Recloseable modified atmosphere clamshell package

Claim 1

A recloseable hermetically sealed, modified atmosphere package comprising: a substantially rigid container portion including bottom with container sidewalls connected thereto and projecting upwardly therefrom; and a separately formed substantially rigid lid portion; said container sidewalls connected together at their respective lateral edges to form container corners; said connected sidewalls together forming a container lip portion disposed at the upper extremity of the connected sidewalls unitarily extending along the top portion of each sidewall and each container corner; said lid portion including a centrally dome portion bordered by a lid lip portion and upwardly extending therefrom, and said lid lip portion substantially congruently shaped with at least a portion of said container lip portion for mating engagement therewith to form a hermetically sealed, modified atmosphere package; substantially congruently-shaped lid locking and matingly engageable respective container and lid distentions, disposed on each said container lip portion and said lid lip portion; and container and lid flanges extending circumferentially around substantially the entirety of said container lip and said lid lip for overlapping disposition with each other; said container flange and said lid flange being sealed together; said lid flange having peel opening means including a line of reduced strength disposed upon said lid flange for directing a peel force therealong for removal of at least a substantial portion of said lid flange for opening said package; said container portion and said lid portion joined by a hermetic seal to enclose an hermetically sealed volume therewithin; and a food product and a substantially inert gas contained within said hermetically sealed volume to form a modified atmosphere package for containing said food product, said inert gas surrounding said food product until said peel opening means is used to open said package.