a first portion that requires heating and a second portion that requires heating to a lesser degree than the first portion or that does not require heating, a food carrier having a food carrier portion that carries the frozen food; a refrigerant carrier that carries a refrigerant obtained by cooling a liquid composition and / or a gel composition, the food carrier is configured to contact the second portion of the frozen food with the food carrier; The ice storage material carrier is configured so that the ice storage material comes into contact with the food carrier portion from the side opposite the frozen food.

[12] The packaging container described in

[11] , wherein the food carrier has a recess in the food carrier portion so that the frozen food can be held therein, and a protrusion in the direction opposite to the frozen food.

[13] The packaging container according to

[12] , wherein the ice storage material carrier has a recess as an ice storage material carrier at a position corresponding to the protrusion of the food carrier. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaged frozen food that is suitable for heating and thawing even for frozen foods in which the preferred degree of heating varies depending on the part, a method for thawing a packaged frozen food, a method for manufacturing a packaged frozen food, and a packaging container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a packaged frozen food according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the packaged frozen food shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of how to remove the packaged frozen food shown in FIG. 1 after it has been thawed by heating. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the vicinity of a longitudinal end of a packaging container provided for the packaged frozen food shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for producing the packaged frozen food shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a modified example of the packaged frozen food according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another example of a modified packaged frozen food according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a packaged frozen food according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a packaged frozen food according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the packaged frozen food shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a packaged frozen food according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1. First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a packaged frozen food according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the packaged frozen food shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view showing an example of how to remove the packaged frozen food shown in Fig. 1 after heat-thawing, Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the vicinity of a longitudinal end of a packaging container provided in the packaged frozen food shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of a method for producing the packaged frozen food shown in Fig. 1.

[0015] (1.1. Packaged frozen foods, packaging containers) First, a packaged frozen food and a packaging container according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Packaged frozen food 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a packaged food in which a frozen food 40 is packaged in a packaging container 100. Packaged frozen food 1 includes a packaging container 100 having a lid member 10, a food carrier 20, and a cold storage agent carrier 30, a frozen food 40, and a cold storage agent 50.

[0016] 1 and 2, in packaged frozen food 1, lid member 10, frozen food 40, food carrier 20, ice storage agent 50, and ice storage agent carrier 30 are stacked in this order. If necessary, packaged frozen food 1 is further packaged in a resin bag, shrink film, or the like (not shown).

[0017] In this embodiment, the frozen food 40 is a so-called temari sushi, which is a type of frozen sushi in which the cooked rice forming portion (first portion) 41 and the topping (second portion) 43 are integrated to form a spherical shape as a whole, and is thawed and served. When thawing such frozen food 40 by heating, the cooked rice forming portion 41 must be heated sufficiently to an appropriate temperature, while the topping 43, which is often raw food such as sashimi, must be thawed at a low temperature with reduced heating. In other words, when thawing by heating, the topping 43 is a portion that requires heating to a lower temperature than the cooked rice forming portion 41, or does not require heating at all. In this embodiment, the frozen food 40 is arranged in two rows of four pieces inside the packaging container 100. Note that the topping 43 of each frozen food 40 may be the same or different.

[0018] The lid member 10, food carrier 20, and ice storage agent carrier 30 that make up the packaging container 100 are each formed by sheet molding a sheet of microwave-transparent resin material (such as polystyrene, polypropylene, or a material primarily made of silicone, etc.) The lid member 10, food carrier 20, and ice storage agent carrier 30 each have a basic rectangular shape of roughly the same size in plan view.

[0019] The lid member 10 is a lid for sealing the food carrier 20 of the packaging container 100 from above. The lid member 10 has a flat base 11, a protrusion 13, and ribs 15 formed around the periphery of the base 11. The protrusion 13 protrudes upward from a position on the base 11 corresponding to the position where the frozen food 40 will be placed, i.e., on the opposite side from the food carrier 20, forming a curved (spherical) convex portion. Therefore, the lid member 10 has a total of eight protrusions 13, four in each of two rows along the longitudinal direction. The shape of the protrusions 13 on the food carrier 20 side corresponds to the shape of the frozen food 40. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, after heat-thawing, the food carrier 20 can be turned upside down together with the lid member 10 to support the thawed food 40' on the protrusions 13.

[0020] Ribs 15 are formed around the periphery of base material 11, protruding downward toward food carrier 20. These ribs 15 are formed three-dimensionally around the periphery of lid member 10, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the entire lid member 10. Furthermore, by protruding downward from base material 11, ribs 15 come into contact with ribs 25 of food carrier 20, thereby preventing contact between base material 11 of lid member 10 and base material 21 of food carrier 20. This reduces the contact area between lid member 10 and food carrier 20, preventing static electricity or water generated during thawing from causing adhesion between lid member 10 and food carrier 20, which would make it difficult to remove lid member 10.

[0021] Food carrier 20 is a tray for carrying frozen food 40. Food carrier 20 has a flat base material 21, food carrying portions 23, and ribs 25. Food carrying portions 23 are portions for carrying frozen food 40. Therefore, food carrier 20 has a total of eight food carrying portions 23, four in each of two rows along the longitudinal direction.

[0022] Food carrier 23 has a circular shape in plan view corresponding to the shape of frozen food 40. Food carrier 23 protrudes downward from base 21, i.e., in the direction opposite to frozen food 40 and lid member 10, thereby forming a recess and a convex portion in the direction opposite to frozen food 40 and lid member 10. As a result, food carrier 23 forms a recess such that the tip of the cylinder forms a curved surface. Food carrier 23 can support frozen food 40 using the recess formed. In such a food carrier 23, frozen food 40 is supported such that its topping 43 is positioned below the recess of food carrier 23. In this way, frozen food 40 is positioned such that topping 43 contacts the lower part of the recess of food carrier 23.

[0023] In addition, protrusions 231 are provided near base material 21 of food holder 23, protruding in the planar and depth directions of base material 21. Protrusions 231 abut against base material 31 of ice storage agent carrier 30 or protrusions 331, and support food holder 23 together with ribs 25, so as to separate base material 21 of food holder 23 from base material 31 of ice storage agent carrier 30. This assists the function of ribs 25, which will be described later.

[0024] Ribs 25 shown in FIG. 1 are formed around the periphery of base material 21, protruding upward toward lid member 10. These ribs 25 are formed three-dimensionally around food carrier 20, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of food carrier 20 as a whole. As shown in FIG. 2, in relation to lid member 10, ribs 25 abut against ribs 15, as described above, facilitating removal of lid member 10. In relation to ice storage agent carrier 30 (described below), ribs 25 engage with ribs 35 of ice storage agent carrier 30, slightly abutting against each other, thereby supporting food carrier 20 with ice storage agent carrier 30. In this case, food carrier 20 is supported by ice storage agent carrier 30 via ribs 25 and 35, so that base material 21 is spaced apart from base material 31 of ice storage agent carrier 30. This reduces the contact area between the food carrier 20 and the ice storage agent carrier 30, preventing the food carrier 20 and the ice storage agent carrier 30 from coming into close contact with each other due to static electricity or water generated during thawing, making it easier to remove the food carrier 20 from the ice storage agent carrier 30 after heating and thawing.

[0025] The ice storage agent carrier 30 shown in Figure 1 is a tray for carrying ice storage agent 50. Ice storage agent carrier 30 has a flat substrate 31, ice storage agent carrying portions 33, and ribs 35. Ice storage agent carrying portions 33 are portions for carrying ice storage agent 50, which will be described later. Since ice storage agent 50 is placed at a position corresponding to frozen food 40, a total of eight ice storage agent carrying portions 33 are provided, four in each of two rows, corresponding to the positions of food carrying portions 23 of food carrier 20.

[0026] In a plan view, the ice storage material holder 33 has a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the food holder 23. The ice storage material holder 33 protrudes downward from the base material 31, i.e., in the direction opposite to the food holder 23, thereby forming a recessed portion like a cylinder with a curved tip. As shown in FIG. 2, the ice storage material holder 33 covers the lower part of the protrusion formed by the food holder 23 via a gap 331, and the space 331 can be filled with ice storage material 50. This allows the amount of ice storage material 50 used, as described below, to be reduced while efficiently achieving the heat-reducing effect of the ice storage material 50.

[0027] As described above, the space 331 in the ice storage material support 33 can be filled with ice storage material 50. Therefore, by changing the volume of the space 331, the amount of ice storage material 50 can be changed, and the heat-reducing effect of the ice storage material 50 can be adjusted. The volume of the space 331 can be adjusted by adjusting the distance d between the bottom of the ice storage material support 33 and the tip of the convex portion of the food support 23. This distance d is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately depending on the type of frozen food 40, etc., but is, for example, 1.0 mm to 30 mm, preferably 3.0 mm to 20 mm, and more preferably 5.0 mm to 10 mm.

[0028] Furthermore, near the base material 31 of the ice storage agent holder 33, there is provided a protrusion 333 that protrudes in the surface direction and depth direction of the base material 31. The protrusion 333 is formed at a position corresponding to the protrusion 231 of the food holder 23, and it is possible to reduce the contact area between the protrusion 231 and the base material 31 of the ice storage agent holder 33. This assists the function of the rib 35, which will be described later.

[0029] The ribs 35 shown in FIG. 1 are formed around the periphery of the base material 31, protruding upward toward the food carrier 20. These ribs 35 are formed three-dimensionally around the periphery of the ice storage material carrier 30, thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the entire ice storage material carrier 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the ribs 35 engage with the ribs 25 of the food carrier 20, slightly abutting against each other and supporting the food carrier 20 with the ice storage material carrier 30. As described above, this reduces the contact area between the food carrier 20 and the ice storage material carrier 30, preventing adhesion between the food carrier 20 and the ice storage material carrier 30 due to static electricity or water generated during thawing. This facilitates removal of the food carrier 20 from the ice storage material carrier 30 after heat thawing.

[0030] 1 and 4, at the longitudinal end of substrate 31, rib 35 is recessed toward substrate 31 to form recess 37. As shown in Fig. 4, when food carrier 20 and ice storage agent carrier 30 are stacked and viewed in a plan view, the position where recess 37 is formed is where ice storage agent carrier 30 is not present, and only food carrier 20 is present. Therefore, after heat-thawing, finger 200 can lift food carrier 20 at recess 37 when removing food carrier 20 together with thawed food 40' from ice storage agent carrier 30.

[0031] The ice storage agent 50 is supported on the ice storage agent support 30 and is disposed in the space 331 between the ice storage agent support 30 and the food support 20. The ice storage agent 50 is disposed at a position corresponding to the filling 43 of the frozen food 40. In this embodiment, the ice storage agent 50 is disposed so as to cover the filling 43 of the frozen food 40 via the food support portion 23 of the food support 20.

[0032] Ice storage agent 50 is a cooled liquid and / or gel composition that can absorb and / or reflect microwaves. That is, ice storage agent 50 is cooled together with packaged frozen food 1 before heat-thawing. This allows the ingredients 43 to be cooled during heat-thawing. Ice storage agent 50 may be solidified, or may be in liquid or gel form in packaged frozen food 1 before heat-thawing. If ice storage agent 50 is solidified in packaged frozen food 1 before heat-thawing, handling of packaged frozen food 1, such as transportation, becomes easier.

[0033] Furthermore, since the ice storage agent 50 is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves, when heating and thawing using microwaves, for example when using a microwave oven, it is possible to prevent microwaves from reaching the ingredients 43 of the frozen food 40, and the ingredients 43 can be heated gently.

[0034] Furthermore, ice storage agent 50 is a liquid composition and / or a gel composition before cooling, i.e., under a general temperature environment such as room temperature (5 to 40°C). This allows ice storage agent 50 to be placed in a fluid state during production of packaged frozen food 1, and enables it to be placed in close contact with food carrier 23 regardless of the shape of food carrier 23. In this embodiment, in particular, by placing ice storage agent carrier 30 below food carrier 20 and placing ice storage agent 50 below food carrier 20, ice storage agent 50 can be placed in closer contact with food carrier 23.

[0035] The liquid composition and / or gel composition constituting the ice storage agent 50 is not limited as long as it is liquid or gel-like under a general temperature environment, such as room temperature (5 to 40°C), and is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves. For example, water can be used. These may also be gelled with any gelling agent as needed. Examples of gelling agents include natural and synthetic gelling agents, and one type may be used alone or two or more types may be used in combination. Examples of natural gelling agents include alginates such as sodium alginate, thickening polysaccharides such as guar gum (unmodified), modified guar gum, xanthan gum, and caranagin, and gelatin. Examples of synthetic gelling agents include carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, and acrylamide. Among the above, the ice storage agent 50 preferably contains water, and more preferably consists of water. Water is a compound that can effectively absorb microwaves and has very little effect on the human body, making it easy to handle. Furthermore, when a gelling agent is used, a natural gelling agent is preferably used. The configuration of the packaged frozen food 1 according to this embodiment has been described above.

[0036] (1.2. How to thaw packaged frozen foods) Next, a method for thawing the packaged frozen food 1 according to this embodiment will be described, along with the effects of the packaged frozen food 1 according to this embodiment. The method for thawing the packaged frozen food 1 according to this embodiment includes heating the packaged frozen food 1 (thermal thawing).

[0037] Examples of such heat thawing include heat thawing using microwaves in a microwave oven or the like, warm water thawing, steam thawing, etc., and any one of these can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, heat thawing using microwaves is preferred because it allows for rapid thawing of frozen food 40 and because ice pack 50 absorbs and / or reflects microwaves, protecting ingredient 43 from excessive heating and allowing for gentle thawing of the ingredient.

[0038] During heat thawing, the packaged frozen food 1 is generally heated throughout. Here, in the frozen food 40, the cooked rice forming portion 41 is heated in the same way as the other portions, while the ice pack 50 disposed in the corresponding position cools the topping 43 while blocking heat. Furthermore, because heat flows into the topping 43 via the ice pack 50, the rate at which heat flows into the topping 43 is reduced. As a result, the topping 43 is gently thawed and prevented from being overheated. Topping 43 is often raw, and excessive heating can denature the proteins, resulting in a loss of texture and flavor. In this embodiment, this situation is prevented by heat thawing the packaged frozen food 1.

[0039] In particular, when thawing using microwaves in a microwave oven or the like, the refrigerant 50 blocks the microwaves, preventing direct heating of the topping 43. Heat flows into the topping 43 through the cooked rice shaping portion 41 heated by the microwaves and from the refrigerant 50 whose temperature is increased by the microwaves, gently heating the topping 43. Compared to other thawing methods, microwave thawing allows for quicker thawing. However, because heat flows rapidly into the thawed product, it is not easy to adjust the degree of thawing, and it has been extremely difficult to adjust the degree of thawing for each portion. However, in this embodiment, by using the packaged frozen food 1, it is possible to appropriately heat and thaw a frozen food 40 having a cooked rice shaping portion 41 and a topping 43, i.e., a frozen food 40 in which the preferred degree of heating varies depending on the portion.

[0040] The food 40' thus thawed is then served. First, as shown in FIG. 4, the food carrier 20 is lifted by placing a finger 200 in the recess 37 at the longitudinal end of the ice storage medium carrier 30, and the food carrier 20 can be removed from the ice storage medium carrier 30 together with the thawed food 40'. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the food carrier 20 is turned upside down together with the lid member 10, allowing the thawed frozen food 40 to be supported on the protrusion 13 of the lid member 10. In this way, the food 40' can be eaten directly using the lid member 10 as a dish. Alternatively, the food 40' may be transferred from the lid member 10 to another dish and served.

[0041] (1.3. Manufacturing method of packaged frozen foods) Next, a method for producing a packaged frozen food 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The method for producing a packaged frozen food according to the present invention involves simultaneously cooling a pre-freeze food having a first portion that requires heating when made into a frozen food and a second portion that requires heating to a lesser extent than the first portion or that does not require heating at all, and a cooling agent of a liquid composition and / or gel composition that is placed in correspondence with the second portion and is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves. In particular, in the method for producing a packaged frozen food 1 according to this embodiment, a packaging container 100 in which a pre-freeze food 40'' and a cooling agent 50 are placed is cooled.

[0042] First, as shown in FIG. 5(a), pre-frozen food 40'' is placed on food support portion 23 of food support 20. Here, pre-frozen food 40'' is placed so that its filling 43 faces downward and contacts the bottom of food support portion 23. Meanwhile, ice storage agent 50 is placed on ice storage agent support portion 33 of ice storage agent support 30.

[0043] Next, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the food carrier 20 carrying the pre-frozen food 40'' and the ice storage agent carrier 30 carrying the ice storage agent 50 are stacked so that the food carrier portion 23 is in contact with the ice storage agent 50. Here, the ice storage agent 50 is in a gel or liquid state and therefore has fluidity. Therefore, when the food carrier portion 23 and the ice storage agent 50 come into contact, the ice storage agent 50 deforms and comes into close contact with the bottom surface of the food carrier portion 23 from the side opposite the pre-frozen food 40''. This allows the ice storage agent 50 to more efficiently adhere to the food carrier portion 23, and the ice storage agent 50 to efficiently cover the filling 43 of the pre-frozen food 40''.

[0044] Next, as shown in Figure 5(c), the lid member 10 is placed on the food carrier 20. Finally, the packaging container 100 including the lid member 10, food carrier 20, and ice storage agent carrier 30 is cooled while carrying the pre-frozen food 40" and ice storage agent 50, as shown in Figure 5(c). This allows the pre-frozen food 40" and ice storage agent 50 to be cooled simultaneously.

[0045] The cooling method is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that freezes the pre-frozen food 40''. For example, a quick freezing method such as air blast freezing, brine freezing, CAS (Cells Alive System) freezing, proton freezing, or 3D freezer may be used, or a slow freezing method in which the packaging container 100 is simply placed in a freezer may be used.

[0046] As a result of the above, pre-frozen food 40'' is frozen to become frozen food 40, and at the same time, ice pack 50 is cooled, resulting in packaged frozen food 1. Packaged frozen food 1 may be further packaged in a bag, shrink film, or the like, as necessary. This packaging in a bag, shrink film, or the like may also be carried out before the above-mentioned cooling.

[0047] (1.4. Variations) Next, several modified examples of this embodiment will be described. The following will mainly focus on the differences from the first embodiment described above, and will omit a description of similar configurations. Note that some of the components described in the first embodiment above have been omitted from the following drawings for ease of explanation.

[0048] Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a modified version of the packaged frozen food according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The packaged frozen food 1A shown in Fig. 6 differs from the packaged frozen food 1 according to the first embodiment mainly in that the shape of the ice storage agent carrier 30A of the packaging container 100A is different from the shape of the ice storage agent carrier 30 of the packaged frozen food 1 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0049] In the ice storage material carrier 30A, the base material 31 and ribs 35 are present only at the periphery, and a wall portion 38 is formed in the depth direction from the base material 31 so as to surround all of the ice storage material carriers 33, with a bottom plate 39 formed at the tip of the wall portion 38 in the depth direction, forming a single tray. Accordingly, the ice storage material 50A is integrated and covers each of the ingredients 43 of the multiple frozen food products 40. In this case, it may be necessary to use a larger amount of ice storage material 50A than in the case of the packaged frozen food product 1 according to the first embodiment described above. When a larger amount of ice storage material 50A is used, heat and energy for thawing from microwaves or other means is consumed by the ice storage material 50A, and thawing takes longer, but the ice storage material 50A can provide a stronger heat-reducing effect.

[0050] Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing another example of a modified packaged frozen food according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Packaged frozen food 1B shown in Figure 7 has a different shape of frozen food 40B from that of frozen food 40 described above, and correspondingly, the shapes of the components of packaging container 100B are different.

[0051] Frozen food 40B is what is known as nigiri sushi, and is generally shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped. In this modification, four frozen food items 40B are placed in a row in packaging container 100B, with their longitudinal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of packaging container 100B.

[0052] On lid member 10B, protrusions 13B protrude upward, i.e., on the opposite side from food carrier 20B, at a position corresponding to the position on base 11 where frozen food 40B will be placed. Therefore, four protrusions 13B are provided in a row along the longitudinal direction of lid member 10B. Furthermore, protrusions 13B have a shape corresponding to frozen food 40B, i.e., a substantially rectangular shape, in plan view.

[0053] Food carrier 20B has food carrier portion 23B arranged at a position corresponding to the position where frozen food 40B is placed on substrate 11. Therefore, four food carrier portions 23B are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of food carrier 20B. In plan view, food carrier portion 23 is approximately rectangular in shape to correspond to the shape of frozen food 40.

[0054] Cooling storage agent carrier 30B has four cooling storage agent carriers 33B arranged in a row corresponding to the positions of food carriers 23B of food carrier 20B. In plan view, cooling storage agent carrier 33B has a substantially rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of food carriers 23B.

[0055] The rest is the same as in the first embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and for example, the cold storage agent carrier 30B may have one batt-shaped cold storage agent carrier portion, like the cold storage agent carrier 30A shown in FIG.

[0056] As another variation, for example, the number and positions of the protrusions 13 provided on the lid member 10, the food support portions 23 provided on the food support body 20, and the ice storage agent support portions 33 provided on the ice storage agent support body 30 can be changed appropriately depending on the number and positions of the frozen foods 40.

[0057] Furthermore, it is sufficient that the ice pack 50 is placed in correspondence with at least one of the frozen foods 40, and it is not necessary that the ice pack 50 is placed in correspondence with all of the frozen foods 40. Some types of ingredients 43 of frozen foods 40 require sufficient heating, in which case there is no need to place the ice pack 50.

[0058] The packaging container 100 may also be made of a material other than a resin material, such as glass, ceramic, or paper.

[0059] 2. Second Embodiment Next, a packaged frozen food according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the packaged frozen food according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment and its variants described above, and will omit a description of similar configurations.

[0060] The frozen food 40C in the packaged frozen food 1C shown in FIG. 8 is a long seafood sushi roll. The frozen food 40C is formed by covering a long neta 44 with cooked rice 45 and nori seaweed 46. Neta 44 is typically a raw fish such as tuna or salmon, and excessive heating during thawing can denature proteins and impair its flavor and texture. Neta 44 is surrounded by cooked rice 45, which protects it from excessive heating during thawing. However, both ends 441 of neta 44 are exposed to the outside of the frozen food 40C and are susceptible to heat during thawing. Therefore, in the frozen food 40C, the area near end 441 of neta 44 can be designated as second portion 43C, and the remaining portion can be designated as first portion 41C.

[0061] Packaging container 100C is a rectangular box corresponding to the shape of frozen food 40C, and its length is adjusted so that its longitudinal ends are spaced apart from frozen food 40C to an extent that ice storage agent 50C (described later) can be inserted. Ice storage agent 50C is a liquid or gel composition similar to ice storage agent 50 in the first embodiment described above, which is stored in a container such as a bag and then cooled. Ice storage agent 50C is arranged so as to contact end 441 of filling 44 of frozen food 40C, i.e., corresponding to second portion 43C of frozen food 40C.

[0062] In the packaged frozen food 1C described above, the ice pack 50C protects the second portion 43C near the end 441 of the filling 44 from excessive heating during heat thawing, allowing for gentle thawing. In particular, when heat thawing is performed using microwaves, the ice pack 50C efficiently protects the second portion 43C from excessive heating. Furthermore, the remaining portion of the frozen food 40C, the first portion 41C, is heated normally during heat thawing. Thus, the packaged frozen food 1C according to the second embodiment also allows for appropriate heat thawing of the frozen food 40C, which has different preferred heating levels depending on the portion.

[0063] Furthermore, packaged frozen food 1C can also be produced by placing unfrozen sushi roll and ice storage agent 50C in packaging container 100C and simultaneously cooling sushi roll and ice storage agent 50C.

[0064] 3. Third Embodiment Next, a packaged frozen food according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a packaged frozen food according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the packaged frozen food shown in Fig. 9. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment and its modifications and the second embodiment described above, and will omit a description of similar configurations.

[0065] 9 and 10, frozen food 40D is a so-called seafood bowl 40D, which, after thawing, is served with seafood 43D placed on cooked rice 41D. In this embodiment, cooked rice 41D corresponds to the first portion, and seafood 43D corresponds to the second portion. Packaged frozen food 1D has a packaging container 100D, frozen food 40D, and ice pack 50D.

[0066] The packaging container 100D has a bowl 60 and an inner lid 70. The bowl 60 contains cooked rice 41D. Meanwhile, a seafood 43D is placed on the inner lid 70. A cold storage agent 50D is placed on top of the seafood 43D so as to cover the seafood 43D. The cold storage agent 50D is formed by cooling a liquid or gel composition similar to the cold storage agent 50 in the first embodiment, which is contained in a container such as a bag. The cold storage agent 50D is contained in a flexible container and can be deformed to fit the shape of the seafood 43D.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 9 , the bowl 60, cooked rice 41D, inner lid 70, seafood 43D, and ice pack 50D are stacked in this order, cooled, and integrated to form a packaged frozen food 1D. Even in the packaged frozen food 1D described above, the ice pack 50D protects the seafood 43D from excessive heating during heat thawing, allowing for gentle thawing. In particular, when microwave heat thawing is performed, the ice pack 50D efficiently protects the second portion, the seafood 43D, from excessive heating. Furthermore, the first portion, the cooked rice 41D, of the frozen food 40D is heated normally during heat thawing. Thus, the packaged frozen food 1D according to the third embodiment also allows for appropriate heat thawing of frozen food 40D, which requires different portions to be heated to different degrees.

[0068] 4. Fourth Embodiment Next, a packaged frozen food according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the packaged frozen food according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment and its modifications, second embodiment, and third embodiment described above, and will omit a description of similar configurations.

[0069] The packaged frozen food 1E shown in FIG. 11 is a frozen lunch box. Packaged frozen food 1E includes a packaging container 100E, a frozen food 40E, and a cooling agent 50E. Frozen food 40E includes cooked rice 411E, a main dish 413E, and a side dish 43E. In this embodiment, main dish 413E is a grilled fish fillet or a fried food, and side dish 43E is a salad or pickles. Therefore, cooked rice 411E and main dish 413E are the first portion 41E that is preferably heated thoroughly. On the other hand, side dish 43E is the second portion 43E that should be thawed and kept cool, as the flavor of the side dish 43E will be lost if it becomes warm.

[0070] Packaging container 100E is a lunch box made of resin, and dividers 83 and 85 are provided at intervals in box-shaped container body 81 formed by bottom plate 811 and side plate 813. In addition, upper bottom plate 87 is arranged in the space formed by divider 85 and side plate 813 at a position slightly higher than bottom plate 811.

[0071] A refrigerant 50E is disposed between the upper bottom plate 87 and the bottom plate 811. The refrigerant 50E is formed by cooling a liquid or gel composition similar to the refrigerant 50 in the first embodiment described above.

[0072] Cooked rice 411E is placed between the side plate 813 and the partition 83 of the packaging container 100E, a main dish 413E is placed between the partition 83 and the partition 85, and a side dish 43E is placed on the upper bottom plate 87, and these are cooled and frozen together with the ice pack 50E.

[0073] In the packaged frozen food 1E described above, the ice pack 50E protects the side dish 43E from excessive heating during heat thawing, allowing for gentle thawing. In particular, when heat thawing is performed using microwaves, the ice pack 50E efficiently protects the second portion, the side dish 43E, from excessive heating. Furthermore, the first portion 41E of the frozen food 40E, the cooked rice 411E and the main dish 413E, are heated normally during heat thawing. Thus, the packaged frozen food 1E according to the fourth embodiment also allows for appropriate heat thawing of frozen food 40E, which has different preferred heating levels depending on the portion.

[0074] The present invention has been described in detail above based on a preferred embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and each component can be replaced with any component that can perform a similar function, or any component can be added. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E Packaged frozen food 10, 10B Cover member 11 Base material 13 Protrusion 15 Ribs 20, 20B Food carrier 21 Base material 23 Food handling section 25 Ribs 30, 30A, 30B Cooling agent carrier 31 Base material 33 Cooling agent carrier 35 Ribs 37 Recessed part 40, 40B, 40C, 40D, 40E Frozen food 41, 41B First part (cooked rice forming part) 43, 43B Second part (material) 50, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E Ice packs 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E packaging container

Claims

1. A frozen food product is frozen sushi having a first portion which is a cooked rice forming portion that needs to be heated when thawed by heating and a second portion which is a topping that needs to be heated to a lower degree than the first portion or does not need to be heated at all; a food carrier that is a tray that supports the frozen food; a cooling agent that is disposed in correspondence with the second portion, is capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves, and cools the liquid composition and / or the gel composition; a refrigerant carrier which is a tray that carries the refrigerant; The ice storage material is disposed between the food carrier and the ice storage material carrier, The food carrier has a food holding portion that has a recess so that the frozen food can be held therein, and a protrusion that is formed in a direction opposite to the frozen food, The frozen food is a packaged frozen food that is to be heated and thawed before consumption, and the second portion is arranged so as to face downward and contact a part of the food carrying portion.

2. The packaged frozen food product according to claim 1 , wherein the ice-storing agent is solidified.

3. The packaged frozen food of claim 1 , wherein the ice pack comprises water.

4. A packaged frozen food as described in claim 1, wherein the ice pack carrier has a recess in a portion corresponding to the convex portion of the food carrier.

5. A method for thawing a packaged frozen food, comprising heating the packaged frozen food according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A packaging container for packaging frozen food, namely frozen sushi, which is heated and thawed by microwaves and served for consumption, and which has a first portion which is a cooked rice forming portion that requires heating, and a second portion which is a topping that requires heating to a lesser degree than the first portion or does not require heating, a food carrier that is a tray having a food carrier portion that supports the frozen food and is made of a microwave-transparent resin material; a cooling agent carrier which is a tray that carries a cooling agent that has cooled the liquid composition and / or the gel composition; the food carrier is configured so that the second portion of the frozen food is positioned below and in contact with the food carrier; The food carrier has a recessed portion in the food carrier section so that the food carrier section can hold the frozen food, and a protruding portion in the direction opposite to the frozen food, The ice storage material carrier is configured so that the ice storage material comes into contact with the food carrier portion from the side opposite the frozen food.

7. 7. The packaging container according to claim 6, wherein the ice storage medium carrier has recesses as ice storage medium carrier portions at locations corresponding to the protrusions of the food carrier.

8. A pre-frozen food product having a first portion which is a cooked rice forming portion that needs to be heated when made into a frozen food product such as frozen sushi, and a second portion which is a topping that needs to be heated to a lower degree than the first portion or does not need to be heated at all, is carried on a food carrier portion of a packaging container according to claim 6 or 7 so that the second portion is positioned below and in contact with the food carrier portion, a liquid composition and / or gel composition of a cold storage agent capable of absorbing and / or reflecting microwaves is placed on a cold storage agent carrier of the packaging container; the food carrier and the ice-storage agent carrier are stacked together so that the food carrier portion is in contact with the ice-storage agent; The method for producing a packaged frozen food comprises simultaneously cooling the pre-frozen food and the ice pack.

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