The present invention relates to the food processing industry. In a particular application the invention is concerned with a way of providing a meal quickly in a form where it can be either readily stored or alternatively can be ready to eat. BACKGROUND OF THE ART

Because of the demands associated with a modern lifestyle trends show that people are eating increasing amounts of fast foods and accordingly desire foods that take less time to prepare. The problem with many fast foods are that they lack many of the nutritional elements which are essential for a healthy diet. In addition the food often requires chemical preservation and contact with the outside environment during preparation and storage. The integrity of the resultant meal is therefore dubious having regard to the possibility of contamination during processing and ultimate delivery to the customer.

For owners of takeaway food business there is the added problem of high labour requirements in order to provide the final meal in a form desirable and suitable for human consumption. The options available for a person wishing to have a quickly prepared home meal are much more limited than if they take the trouble to buy a takeaway meal. Quite often the food is frozen but must still be reheated and combined with other foods and water to form a meal. Meals such as pizzas which are prefrozen often include chemicals in order to provide adequate storage capabilities. There are a number of different ways of preparing frozen foods, however there is a limitation on the types of meals that can be frozen and re-heated in an aesthetically pleasing form for consumption. Thus as an example a frozen roast meal requires individual components of the meal to be segregated in compartments of a container. Therefore each of the frozen foods need

to be thawed and heated which involves preparation time and effectively makes a speedy meal difficult to deliver. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a process for preserving food stuffs comprising the steps of providing a structure having a receptacle of a predetermined shape, placing a first film over the receptacle, depositing a base layer foodstuff over the first film, placing a second film over the receptacle, connecting the first and second films together to form a sealed container housing the foodstuff and freezing the foodstuff, wherein the foodstuff has sufficient moisture to allow freezing of the foodstuff to produce a single frozen lump of foodstuff. Preferably the structure comprises a tray.

The tray may comprise a plurality of receptacles. Preferably the receptacles are in the form of moulds of a specific shape.

The process may include the step of applying heat to the receptacle to enable release of the frozen foodstuff therefrom.

According to one embodiment the process includes the step of providing a device to lift the tray and turn it over to facilitate the removal of frozen foodstuff from the receptacles.

Preferably the process includes the provision of a conveyor for moving trays from a first position where foodstuff is deposited in receptacles to a second position where frozen foodstuff is ready for packaging. It is preferred that the process includes providing an apparatus for depositing a foodstuff in each receptacle.

The process may include providing an apparatus for snap freezing the foodstuff in each receptacle. Preferably the process includes the step of depositing the edible binding agent into each receptacle before the foodstuff.

It is preferred that a predetermined amount of

edible binding agent is deposited into each receptacle, such predetermined amount being sufficient to enable a solid lump of frozen foodstuff to be formed during the freezing step. Preferably each receptacle is circular in shape with a flattened bottom.

The process may include providing a packaging apparatus for packaging frozen foodstuff.

The process may include providing a heating apparatus for applying water jets to the underside of the tray with frozen foodstuffs in each receptacle.

The edible binding agent may comprise a sauce.

The foodstuffs preferably include starches, vegetables and proteins. Preferably a plurality of foodstuffs are deposited in each receptacle so as to form a meal.

The heating means may comprise a bath fluid for heating the underside of the tray.

Preferably each tray is heated in the bath of fluid for two minutes to loosen foodstuff sufficiently to enable it to be released from the receptacle.

Each frozen foodstuff may be in the form of a frozen block.

Each frozen block of foodstuff may be packed into individual packages and then into cartons.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus comprising a conveyor for conveying trays, a freezer apparatus for freezing foodstuffs located in the tray receptacles, a handling device for lifting trays and turning them over and a release device for releasing frozen foodstuffs in tray receptacles onto the conveyor.

It is preferred that the apparatus includes a device for depositing a sauce in each foodstuff receptacle. Preferably the apparatus for depositing a sauce is located before the freezer along the conveyor.

Each receptacle may comprise a mould.

Preferably each frozen foodstuff is formed into a

specific shape according to the shape of the receptacle. Each receptacle may be removable from the tray. Each receptacle preferably comprises a plastics or ceramics material. Each receptacle may comprise a heat conductive material.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a heating system for heating frozen foodstuffs comprising a frozen foodstuff, a heat resistant container which is arranged to receive the frozen foodstuff, a heating means for heating the frozen foodstuff in the heat resistant container, wherein the frozen foodstuff is deposited in the container heated by the heating means and delivered in the container to a person.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a process for packaging frozen foodstuffs in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a first part of the process in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows a tray for serving a meal processed in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a first embodiment of a frozen meal and serving tray; Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of a frozen meal and serving tray;

Figure 6 shows a third embodiment of a frozen meal and serving tray;

Figure 7 shows a diagram of a first stage of a food preserving apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 8 shows a diagram of a second stage of the food preserving apparatus according to one embodiment.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As shown in Figure 1 a process is envisaged for preparing frozen meals which are then able to be packaged in plastics bags or the like. For mass production a conveyor belt system could be adopted consisting of a conveyor belt 10 having a plurality of working locations for dealing with meals to be processed.

As shown in Figure 2 a number of trays 11 are provided and each tray consists of a series of recessed areas 12 shown in Figure 4. Each of the recessed areas

12 is conveniently shaped to receive items of food which are to constitute a meal.

The meal which is to be deposited in each recess 12 can be prepared by hand or as part of a conveyor system.

As an example each recess can be provided with cooked vegetables, pasta and meat as would normally be presented at a restaurant.

Once these ingredients have been deposited in one of the receptacles 12 of the tray 11 the tray can be placed on the conveyor 10. It is preferred that a sauce be placed in the receptacle 12 first to ensure that it contacts all of the other items of food placed in the receptacle. It is also desirable that an apparatus be provided for shaking each tray to ensure the sauce is mixed with all the other items of food.

The tray is then carried on the conveyor 10 through a tunnel snap freezer 13. The meal in the receptacle 12 is then snap-frozen into a solid block having effectively the same shape as the receptacle 12.

According to this embodiment it is not necessary to add any additional material to the receptacle in order to form the solid block. Instead the sauce provides the necessary binding between the various food items to ensure that a solid block of a meal is formed.

Once a tray full of frozen meals is passed through the snap freezer, the tray passes through a handling

apparatus 14 shown schematically which picks up the trays ll inverts them and applies heat to their underside to ensure that meals frozen in each receptacle are released therefrom. According to one variation of this embodiment the tray is passed through a bath of hot water for approximately two minutes to ensure each frozen meal is effectively unstuck from the walls of the receptacle in which it is located. The trays can then be picked up and inverted by a suitable machine, or even manually.

The frozen blocks of food 15 drop out of the trays 11 onto the conveyors 10. The frozen blocks of food 15 can then be placed into plastic bags or other suitable packaging by a suitable apparatus or again manually. Cartons of the frozen blocks of meals can then be sent to a suitable recipient.

If the recipient is a restaurant or similar the invention envisages a post processing procedure which will be explained as follows. If a customer wishes to have one of the prefrozen meals served, the frozen meal is taken from the package in which it is stored and placed into a serving tray 20 as shown in Figure 3. The tray 20 can include a container such as a dish which is designed to receive the frozen block of meal. Desirably this dish is of a similar shape to the frozen meal and in one embodiment is a ceramic china.

The tray is specially designed to include areas for receipt of other foodstuffs such as breadsticks indicated by item 22 and fresh produce such as salad indicated by item 23.

Initially the tray 20 and dish 21 are placed in an oven with the frozen meal in the dish 21. The meal is then rapidly heated so that it is ready for serving to a customer.

The breadsticks are then added to the tray at locations 22 and the fresh produce is added to the location 23. The meal is then ready to be served to a

customer .

To enhance the appeal of the meal, depending on the meal which is provided in the dish 21, a topping can be added to the meal after it is heated and the tray can be placed under a griller to enable the topping to be further heated. Therefore as an example melted cheese could be provided on top of the meal.

It is envisaged that the heating step would take less than ten minutes and once completed a customer would have a nutritious meal which for all intents and purposes would be the same as that served in a restaurant or at home after considerable preparation.

Because the frozen meal is snap frozen and there is minimal handling involved the quality and taste of the reheated meal does not deteriorate. The end result is that the meal prior to freezing and after freezing and reheating appears to the customer to be the same and is also appealing despite it being produced by mass production. According to another embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 7 and 8 a process for preparing frozen meals includes the step of making a series of containers or moulds 60 of a predetermined shape, such as in the shape of a circle, making a plastic film 61 of the same predetermined shape with an overlap 62 for sealing, placing the film in the same shaped food container so that the film overlaps the rim of the container. Therefore if the container was a circular shaped tray the film would be placed to overlay the tray so that it contacts all of the inner surface of the tray and overlaps the rim of the tray.

Ideally a number of containers would be placed on a conveyor belt above which would be located food hoppers.

A base layer of food would be injected from one food hopper into the container with the overlaying film. The base layer must be a food substance which inherently has enough moisture for a base layer to be formed which can be frozen in a single lump. Without sufficient moisture

the base layer would not form as a single lump when frozen.

In a preferred form of the invention the base layer contains a sauce which inherently has a moisture content which enables a base layer to be formed which can be frozen as a single lump.

Once the base layer has been formed in each container secondary food components may be placed on top of this base layer. These secondary food components can be placed in the container by hand or by machine.

The next step in the process involves sufficiently embedding the secondary food components in the base layer so that the moisture in the base layer contacts the secondary food components. According to one embodiment the procedure involves the step of pressing each of the secondary food components into the base layer, either manually or by some form of pressing machine.

According to another embodiment of the invention, each secondary food component is provided with a sauce or other moisture containing component on its lower surface to enable a connection between the secondary food components and the base layer, thus when the base layer and secondary food components are frozen in the container, a single moulded lump is the result.

Once all food components 63 have been placed in the container and each of the food components 63 are connected to permit a frozen lump of food to be produced a film cover 64 is placed over the container and a seal is formed between the two films around the rim of the container.

According to one embodiment the second film 64 overlays the container and food in it and conforms to the shape of the food and container. Once a seal has been formed between the two films a bag or film container is effectively formed with the food inside it. According to one embodiment the food is still warm when placed in a container.

The bags of food which are thus produced are still left in their containers and the containers are then passed into a freezer 65 either manually or by a machine, such as a conveyor. The container is then removed from the freezer with a solid frozen lump of food 66 hygienically sealed within the moulded form which is in effect a plastic bag.

The plastic bag with a lump of frozen food 66 can then be simply removed from the container and sent to a location for storage or packaging.

The frozen lump of food formed is generally not fragile, so that it can be easily handled without fear of damage. It is preferred that the frozen lump of food formed is a sold rigid mass which can be held without a supporting container and effectively supports its own weight without be so fragile that it breaks when so held.

Once the frozen lump of food 66 is removed from the container 60 the container 60 can be reused.

Figures 7 and 8 show a process which can utilise a conveyor belt 67. In such a situation the container 60 when empty at the end of the processing procedure can go back to the beginning of the conveyor. It does not require cleaning because it has not been soiled in any way. The advantage of the above procedure is that a frozen meal may be produced in a mass production facility which is totally uncontaminated by human contact and quality controlled.

In addition in contrast to other frozen meals a complete meal is produced as an end product which is exactly the same as the meal which would be produced in a restaurant for example, because all food components can be maintained together in a decorative arrangement which would be the same as could be produced in a restaurant. Figures 4, 5 and 6 show a frozen lump of food 30, 31, 32 which has been removed from its film plastic and placed in a moulded container similar in shape to the container used to hold the food prior to freezing. Thus

in Figure 4 the base layer 33 is formed from pasta and the secondary food components 34 consist of the pasta sauce and other food components which are used as embellishments. As shown the final frozen lump of food has the same shape as the container in which is was located.

In Figure 5 base layer 35 is in the form of a sauce and the secondary food components are placed on top of this base layer and consist of tomatoes 36 and bacon 37. Figure 5 clearly shows how the shape of the moulded food product is elliptical and this is the same as the shape of the container 38 within which it is to be served and having a similar shape to the container within which it was frozen. In Figure 6 a desert 39 is shown in the form of a moulded circular lump of food. The base layer 40 is formed from a sauce and decorative fruit components 41 are located on top of the base layer.

Once the frozen packaged food described above is ready for serving the bag holding the frozen lump of food is removed from its packaging and the frozen lump of food is removed from the bag by removing a tear off corner of the film so that the top layer of film is completely removed. The food is then removed by squeezing the bottom of the film still holding the frozen food so that the food is squeezed out of the film and into a container such as a ceramic tray 50.

When the frozen food is stored it may be stored in a container of the same shape or may be left solely in the plastic bag formed by the upper and lower surfaces of film.

Once the frozen food is located in the ceramic tray 50 of the same shape the tray can be placed in an oven and the frozen food can be heated until it has completely defrosted and has reached a temperature ready for serving.

The advantage of the above procedure is that a meal can be served in a tray of the same shape as the

container in which it was originally frozen. In this way a person eating the meal would have the perception that the meal was cooked and prepared in the tray from which the person is eating the food. Figure 4 also shows a cover 51 which can be placed over the food.

The food processing procedure described above minimises human contact with food from the time it is prepared to the time it is prepared for eating. In addition the procedure provides quality assurance for a person eating the food, while at the same time maintaining a high standard of food quality because a high quality of food presentation is possible because all food components are combined in a way which has not previously been possible.