PACKAGED, COATED, ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING FOOD PRODUCT OF GELABLE COMPOSITION WITH IONIZED SALT

摘要

A B S T R A C TDescribed is an edible electrically high conductingfood substance capable of being heated by means of the applicationthereto of electrical energy havinga. Substantially diametrically opposite ends;b. At least one substantially solid surface;c. At least two electrical contacts located at saidsubstantially diametrically opposite ends of saidfood substance and in contact with said substantiallysolid surface; andd. At least a substantial portion of said substantiallysolid surface having in intimate contact/therewith,and as an integral portion thereof a compositionconsisting essentially of:i. A gel; andii. A substantially ionized speciessaid composition also being positioned to make intimate contactbetween the electrically high conducting food substance and theelectrical contacts whereby the contact is rendered non-arcingwhen an electromotive force is applied to said electrical contact.The genus of compositions comprising the gel and the substantiallyionized species is described in detail.- 1 -Described in addition, is a packaged rood product,including a container, shell or enclosure which exists in an"open" position prior to loading and "closed" position thereafterand which encloses relatively high electrically conducting andlow electrically conducting food substances such that therelatively low electrically conducting food component has incontact therewith on at least one of its surfaces or envelopesthe major part of the relatively high electrically conducting foodcomponent. The high conducting food substance can protrude orextend longitudinally away from the substantially diametricallyopposite ends of the low conducting food substance or it canbe totally enclosed in the low conducting food substance. Whenthe container, shell or enclosure is in a closed position,both the low conducting and high conducting rood substances areheld in a fixed position as a result of the design of the internalsurfaces of the ends of one or both portion(s) of the container,enclosure or shell. At the ends of the container, enclosure orshell, electrical conducting means, such as metal foils, areattached to and are in intimate contact with the internal surfacesof diametrically opposite ends of the container and are designedto make electrical contact with the terminals of an electricalenergy source for a finite period of time when the container isin a closed position and while the roods are held in the container.In common contact with the electrically conducting means andthat surface of the conducting rood through which it is intendedto pass the electrical current, is the composition of ourinvention comprising the gel and ionized species.Apart from the electrical conducting means, the test of the-2-container is both (1) electrically non-conducting and (2)minimally thermally conducting, so that when electrical energyis applied to the electrical conducting means when (a) thecontainer, shell or enclosure is in a closed position andwhen (b) the conducting and non-conducting foods are containedin the container, both these roods are prepared so that (1)they are heated without arcing occurring at the food surfacesthrough which electrical current is being passed; and (2)immediately subsequent to the application of the electricalenergy, the food remains in a heated state for a convenient time.When the container, shell or enclosure is in a closed positionand the electrically conducting and non-conducting roods areproperly positioned therein, the electrically conducting foodis pressed tightly against the electrical conducting meanslocated approximately at substantially diametrically oppositeinternal surfaces of the ends of the container in a form-fittingmanner, due, in part, to the nature of the physical propertiesof the material of construction of the container, enclosureor shell.Also disclosed is an edible electrical conducting gel-able composition for use on foods to be cooked by electricityand which forms a continuous phase on setting containing water,a gum and an ionized salt.- 3 -