Containers and packaging for soft foods.

Abstract

A packaging container (11) accommodates a soft food (31) and a liquid (32) and is hermetically sealed by a lid body (12). The packaging container comprises an accommodation part (21) in which formed are: a recessed section (27) in which a soft food (31) is accommodated; and a head space into which a liquid (32) is filled above the soft food (31).

Description

Packaging containers and soft food packages

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

[0002] In recent years, soft foods have been distributed as nursing care foods for elderly people and others who have difficulty chewing or swallowing. Soft foods are, for example, prepared by mashing solid foods and solidifying and reforming them into a desired shape. As disclosed in International Publication No. 2013 / 146618, a known soft food-containing package is a cup-shaped container filled with a mousse-like soft food and a liquid seasoning, and the cup is sealed with a sealing lid.

[0003] International Publication No. 2013 / 146618

[0004] In the above-mentioned soft food package, the soft food is sealed in a cup container filled with a liquid seasoning, and the entire surface of the soft food comes into contact with the liquid seasoning. Therefore, the taste and / or color of the liquid seasoning is likely to transfer to the soft food, which may impair the original taste and / or color of the soft food. Furthermore, the soft food suspended in the liquid seasoning 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.

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

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a container is provided with soft food, a liquid, a storage section in which a recess for storing the soft food and a headspace above the soft food in which the liquid is filled are formed, and a lid body for sealing the storage section.

[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.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a side view, partially in cross section, showing the configuration of a soft food-containing package according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a packaging container used in the soft food-containing package. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the packaging containers stacked together. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the packaging container. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the soft food-containing package. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the soft food-containing package. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the soft food-containing package. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the soft food-containing package. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the soft food-containing package. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another example of the soft food-containing package. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the configuration of another example of the packaging container.

[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 the package 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG.

[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 portion of the food 13 contained therein, with a portion 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 one on top of the other. 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 Figure 1, the soft food-containing package 1 comprises a packaging container 11, a lid 12, and food 13 containing soft food 31 and liquid 32. The soft food-containing package 1 is a product in which the soft food 31 and liquid 32 are filled in the packaging container 11 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 bottom and the lid 12 side as the top.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the packaging container 11 includes a storage section 21, a flange section 22, a ridge seal section 23, and a splash prevention convex section 24. The packaging container 11 is formed by shaping a multilayer thermoplastic resin sheet. That is, the storage section 21, the flange section 22, the ridge seal section 23, and the splash prevention convex section 24 are integrally formed by the thermoplastic resin sheet. Furthermore, 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 is self-supporting, for example, due to the storage section 21. However, the packaging container 11 may not be self-supporting.

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

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

[0017] The storage section 21 has a plurality of recesses formed therein for filling with the soft food 31. 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 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 the diameter tapers at the center, and then is formed into a cylindrical shape that gradually tapers from the center to 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 has a circular outer periphery. The flat portion 26 is recessed in certain places 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. The plurality of recesses 27 are formed, for example, in 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, as long as they 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 slope so that the opening shape becomes smaller from the opening at the top toward the bottom. Note that the side walls may also have a shape that follows the vertical direction.

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

[0023] The recesses 27 are arranged on the flat surface portion 26 such that a part of the flat surface portion 26 is present between adjacent recesses 27. In other words, the 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 arranged in a radial direction from the center of the flat surface portion 26 and in a direction along the radial direction.

[0025] That is, when the plurality of recesses 271 are uniformly arranged, as in the case of the plurality of recesses 271 of the comparative example shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 4 , only the flat surface portion 26 is present in any one direction, and an area A where no recesses 271 are arranged is generated. In contrast, the plurality of recesses 27 of the embodiment are formed in the flat surface portion 26 in a non-uniform arrangement such that no area A where no recesses 27 are arranged is generated on the flat surface portion 26, except for the outer peripheral edge of the flat surface portion 26, by arranging at least one of the plurality of recesses 27 in the radial direction (radial direction) from the center of the flat surface portion 26 and in the direction along the radial direction (radial direction).

[0026] Furthermore, if 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 the multiple recesses 27, or the multiple recesses 27 may be self-supporting through the bottoms of two or more of the multiple recesses 27.

[0027] The flange portion 22 is provided on 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 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 arc-shaped corners, and the inner peripheral edge shape that is continuous with the open end of the storage portion 21 is formed into a circle.

[0028] Furthermore, the flange portion 22 is formed with a convex seal portion 23 and a splash-preventing 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 plurality of recesses 27). That is, the flange portion 22 has the convex seal portion 23 and the splash-preventing 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 continuous ring shape on 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 open end of the accommodation portion 21).

[0030] The upper surface of the convex seal portion 23 is formed flat. The upper surface of this convex seal portion 23 is the sealing surface to which the lid body 12 is heat-sealed and against which the lid body 12 tightly fits. 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 and the sealing and openability of the lid body 12. In other words, the sealing surface of the convex seal portion 23 is set to a predetermined sealing area, ensuring good sealing and openability. Here, the width of the convex seal portion 23 refers to the dimension in the direction along the main surface of the flange portion 22, which is perpendicular to the extension direction of the convex seal portion 23.

[0031] Furthermore, a beak portion (first convex portion) 23a is provided on a portion 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, beak portions (first convex portions) 23a are provided at four locations corresponding to the corners of the square flange portion 22, which has curved corners. Note that the beak portions 23a are provided at the opening start portion of the lid body 12 on the convex seal portion 23, so that, for example, if there is one opening start portion, it is sufficient that the beak portion 23a is provided at one location on the convex seal portion 23. In other words, the opening start portion is set appropriately depending on the shape and use of the packaging container 11, and the beak portion 23a is provided on a portion of the convex seal portion 23 corresponding to the set opening start portion.

[0032] The beak portion 23a is formed as a convex ridge 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 ridge seal portion 23 protruding outward in the radial direction of the opening of the accommodating portion 21. As a specific example, the beak portion 23a is formed to have the same width and height as the convex ridge seal portion 23, and is formed in a pointed shape. Here, the pointed shape of the beak portion 23a includes a beak shape, a mountain shape, a L-shape (V-shape), etc.

[0033] The beak portion 23a does not have to be beak-shaped or angled, as long as the shape of the beak allows stress to be concentrated at the tip of the beak, which becomes the starting point for opening and makes it easier to peel the lid 12 when the lid 12 heat-sealed to the convex seal portion 23 is peeled off from the packaging container 11. In other words, the beak portion 23a can be appropriately shaped so that the contact area with the lid 12 is reduced when the lid 12 is moved in the direction of peeling off the lid 12 at the opening start portion, thereby concentrating the force used to open the lid 12, such as a curved shape without a sharp tip, as long as the tip protrudes.

[0034] The splash prevention protrusion (second protrusion) 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 protrusion 24 has a side surface that follows 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 protrusion 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 seal portion 23, thereby forming a gap along the inner surface of the beak portion 23a between it and the inner side of the beak portion 23a.

[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 serves as 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 seal portion 23), or may be formed so that one end is spaced apart from the beak portion 23a (convex seal portion 23) and the other end is continuous with the beak portion 23a (convex seal portion 23).

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

[0039] Furthermore, when the inner surface of the convex seal portion 23 and the side surface of the splash-preventing convex portion 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 splash-preventing convex portion 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 splash-preventing convex portion 24 may be different.

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

[0041] The height of the splash-preventing ridges 24 is set to be equal to or less than the height of the ridge seal portion 23 (beak portion 23 a). Preferably, the height of the splash-preventing ridges 24 is set to be lower than the height of the ridge seal portion 23 (beak portion 23 a). The height of the splash-preventing ridges 24 is preferably set to a height that can prevent a decrease in the splash-preventing effect and that can prevent a decrease in the ease of opening due to an increase in the heat seal strength between the splash-preventing ridges 24 and the lid 12. In other words, the splash-preventing ridges 24 are preferably set to a height that can obtain the splash-preventing effect, and that weakly adheres to the lid 12 so that the lid 12 can be peeled off smoothly without resistance.

[0042] The width of the splash-preventing protrusions 24 is set appropriately. The width of the splash-preventing protrusions 24 is set appropriately depending on factors such as the adhesive strength when the lid 12 and the splash-preventing protrusions 24 are tightly attached by heat sealing. That is, the width of the splash-preventing protrusions 24 is set depending on factors such as the height, area and shape of the upper surface of the splash-preventing protrusions 24. Note that the width of the splash-preventing protrusions 24 here refers to the dimension in the direction along the main surface of the flange portion 22, which is perpendicular to the extension direction of the splash-preventing protrusions 24.

[0043] In addition, the inner surface (inner face) of the convex seal portion 23 and the side surface of the splash prevention convex portion 24 facing the convex seal portion 23 (beak portion 23a) 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 12 is fixed to the flange 22 and covers the storage section 21, thereby sealing the storage section 21. The lid 12 is welded to the packaging container 11 by heat sealing to the convex seal section 23 and the splash prevention convex section 24 formed on the flange 22. The lid 12 is formed in the shape of a film. As an example, the lid 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 ridge seal portion 23 and the splash prevention ridge 24. For example, the ridge seal portion 23 and the splash prevention ridge 24 may not be formed on the flange portion 22, and the lid 12 may be welded directly to the flange portion 22. Alternatively, 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. Alternatively, 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 difficulty swallowing or chewing. The universal design food is 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 5x10 ５ N / m ２ Foods in the category "can be crushed with gums" must 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 x 10 ４ N / m ２ Foods in the "no chew" category must 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 such as a pudding, which is obtained by solidifying a liquid containing protein by utilizing thermal denaturation of the protein.

[0048] A mousse-like food is a food obtained by grinding a solid food, mixing it with a coagulant or the like, and then molding 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 food 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 using 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 with the mashed food in the form of, for example, an aqueous solution. Egg white, for example, can be used as the protein or its aqueous solution. The protein is preferably added so that its concentration in the soft food 31 is within the range of 0.1 to 25% by mass, 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 the food before mashing or the food whose flavor is to be reproduced using soft food 31. For example, the shape of recess 27 of packaging container 11 is formed to resemble the shape of the food whose flavor is to be reproduced, and the mixture is filled into 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 recess 27 may be heated before or after sealing packaging container 11 with lid 12. The mixture may also be heated before filling recess 27.

[0053] The soft food 31 is 5 x 10４ N / m ２ The soft food 31 preferably has a hardness of 5×10 ３ N / m ２ The problem of losing its shape 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] The soft food 31 is 2 x 10 ３ N / m ２ If the soft food 31 is made too soft, it becomes difficult for the soft food 31 to maintain its shape. The soft food 31 preferably has a hardness of 1×10 or more. ４ N / m ２ It may be more than that.

[0055] The soft food 31 is formed up to a predetermined height from the bottom surface of the recess 27. For example, the soft food 31 may be formed up to the top end of the recess 27, or may be formed below the top end of the recess 27, or may be formed above the recess 27, i.e., above the flat surface 26 and below the top 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 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 end of the side wall 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12). Furthermore, the soft food 31 is formed in close contact with the recess 27 without any gaps. In other words, 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 headspace inside the packaging container 11 and lid 12, which are the packaging bodies formed above the soft food 31, will be described. As shown in Figure 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 headspace) is defined as H2. In this case, the height of the soft food 31 is defined as H1, and the height of the headspace H2 has the relationship H1 > H2.

[0057] The liquid 32 is water, a seasoning liquid, or porridge. 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 ingredient, an extract of a plant 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 contain a thickener. Examples of thickeners 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, and oligoglucose. Cosamine, Abelmoschus abies, microfibrous cellulose, tragacanth gum, Bacillus subtilis natto gum, laver extract, furcellaran, cassia gum, macrophomopsis gum, pullulan, Aloe arborescens extract, peach resin, Aureobasidium culture broth, guar gum enzymatic hydrolysate, rhamsan gum, glucosamine, levan, Agrobacterium succinoclicans, yeast cell membrane, amaryllis seed gum, artemisia annua seed gum, almond gum, sclerogum, or two or more thereof.

[0059] Preferably, the thickener 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] In one example, the liquid seasoning 32 contains xanthan gum and guar gum as thickeners, and 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 may be, for example, pectin, gelatin, agar, or two or more thereof. 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 solutions or sols in the above categories "crushable with the tongue" and "no chewing required" are required to have a viscosity of 1500 mPa·s or more. The sols in the category "crushable with the tongue" are required to have a hardness of 1×10 ４ N / m ２ The sol in the "no need to chew" category must have a hardness of 3 x 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 transport of the soft food-containing package 1. Furthermore, the higher the viscosity of the seasoning liquid 32, the more the movement of the soft food 31 inside the packaging container 11 is hindered, making it more difficult for the soft food 31 to come into contact with the inner surface of the container. Therefore, migration of the soft food 31 from the recess 27 of the soft food 31 into the head space between the upper surface of the soft food 31 and the lower surface of the lid 12 and deformation of the soft food 31 due to these factors are less likely to occur.

[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 M4 rotor at 12 rpm, reading the reading after 2 minutes, and multiplying that value by the corresponding coefficient to obtain a value expressed in Pa·s.

[0066] The liquid seasoning 32 is filled into the headspace 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 headspace, or may be filled in an amount equal to the volume of the headspace. That is, the liquid seasoning 32 may be filled up to a height position below the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12) so that a space is created above the headspace. Alternatively, the liquid seasoning 32 may be filled up to the same level as the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12) and fill the headspace so that no gas is present in the headspace.

[0067] Such food 13 is, for example, a main dish and / or a side dish. Examples of main dishes and side dishes that can be reproduced using the soft food 31 and seasoning liquid 32 of the food 13 include, but are not limited to, simmered dishes 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, simmered fish, grilled fish, omelet, vegetables, and tofu.

[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 using Figures 5 to 10. Note that the soft food 31 and the liquid seasoning 32 are not limited to the several examples described below. In Figures 5 to 10, the packaging container 11 is shown schematically, with some components omitted.

[0069] The soft food package 1 of the first embodiment is shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 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" refers to two or more types of soft food with different ingredients, and "different ingredients" means that at least some of the ingredients are different. That is, "different types of soft food" means that at least one of the two or more soft foods is different from the other soft foods in that some of the ingredients of one soft food are different from the ingredients of the other soft foods, or that all of the ingredients of one soft food are different from the ingredients of the other soft foods. "Different ingredients" also refers to the ingredients being different themselves and the amounts of the ingredients being different. Furthermore, each soft food 31A, 31B is filled to the midpoint of the height of each recess 27. The liquid seasoning 32 is filled into the head space inside the packaging body, up to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall portion 25 (the lower surface of the lid body 12).

[0070] A soft food-filled package 1 of a second embodiment is shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 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 26. The liquid seasoning 32 is filled in the head space within the package, up to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12).

[0071] A soft food-containing package 1 of a third embodiment is shown in Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 7, different types of soft food 31 are placed in the multiple recesses 27. As a specific example, as shown in Fig. 7, the soft food 31 placed in one recess 27 is filled with a first soft food 31A, and the soft food 31 placed in another recess 27 is filled with a second soft food 31B in the lower layer and the first soft food 31A in the upper layer. The first soft food 31A extends beyond each recess 27 and extends above the flat portion 26. The liquid seasoning 32 is filled in the headspace within the package, down 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-filled package 1 of a fourth embodiment is shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 8, of 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 the middle of the recess 27 in the height direction. The seasoning liquid 32 is filled up to the upper ends of the recesses 27 filled with soft food 31 and the recesses 27 not filled with soft food 31, i.e., up to the flat portion 26.

[0073] FIG. 9 shows a soft food-containing package 1 according to a fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, different types of soft food 31A and 31B are contained in the multiple recesses 27. The first soft food 31A is filled up to the middle of the recess 27 in the height direction, and the second soft food 31B is filled up to the upper end (flat surface 26) of the recess 27. The liquid seasoning 32 fills the headspace within the package and reaches a position lower than the upper end of the side wall 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12). The soft food 31B contains a content 31a having a different taste, color, and / or consistency 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 any solid food, etc., as long as it is edible by the person eating the soft food 31B. Furthermore, for example, the contents 31a may be a liquid seasoning 32 having a different flavor from the liquid seasoning 32 solidified with a gelling agent.

[0074] A soft food-containing package 1 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 may be the same or different types of soft food 31A. For example, the soft food 31A is filled up to above the flat surface 26, extending beyond each recess 27. A liquid seasoning 32A is filled in the headspace within the package, up to a position lower than the upper end of the side wall 25 (the lower surface of the lid 12). In addition to the multiple recesses 27 formed in the flat surface 26, the packaging container 11 also has one or more recesses 28 formed in the flange 22, and soft food 31B and / or liquid seasoning 32B are contained in this recess 28. For example, the soft food 31A and seasoning liquid 32A contained in the multiple recesses 27 are main dishes and / or side dishes, and the soft food 31B and seasoning liquid 32B contained in the recesses 28 provided in the flange portion 22 are main dishes and / or side dishes of different flavors, or sweets such as pudding, jelly, mousse cake, etc.

[0075] As illustrated in each of these examples, the soft food-containing package 1 can have various configurations for the soft food 31 and liquid seasoning 32 contained therein, as long as the height H1 of the soft food 31 is higher than the height of the headspace H2 and the liquid seasoning 32 is filled at least up to the flat portion 26. The above-described examples are merely examples, and the configurations of various examples can be combined. That is, the liquid seasoning 32 in Examples 1 and 2 may be filled until the headspace is filled. Furthermore, two or more different types of soft food 31 may be filled into one recess 27, and the soft food 31 may be stacked in two or more layers. Furthermore, one or more types of contents 31a may be contained in the soft food 31. Furthermore, the contents 31a may be contained in the liquid seasoning 32. Furthermore, the liquid seasoning 32 may be formed by filling two or more different types of seasoning liquid and mixing them in a common headspace formed above the multiple recesses 27.

[0076] In 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 into the headspace created around the soft food 31. As a result, the area of ​​the soft food 31 that comes into contact with the liquid seasoning 32 is the upper surface of the soft food 31. In other words, in the soft food-containing package 1, the soft food 31 is filled in the recess 27, so the area of ​​the soft food 31 that comes into contact with the liquid seasoning 32 can be reduced. This makes it possible to prevent the taste and / or color of the liquid seasoning 32 from being excessively transferred to the soft food 31. Note that if 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 excessively transferred to the liquid seasoning 32.

[0077] Furthermore, if the soft food-containing packaging body 1 has the soft food 31 filled in the recess 27 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 minimized, 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] Furthermore, because the soft food 31 is formed into the shape of the recess 27 and is contained in the recess 27, it is difficult for the soft food 31 to move even if vibrations or impacts are applied to the soft food-containing package 1 during transportation, preventing the soft food 31 from collapsing. Furthermore, because the soft food 31 is contained in the recess 27, drips produced from the soft food 31 after the soft food 31 is formed are mixed with the liquid seasoning 32, and therefore the drips produced from the soft food 31 are not visible.

[0079] Furthermore, even when different soft foods 31 are stored in multiple 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 top surface of each soft food 31, reducing the flavor and taste transferred from each soft food 31. Therefore, the soft food-containing package 1 can achieve an appropriate balance of the flavors of the liquid seasoning 32 and prevent excessive flavor mixing. Furthermore, because the liquid seasoning 32 comes into contact only with the top surface of the soft food 31, excessive penetration of the soft food 31 by the liquid seasoning 32 and changes in flavor and hardness can be reduced.

[0080] Furthermore, the soft food-containing package 1 is configured so 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 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 again contained in the recess 27.

[0081] Furthermore, by positioning the liquid level of the seasoning liquid 32 at the same position as the upper surface of the flat portion 26 or above the flat portion 26, even if the soft food-containing package 1 tilts and the seasoning liquid 32 moves, the liquid 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] Furthermore, the packaging container 11 has a flat portion 26, and is arranged such that a portion of the flat portion 26 is present between adjacent recesses 27, thereby improving strength compared to a configuration in which multiple recesses 27 are connected in succession.

[0083] Furthermore, the packaging container 11 is configured such that the multiple recesses 27 provided on the planar portion 26 are arranged such that at least one of the recesses 27 is aligned with the planar portion 26 in two perpendicular directions along the surface of the planar portion 26. This improves the strength of the packaging container 11. Specifically, in a configuration in which the multiple recesses 271 are uniformly spaced apart, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4 , a region A where no recesses 271 are located is formed in one direction. Since the strength of this region A is the strength of the planar portion 26, bending deformation occurs in region A when an external force is applied that exceeds the strength of the planar portion 26. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 1 , except for the outer peripheral edge of the planar portion 26, only the planar portion 26 is arranged in the direction along the surface of the planar portion 26, and no region A where no recesses 27 are located is formed. This improves the strength of the planar portion 26 of the packaging container 11 by the recesses 27.

[0084] Furthermore, although there is no limit to the number of recesses 27 provided in the packaging container 11, providing three or more recesses 27 makes it 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. Furthermore, since the soft food-containing package 1 can accommodate three or more different types of soft food 31, it is possible to increase the variety of colors and flavors.

[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 seasoning liquid 32, and can prevent the soft food 31 from crumbling.

[0086] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[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

DEPCT681. A container of soft food and liquids that is held in and is sealed with a lid, in which the container includes a receptacle in which the soft food is held and a headspace filled with liquid above the soft food is created.

2. A container under claim 1 in which a number of receptacles are provided.

3. A container under claim 2 in which the number of receptacles is three or more.

4. A container under claim 2 in which the receptacle, including a planar section and receptacles, is created on the planar section and spaced apart.

5. A container under claim 4 in which at least one receptacle is placed in the planar section in a direction parallel to the planar section.

6. A container of soft food that includes soft food and liquids, a receptacle in which the receptacle is held and a headspace filled with liquid above the soft food is created, and a lid that seals the receptacle.

7. A container of soft food under claim 6 in which a number of receptacles are provided.

8. A container of soft food under claim 7 in which the number of receptacles is three or more. 9.

10. Packaging for soft food under claim 7 where the soft food, including different ingredients, is packed in the nodes; 11. Packaging for soft food under claim 7 where the container portion, including the planar portion and the nodes, is constructed on the planar portion and spaced apart; 12. Packaging for soft food under claim 10 where, in the planar portion, at least one nodes are arranged in a direction parallel to the planar portion; 13. Packaging for soft food under claim 6 where the height of the soft food packed in the nodes is greater than the headspace height from the top surface of the soft food to the bottom surface of the cover; 14. Packaging for soft food under claim 10 where the height of the soft food packed in the nodes is greater than the height from the bottom of the soft food to the planar portion.

Images