Food and drink container comprising a phase change material

A container is provided for hot food and drinks which comprises an inner vessel 11 with an upper open end 13, a closed lower end and a wall 12 connecting the upper and lower end. The container has an insulated outer shell 14 and a compartment 16 disposed between the inner vessel and the outer shell comprising a phase change material 17 for absorbing thermal energy from a hot foodstuff or drink in the inner vessel to cool the hot foodstuff or drink and then releasing the thermal energy to the foodstuff or drink to maintain the temperature of the cooled foodstuff or drink. A lid 2 is also provided for the open end of the vessel, which lid comprises a compartment comprising a phase change material 21 in the base 22 of the lid, and an insulating layer 23. The lid may include an opening through which the hot foodstuff or drink can be consumed. Preferably, the inner vessel is made from stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloy, copper or copper alloy. The compartment 16 and phase change material may either extend around substantially the entire inner vessel or extend around the upper portion of the inner vessel only. A plurality of compartments, where each compartment is separated from the other compartments by vertical ribs (20, fig.2), may also be provided. Preferably the phase change material comprises a crystalline salt, such as sodium acetate trihydrate, and further comprises a wax, such as beeswax or paraffin wax. Alternatively, the phase change material may comprise a fatty acid (e.g. stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid), a fat, a heavy alcohol (e.g. cetyl alcohol) or a crystalline alkyl hydrocarbon. Preferably, the insulating material comprises expanded polyurethane, polyethylene, polystyrene, vacuum, aerogel, or open/closed cell foam. The chosen insulating material may be resiliently deformable so as to accommodate changes in the volume of the phase change material. In use, the container can be used for rapidly lowering the temperature of a hot foodstuff or drink contained therein to a temperature suitable for human consumption and for maintaining the foodstuff or drink within a warm temperature range for an extended period of time.