Susceptor for heating a garnished flat dough in microwave oven

• US 20010032843A1
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Wikstrom, Katarina, Aronsson, Solveig
• Granted Patent: US 6,476,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/730
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 3/139 with apertures to vent steam
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3406 Pizza or bread
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/344 Geometry or shape factors influencing the microwave heating properties
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3454 Microwave reactive layer having a specified optical density
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3466 Microwave reactive material applied by vacuum, sputter or vapor deposition
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3472 Aluminium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3494 Microwave susceptor B65D2581/3487 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3446 specially adapted to be heated by microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 99/14 Induction heating

Abstract

The invention relates to a susceptor for use as a support for heating food products such as garnished flat dough in a microwave oven. The susceptor includes a metallized plate that includes a plurality of apertures forming gas and microwave energy permeable areas that are evenly or randomly disposed in the peripheral area of the plate, with each aperture having a transverse dimension of at least about 5 mm. A ready to cook food article that includes such a susceptor and a food or dough product positioned thereon is also contemplated.

Claims

1. A microwave oven susceptor for heating food products comprising a metallized plate having a plurality of apertures forming gas and microwave energy permeable areas which are disposed in an area disposed about a peripheral portion of the plate, with each aperture having a transverse dimension of at least about 5 mm.

2. The susceptor of

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of apertures are confined on the metallized plate within a peripheral band having a predetermined width, whereas the rest of the plate is free from such apertures.

3. The susceptor of

claim 2

, wherein the peripheral band has a width of between about 5 mm and 50 mm and the apertures are located from about 5 mm to 20 mm from the nearest edge of the plate.

4. The susceptor of

claim 3

, wherein the plate is disc shaped and has a diameter of about 200 mm to 230 mm.

5. The susceptor of

claim 2

, wherein the plate comprises a central area externally delimited by the peripheral band, the central area having a plurality of perforations each having a maximum transverse dimension of less than about 1.5 mm.

6. The susceptor of

claim 5

, wherein the perforations comprise slits having a length of at least about 10 mm.

7. The susceptor of

claim 1

, wherein the plurality of apertures comprise regular or irregular polygonal shapes, or combinations thereof.

8. The susceptor of

claim 7

, wherein the apertures have circular shapes, oval shapes, or both circular and oval shapes.

9. The susceptor of

claim 1

, wherein the apertures have a length of between about 5 mm to about 15 mm and are distributed so as to have a distance of about 10 to 38 mm between each aperture.

10. The susceptor of

claim 1

, wherein the plate comprises:

a laminate comprising a receiving surface onto which the food product can be positioned, with the receiving surface comprising a food-grade, metallized plastic layer; and

a rigid microwave-inert substrate that forms the lower surface of the plate attached to the receiving surface.

11. The susceptor of

claim 10

, wherein the microwave-inert substrate is a flat or corrugated material and is attached to the receiving surface by an adhesive.

12. The susceptor of

claim 11

, wherein the corrugated material has a thickness of about 1 mm to 1.5 mm before it is corrugated.

13. An article comprising:

a susceptor plate having a metallized plastic surface; and

an uncooked food product having a peripheral band and being positioned on the metallized plastic surface of the susceptor plate;

wherein a plurality of apertures having transverse dimensions of at least about 5 mm are distributed within the susceptor plate within a peripheral band having a predetermined width, whereas the rest of the plate is free from such apertures, and wherein the food product is disposed onto the plate so that the peripheral band substantially encompasses the limits of the food product rim.

14. The article of

claim 13

, wherein the apertures each have a transverse dimension of about 5 mm to 15 mm and a length of up to 15 mm, the apertures being distributed so as to have a distance of about 10 mm to 38 mm between each aperture.

15. The article of

claim 13

, wherein the width of the band is about 35 mm to 50 mm.

16. The article of

claim 15

, wherein the apertures cover about 8% to 15% of the surface area of the band, the apertures having surface areas of about 30 mm² to 40 mm² each.

17. The article of

claim 13

, wherein the food product is a dough having a substantially non-garnished rim and a garnished center.

18. The article of

claim 17

, wherein the flat dough product is frozen.

19. The article of

claim 18

, wherein the flat dough product comprises a pizza.