Patents by Inventor J. Fernando Ramirez

J. Fernando Ramirez has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9814242
    Abstract: Biologically pure cultures of Bacillus subtilis Maseca-1 strain were isolated from the pericarp of nixtamalized corn. The Bacillus Maseca-1 strain was characterized and found to produce peptides and/or other compounds that have antimicrobial activity. An extract prepared from the Bacillus Maseca-1 strain is active against microorganisms such as bacteria and mold and may be used as an agent to inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms and thereby prevent spoilage and extend the shelf life in foods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: GRUMA S.A.B. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, J. Fernando Ramirez
  • Publication number: 20160007614
    Abstract: Biologically pure cultures of Bacillus subtilis Maseca-1 strain were isolated from the pericarp of nixtamalized corn. The Bacillus Maseca-1 strain was characterized and found to produce peptides and/or other compounds that have antimicrobial activity. An extract prepared from the Bacillus Maseca-1 strain is active against microorganisms such as bacteria and mold and may be used as an agent to inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms and thereby prevent spoilage and extend the shelf life in foods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, J. Fernando Ramirez
  • Patent number: 9144588
    Abstract: Biologically pure cultures of Bacillus subtilis were isolated from the pericarp of nixtamalized corn. The Bacillus microorganisms were characterized and found to produce novel peptides which have antimicrobial activity. The Bacillus microorganisms are active against Gram-positive bacteria and may be used as an agent to prevent spoilage in foods. The Bacillus microorganisms may be included in probiotic food compositions to help maintain healthy gastrointestinal flora and modulate animal digestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: INVESTIGACION DE TECNOLOGIA AVANZADA, S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Manuel J. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, J. Fernando Ramirez
  • Publication number: 20130216511
    Abstract: Biologically pure cultures of Bacillus subtilis were isolated from the pericarp of nixtamalized corn. The Bacillus microorganisms were characterized and found to produce novel peptides which have antimicrobial activity. The Bacillus microorganisms are active against Gram-positive bacteria and may be used as an agent to prevent spoilage in foods. The Bacillus microorganisms may be included in probiotic food compositions to help maintain healthy gastrointestinal flora and modulate animal digestion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: INVESTIGACION DE TECNOLOGIA AVANZADA, S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Manuel J. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, J. Fernando Ramirez
  • Patent number: 8263154
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous production of whole nixtamalized corn flour, includes a whole clean corn precooking with a lime solution to effect a partial hydrolysis of pericarp and bran with reduced soluble corn loss in Nejayote wastewater. Moisture content is then stabilized, followed by milling and drying preconditioned corn for further endosperm gelatinization in the whole ground kernel, venting and separating the dry-milled fractions. Adiabatic cooling under a partial vacuum of the vented dry-grind fractions and classifying with an upwardly airstream to strip the fine-grind from the coarse grind while the latter is separated downwardly as a moving bed. Venting and separating the classified fine grind fraction; sifting and recovering the cooled and classified fine grind so segregated from the coarse grind, remilling and further screening the coarse grind produces a whole nixtamalized corn flour for tortilla and whole grain corn-based foods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Manuel J. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, Francisco J. Sosa, Felipe J. Sánchez, J. Fernando Ramirez
  • Publication number: 20100080881
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous production of whole nixtamalized corn flour, includes a whole clean corn precooking with a lime solution to effect a partial hydrolysis of pericarp and bran with reduced soluble corn loss in Nejayote wastewater. Moisture content is then stabilized, followed by milling and drying preconditioned corn for further endosperm gelatinization in the whole ground kernel, venting and separating the dry-milled fractions. Adiabatic cooling under a partial vacuum of the vented dry-grind fractions and classifying with an upwardly airstream to strip the fine-grind from the coarse grind while the latter is separated downwardly as a moving bed. Venting and separating the classified fine grind fraction; sifting and recovering the cooled and classified fine grind so segregated from the coarse grind, remilling and further screening the coarse grind produces a whole nixtamalized corn flour for tortilla and whole grain corn-based foods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Manuel J. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, Francisco J. Sosa, Felipe J. Sanchez, J. Fernando Ramirez
  • Patent number: 7459174
    Abstract: Precooked and partially-debranned corn flour is continuously produced by an enzymatic precooking using a commercial blend of xylanase, endoamylase and endoprotease as a processing aid. The low-temperature and neutral-pH precooking with an endoenzyme solution effected a partial bran hydrolysis while avoiding excessive pregelatinization, reduced washing and corn solid loss in wastewater. Moisture content is then stabilized, followed by milling and drying at a high-temperature and short-time to produce a controlled gelatinization and denaturation in the ground kernel, cooling and further drying the dried-ground particle. A fine particle size or flour is separated and recovered from the coarser particle which is also segregated to isolate a partially hydrolysed bran fraction for integral flour or animal feed diet, remilling and sieving the coarser particle to produce an instant corn flour for snack, and admixing the fine particle with lime to obtain a masa flour for tortilla and other corn foods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Investigacion De Tecnologia Avanzada, S.A. De C.V.
    Inventors: Felipe A. Rubio, Manuel J. Rubio, Roberto Contreras, J. Fernando Ramirez, Rodrigo Lobeira Massu
  • Publication number: 20070184175
    Abstract: A bioprocess and apparatus for the continuous production of novel masa and whole-corn flours as cereal-base and functional-food ingredients. The bioprocess includes providing a fine grind fraction of corn kernel; combining the fine grind fraction of corn kernel with at least one endoamylase to produce an enzyme-added fine grind; moist-heat precooking the enzyme-added fine grind to obtain a pre-cooked enzyme-added fine grind; low-moisture conditioning the precooked enzyme-added fine grind to partially hydrolyze starchy endosperm and swell starch and aleurone-bran granules to produce enzymatically conditioned corn kernel particles; and_milling the conditioned corn kernel particles to obtain flour comprising a fine grind portion of the conditioned corn kernel particle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: Felipe Rubio, Manuel Rubio, Roberto Contreras, Francisco Sosa, J. Fernando Ramirez, Rodrigo Massu