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).

  • 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
  • Publication number: 20100055248
    Abstract: Shelf-stable products, particularly beverages, containing polyphenols and optionally sterol and/or stanol esters are disclosed. Loss of polyphenols during the heat processing of the products is prevented by reducing the pH of the product by at least 0.2 after mixing and prior to heat processing. The pH of the final beverage should be about pH 4.6 to about pH 6.8. The preferred products are low fat cocoa beverages containing at least 0.2-5 micrograms of cocoa polyphenols per gram of the beverage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Mars, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Woelfel, Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20100016536
    Abstract: An improved process for separating and isolating individual polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) on the basis of degree of polymerization. A liquid sample containing polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) is introduced into a liquid chromatography (LC) column packed with a polar bonded stationary chromatographic phase. The individual polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) are separated via a binary mobile phase elution. One or more individual fractions containing the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) are eluted. The polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) may be proanthocyanidins, hydrolyzable tannins, oligosaccharides, oligonucleotides, peptides, acrylamides, polysorbates, polyketides, poloxarners, polyethylene glycols, polyoxyethylene alcohols or polyvinyl alcohols. The binary mobile phase comprises an A phase consisting essentially of a polar aprotic solvent and a B phase consisting essentially of a polar protic solvent. A process for separating and isolating xanthine(s) (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Mars, Inc
    Inventors: Mark A. Kelm, Christopher J. Johnson, Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20090203926
    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: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Mars, Inc.
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, John P. Munafo, Mark A. Kelm
  • Patent number: 7566401
    Abstract: An improved process for separating and isolating individual polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) on the basis of degree of polymerization. A liquid sample containing polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) is introduced into a liquid chromatography (LC) column packed with a polar bonded stationary chromatographic phase. The individual polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) are separated via a binary mobile phase elution. One or more individual fractions containing the monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) are eluted. The polar protic monomer(s) and/or oligomer(s) may be proanthocyanidins, hydrolyzable tannins, oligosaccharides, oligonucleotides, peptides, acrylamides, polysorbates, polyketides, poloxamers, polyethylene glycols, polyoxyethylene alcohols or polyvinyl alcohols. The binary mobile phase comprises an A phase consisting essentially of a polar aprotic solvent and a B phase consisting essentially of a polar protic solvent. A process for separating and isolating xanthine(s) (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Inventors: Mark A. Kelm, Christopher J. Johnson, Rebecca J. Robbins
  • Patent number: 7485735
    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: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Mars, Inc.
    Inventors: Rebecca J. Robbins, John P. Munafo, Mark A. Kelm