Patents by Inventor Rebecca J. Robbins

Rebecca J. Robbins 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).

  • Publication number: 20240084345
    Abstract: Methods for converting mixtures of anthocyanins occurring in fruit or vegetable juice or extract into particular anthocyanin molecules having desirable colorant properties are provided herein. The method of the present disclosure can be employed to increase the amount of particular anthocyanin molecules, while lowering the total number of anthocyanin molecules present in the natural juice and/or extract. The disclosure is also directed to anthocyanin molecules prepared by the methods of present disclosure and to enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions that provide such effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicants: MARS, INCORPORATED, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Thomas M. Collins, Rebecca J. Robbins, Randall Powers, Justin Siegel, Pamela Ruth Denish, Kathryn Gwendolyn Guggenheim
  • Patent number: 11753664
    Abstract: Methods for converting mixtures of anthocyanins occurring in fruit or vegetable juice or extract into particular anthocyanin molecules having desirable colorant properties are provided herein. The method of the present disclosure can be employed to increase the amount of particular anthocyanin molecules, while lowering the total number of anthocyanin molecules present in the natural juice and/or extract. The disclosure is also directed to anthocyanin molecules prepared by the methods of present disclosure and to enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions that provide such effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: MARS, INCORPORATED, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Thomas M. Collins, Rebecca J. Robbins, Randall Powers, Justin Siegel, Pamela Ruth Denish, Kathryn Gwendolyn Guggenheim
  • Publication number: 20230157330
    Abstract: Edible colorant compositions containing a monoacylated anthocyanin of Compound I and methods of use are provided. The colorant compositions include at least the monoacylated anthocyanin colorant of Compound I extracted from red cabbage and a metal ion, and have a pH from about 6.0 to about 8.0. The colorant compositions can be derived from a non-artificial product and provide a stable, blue colorant that can be used in food products. Specifically, the monoacylated anthocyanin colorant provides color characteristics similar to those provided by the artificial blue colorant, FD&C Blue No. 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas M. COLLINS, Rebecca J. ROBBINS, Randall POWERS
  • Publication number: 20220340941
    Abstract: Methods for converting mixtures of anthocyanins occurring in fruit or vegetable juice or extract into particular anthocyanin molecules having desirable colorant properties are provided herein. The method of the present disclosure can be employed to increase the amount of particular anthocyanin molecules, while lowering the total number of anthocyanin molecules present in the natural juice and/or extract. The disclosure is also directed to anthocyanin molecules prepared by the methods of present disclosure and to enzymes capable of catalyzing reactions that provide such effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicants: MARS, INCORPORATED, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Thomas M. COLLINS, Rebecca J. ROBBINS, Randall POWERS, Justin SIEGEL, Pamela Ruth DENISH, Kathryn Gwendolyn GUGGENHEIM
  • Publication number: 20210315240
    Abstract: Edible colorant compositions containing a monoacylated anthocyanin of Compound I and methods of use are provided. The colorant compositions include at least the monoacylated anthocyanin colorant of Compound I extracted from red cabbage and a metal ion, and have a pH from about 6.0 to about 8.0. The colorant compositions can be derived from a non-artificial product and provide a stable, blue colorant that can be used in food products. Specifically, the monoacylated anthocyanin colorant provides color characteristics similar to those provided by the artificial blue colorant, FD&C Blue No. 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas M. COLLINS, Rebecca J. ROBBINS, Randall POWERS
  • Patent number: 10881119
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a method of hard pan coating an edible core, a sucrose-based, hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The sucrose-based, hard panned coating comprises sucrose and a pH-adjusted red radish anthocyanin-containing colorant, is substantially crystalline, and has a red or orange hue described by a CIELCH color space h° coordinate of from about 15° to about 70°. In some embodiments, the coating further comprises a yellow colorant. The colorants are desirably naturally sourced to provide alternatives to synthetic colorants for coloring hard panned confectionery coatings in red or orange hues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventor: Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Patent number: 10750761
    Abstract: Natural blue colorant compositions and methods of use thereof are provided. The colorant compositions include at least one acylated anthocyanin, such as a diacylated anthocyanin. The colorant composition can further include a buffer solution having a pH from about 6.0 to about 8.0 and a metal ion or salt form thereof. The colorant compositions can be derived from a natural product and provide a stable, blue colorant that can be used in food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, Thomas M. Collins, Maria Monica Giusti, Gregory Sigurdson
  • Patent number: 10736334
    Abstract: There is provided a hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The hard panned coating comprises multiple sugar syrup layers, only some of which further comprise one or more sucrose esters. In some embodiments, titanium dioxide may be excluded from the sugar syrup/sucrose ester layers. In these, and other, embodiments, the hard panned coatings exhibit one or more L*, a* and b* values within 5% of the corresponding value of a colorant overcoat applied over a precoat comprising titanium dioxide. Raw material cost savings are thus provided, while yet providing a confection having enhanced properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, Barbara Stawski, Thomas M. Collins
  • Patent number: 10687550
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a method of hard pan coating an edible core, a sucrose-based, hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The sucrose-based, hard panned coating comprises sucrose and a pH-adjusted purple carrot anthocyanin-containing colorant, is substantially crystalline, and has a brown hue described by a CIELCH color space h° coordinate of from about 0° to about 70°. In some embodiments, the coating further comprises a yellow colorant. The colorants are desirably naturally sourced to provide alternatives to synthetic colorants for coloring hard panned confectionery coatings in brown hues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Patent number: 10119029
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of isolating fractions of anthocyanin molecules from anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts, or combinations thereof, at a select pH based on differences in polarity of the anthocyanin molecules in the anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignees: Mars, Incorporated, The Ohio State University
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, J. Christopher Johnson, Thomas M. Collins, Neda Ahmadiani, M. Monica Giusti
  • Publication number: 20170204269
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of isolating fractions of anthocyanin molecules from anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts, or combinations thereof, at a select pH based on differences in polarity of the anthocyanin molecules in the anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicants: MARS, INCORPORATED, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, J. Christopher Johnson, Thomas M. Collins, Neda Ahmadiani, M. Monica Giusti
  • Patent number: 9598581
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of isolating fractions of anthocyanin molecules from anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts, or combinations thereof, at a select pH based on differences in polarity of the anthocyanin molecules in the anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: MARS, INCORPORATED, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, J. Christopher Johnson, Thomas M. Collins, Neda Ahmadiani, M. Monica Giusti
  • Publication number: 20170000169
    Abstract: Natural blue colorant compositions and methods of use thereof are provided. The colorant compositions include at least one acylated anthocyanin, such as a diacylated anthocyanin. The colorant composition can further include a buffer solution having a pH from about 6.0 to about 8.0 and a metal ion or salt form thereof. The colorant compositions can be derived from a natural product and provide a stable, blue colorant that can be used in food products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, Thomas M. Collins, Maria Monica Giusti, Gregory Sigurdson
  • Publication number: 20160205980
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a method of hard pan coating an edible core, a sucrose-based, hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The sucrose-based, hard panned coating comprises sucrose and a pH-adjusted purple carrot anthocyanin-containing colorant, is substantially crystalline, and has a brown hue described by a CIELCH color space h° coordinate of from about 0° to about 70°. In some embodiments, the coating further comprises a yellow colorant. The colorants are desirably naturally sourced to provide alternatives to synthetic colorants for coloring hard panned confectionery coatings in brown hues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20160165940
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a method of hard pan coating an edible core, a sucrose-based, hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The sucrose-based, hard panned coating comprises sucrose and a pH-adjusted red radish anthocyanin-containing colorant, is substantially crystalline, and has a red or orange hue described by a CIELCH color space h° coordinate of from about 15° to about 70°. In some embodiments, the coating further comprises a yellow colorant. The colorants are desirably naturally sourced to provide alternatives to synthetic colorants for coloring hard panned confectionery coatings in red or orange hues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20160029657
    Abstract: There is provided a hard panned coating, and a hard panned confection comprising an edible core coated with the same. The hard panned coating comprises multiple sugar syrup layers, only some of which further comprise one or more sucrose esters. In some embodiments, titanium dioxide may be excluded from the sugar syrup/sucrose ester layers. In these, and other, embodiments, the hard panned coatings exhibit one or more L*, a* and b* values within 5% of the corresponding value of a colorant overcoat applied over a precoat comprising titanium dioxide. Raw material cost savings are thus provided, while yet providing a confection having enhanced properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicants: WM. WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY, MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, Barbara Stawski, Thomas M. Collins
  • Publication number: 20160015067
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to natural blue anthocyanin-containing colorants comprising fractions of anthocyanin molecules separated from anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts. Anthocyanin fractions are separated at a select pH based on differences in polarity of the anthocyanin molecules in the anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts. The invention is directed to the anthocyanin fractions providing color characteristics similar to those provided by the synthetic blue colorant, FD&C Blue No. 1. The present invention is also directed to natural green colorants comprising the natural blue anthocyanin-containing colorant and a natural yellow colorant. The present invention is further directed to edible products comprising the natural blue anthocyanin-containing colorants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicants: THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, J. Christopher Johnson, Thomas M. Collins, Neda Ahmadiani, M. Monica Giusti
  • Publication number: 20160017150
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of isolating fractions of anthocyanin molecules from anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts, or combinations thereof, at a select pH based on differences in polarity of the anthocyanin molecules in the anthocyanin-containing vegetable and fruit juices and extracts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicants: THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, J. Christopher Johnson, Thomas M. Collins, Neda Ahmadiani, M. Monica Giusti
  • Publication number: 20150374009
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hard panned coating comprising a natural blue anthocyanin-containing colorant, a hard panned confection coated with the same, and a method of hard pan coating an edible product center with the coating such that the color provided by the natural blue anthocyanin-containing colorant to the coating is stabilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: MARS, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Patent number: 7786315
    Abstract: A process is described for selectively extracting cocoa procyanidins from an aqueous mixture of cocoa polyphenols by using a particular sequence of solvents to extract selected procyanidin monomers and/or oligomers. The solvents are n-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, diethyl ether, or mixtures of methyl acetate and diethyl ether. Preferably, the aqueous mixture of cocoa polyphenols is first extracted with n-butyl acetate. The mixtures of methyl acetate and diethyl ether are between 25:75 and 75:25 (v/v).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Mars, Inc.
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, Mark A. Kelm, John P. Munafo