| abstract |
Containers use in the storing, dispensing, packaging, and/or portioning of food and beverage products. The disposable and nondisposable food and beverage containers are manufactured from aggregates held together by organic binders in order to be lightweight, insulative, inexpensive, and more environmentally compatible than those currently used for storing, dispensing, packaging, or portioning such products. The food and beverage containers of the present invention are particularly useful for dispensing hot and cold food and beverages in the fast food restaurant environment. The structural matrices of the food and beverage containers include a hydrated organic binder paste (formed by mixing the binder with water) in combination with appropriate aggregate materials, such as fibers to add flexibility and strength, glass spheres to make the product more lightweight and insulative, or clay to make the product extremely inexpensive yet strong. In addition, the structural matrix may include entrained air voids to make the final product even more lightweight and insulative. These combinations allow the manufacture of food and beverage at a cost which is economically justified in comparison to conventional paper, plastic, or styrofoam products. |