received by the International Bureau on 04 March 2019 (04.03.2019)

I/We claim:

1. A package (100) for ready-to-eat food items (110), the package (100) comprising: a container (102) for storing the food item (110), wherein the container (102) comprises an opening (112); a covering layer (104) applied onto the opening (112) of the container (102) so as to enclose the food item (110), wherein the covering layer (104) liirther comprises at least a portion which is readily pierceable;

a compartment (106) to store an additional ingredient (108) and coupled to the covering layer (104), the compartment (106) liirther comprising of a surface of material which is readily pierceable, wherein the surface of the compartment (106) when pierced is to allow the additional ingredient (108) to exit the compartment (106) and mix with the food item (110); and at least one piercing object (502) mounted on the covering layer (104) and protruding into the compartment (106) to pierce the surface of the compartment which is readily pierceable.

2. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer (104) is rotatably engageable with the opening (112) of the container (102).

3. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer (104) is press fitted onto the opening (112) of the container (102).

4. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a diameter of the compartment (106) is smaller than a diameter of the covering layer (104).

5. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dimension of a surface of the compartment (106) to be coupled with the covering layer (104) is smaller than a dimension of the covering layer (104).

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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6. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer (104) is of any shape.

7. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package (100) comprising a covering layer (202) made of a flexible material, wherein the flexible material is readily pierceable.

8. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package (100) comprising a compartment (204) made of a flexible material, wherein the flexible material is readily pierceable.

9. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer (104) is made 5 of a firm material.

10. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compartment (106) is made of a firm material.

11. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering layer (104) comprises a first pierceable section (114).

12. 12. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a base of the compartment (106) comprises a second pierceable section (116).

13. The package (100) as claimed in claims 11 and 12, wherein the second pierceable section (116) is positioned exactly below the first pierceable section (114).

14. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compartment (106) is 15 coupled to the covering layer (104) by a joining technique.

15. The package (100) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the joining technique is welding.

16. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compartment (106) is coated with a microbial growth detection chemical that changes color upon detecting 20 any microbial growth within the package (100).

17. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the package (100) comprising at least one piercing object (502) for piercing the covering layer (104) and the compartment (106).

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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18. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container (102) comprises a microbial detection device for detecting the microbial growth upon leakage of the stored additional ingredient on to the stored food item.

19. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compartment (204) comprises two storage units, wherein the two storage units store different ingredients.

20. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compartment (204) is adapted to be pierceable after the covering layer (202) has been pierced.

21. The package (100) as claimed in claim 1, forther comprising a preformed lid (602) for the container (102) positioned at the opening (112) below the compartment (106), the preformed lid (602) having one or more openings (604) adapted for controlling mixing of the food item (110) and the additional ingredient (108).

22. The package (100) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the preformed lid (602) is provided with a delivery portion (606) adapted for consumption of the mixed food item (110) and the additional ingredient (108).

23. The package (100) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more openings (604) are covered with a pierceable membrane (608), the pierceable membrane (608) being readily pierceable when the surface of the compartment (106) is pierced.

24. The package (100) as claimed in claim 23, wherein the one or more openings (604) are aligned with the compartment (106) in such a manner that when the piercing object (502) is used to pierce the surface of the compartment (106) by depressing the piercing object (502) against the surface of the compartment (106), the piercing object (502) pierces the pierceable membrane (608) on the one or more openings (604) upon forther depressing the piercing object (502).

25. A method for preparing a food item (110) being ready-to-eat, the food item (110) is stored in a container (102) being applied with a covering layer (202) having a compartment (204) storing an additional ingredient (108), the method comprising:

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

3 piercing the covering layer (202) on at least two portions, wherein the first pierced portion opens in the compartment (204) and the second pierced portion opens in the container (102);

heating the container (102) to a desired temperature such that the stored additional ingredient (108) reaches the desired temperature; piercing, using at least one piercing object (502) coupled to the covering layer (102) and protruding into the compartment (204), a base of the compartment (204) so that the heated additional ingredient (108) exits to the stored food item (110) for mixing thereof; and resting the mixed additional ingredient and food item for a prespecified time period.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, the method comprising: piercing the covering layer (104), wherein the pierced portion opens in the compartment (106);

piercing the base of the compartment (106) so that the additional ingredient

(108) exits to the stored food item (110) for mixing thereof; and heating the nixed additional ingredient (108) and food item (110) to a desired temperature; and resting the heated mixture of the additional ingredient and food item for a prespecified time period.

27. A package (100) for ready-to-eat food items (110), the package (100) comprising: a container (102) for storing the food item (110), wherein the container (102) comprises an opening (112);

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

4 a covering layer (104) applied onto the opening (112) of the container (102) so as to enclose the food item (110), wherein the covering layer (104) lurther comprises at least a portion which is readily pierceable;

a compartment (106) to store an additional ingredient (108) and coupled to the covering layer (104), the compartment (106) lurther comprising of a surface of material which is readily pierceable, wherein the surface of the compartment (106) when pierced is to allow the additional ingredient (108) to exit the compartment (106) and mix with the food item (110); and a preformed lid (602) for the container (102) positioned at the opening (112) below the compartment (106), the preformed lid (602) having one or more openings (604) adapted for controlling mixing of the food item (110) and the additional ingredient (108).

28. The package (100) as claimed in claim 27, wherein the preformed lid (602) is provided with a delivery portion (606) adapted for consumption of the mixed food item (110) and the additional ingredient (108).

29. The package (100) as claimed in claim 27, wherein the one or more openings (604) are covered with a pierceable membrane (608), the pierceable membrane (608) being readily pierceable when the surface of the compartment (106) is pierced.

30. The package (100) as claimed in claim 29, wherein the one or more openings (604) are aligned with the compartment (106) in such a manner that when a piercing object (502) is used to pierce the surface of the compartment (106) by depressing the piercing object (502) against the surface of the compartment (106), the piercing object (502) pierces the pierceable membrane (608) on the one or more openings (604) upon lurther depressing the piercing object (502).

31. The package (100) as claimed in claim 27, wherein the package (100) comprise at least one piercing object (502) for piercing at least one of the covering layer (104), the compartment (106), and a pierceable member (608) on the one or more openings (604).

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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