Patents Represented by Attorney Arlene L. Hornilla
  • Patent number: 8221810
    Abstract: Icing coated shelf stable high fiber toaster pastry product or packaged consumer food articles are provided as well as their methods of preparation comprising high levels of a soluble fiber ingredient partitioned between the shell, filling and the icing. The present articles comprise an homogeneous baked chemically leavened soluble fiber fortified pastry dough planar shell forming an interior. The fiber fortified dough includes whole grain wheat flour; salt, chemical leavening, shortening, and ?1-15% added solid powdered polydextrose and in amounts sufficient to provide a total fiber content of the dough of at least 5%. At least a portion of the chemical leavening is provided by ammonium carbonate and in amounts sufficient to provide the dough with a specific baked volume of 1.5 cc/g or greater. The filling includes a liquid soluble fiber ingredient such as polydextrose. The articles are equivalent to conventional toaster pastries in eating qualities notwithstanding their high levels of total fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: General Mills IP Holdings II, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick E. Allen, Dean F. Funk, Terry T. Kirihara
  • Patent number: 8187649
    Abstract: Described are methods and compositions relating to non-developed dough compositions leavened by chemical leavening systems that include an encapsulated basic chemical leavening agent, wherein the dough composition can be refrigerated in a low pressure package and can exhibit desired browning upon baking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Domingues
  • Patent number: 8146799
    Abstract: Embodiments provide product information to a person viewing a product by capturing a product identifier image associated with the product, determining a product identifier from the image, and retrieving product information from a product database using the product identifier. In some cases the product information is filtered prior to display using a profile that includes criteria set by the user. Embodiments provide product information via a handheld computing device, which in some cases can be a mobile phone or other such device that also includes a camera for capturing product identifier images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Kempf, Richard J. Kaiser, Francis G. Schiro
  • Patent number: 7815957
    Abstract: Cheese compositions and methods of making cheese compositions, including methods of formulating cheese compositions are provided. Cheese compositions of the invention include casein protein, non-casein protein, non-pregelatinized, modified starch, and a fat component having a low amount of trans-fat (e.g., about 5% or less of trans-fat by weight of the fat component) while at the same time substantially maintaining and/or improving properties (e.g., processing properties, organoleptic properties, combinations of these, and the like) of the cheese composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika B. Smith, Larry M. Rasmussen, Melissa A. Haase, David M. Walsh
  • Patent number: 7806678
    Abstract: A system for removing trim from sheet dough including a belt defined by an upper edge, lower edge, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, wherein a plurality of brushes extend from the lower edge of the belt at an orientation substantially perpendicular to the lower edge, an idler sprocket in communication with the interior surface of the belt, and a motor configured to rotate the belt about the idler sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Finkowski
  • Patent number: 7807207
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cheese compositions and methods of making cheese compositions, including methods of formulating cheese compositions. Cheese compositions of the present invention include casein protein, non-casein protein, and non-pregelatinized, modified starch. Methods of making cheese compositions according to the present invention relate to making cheese compositions that include casein protein, non-casein protein, and non-pregelatinized, modified starch. Methods of formulating cheese compositions of the present invention include reducing an amount casein protein by replacing it with an amount of non-pregelatinized, modified starch and an amount of non-casein protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor T. Huang, Fern A. Panda, Erika B. Smith
  • Patent number: 7794769
    Abstract: A reduced sucrose cookie dough is provided comprising a Saccharide System. The Saccharide System comprises a crystalline sugar alcohol comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of crystalline maltitol, crystalline lactitol, and crystalline isomalt and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a liquid sugar alcohol and a long chain sugar complex. The Saccharide System has a Collective Solubility that is within about 20% of the solubility of sucrose in the dough. The cookie dough has a sucrose content of less than 0.5 grams per serving size. Methods of making the cookie dough are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Julie A. Cox, Lisa M. Stoiber, Brian E. Glass, Kristin L. Bahe
  • Patent number: 7766195
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accurately and repeatably depositing edible particulates on edible products. A dual-drum rotary feed system accurately meters an amount of edible particle for each edible product with a first rotary drum while a second rotary drum deposits the edible particulates onto or within the edible product. The dual-drum rotary feeder can comprise replaceable drums wherein drums can be quickly removed and replaced for cleaning, sanitization and to adjust processing conditions such as, for example, changes in production rates and/or product size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Jo Ryan, Peter A. Huberg, Gary O. Bendickson, Joana A. Montenegro
  • Patent number: 7704541
    Abstract: A steam crushed whole grain for reducing the wetting time necessary prior to use of a whole grain baking ingredient in a baking application. A whole grain kernel is formed into a whole grain flake with a plurality of exterior fractures. As the flake is formed, the flake is exposed to steam such that an interior starch portion of the flake is heated by penetration of the steam through the fractures. As the interior starch portion is heated, the flake is partially gelatinized within a range of about 15% to about 35%. The partially gelatinized grain is then milled and crushed for use as a baking ingredient. Prior to use, the partially gelatinized whole grain baking ingredient is wetted for a time less than 4 hours as is typically recommended for traditionally processed whole grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert T Westercamp
  • Patent number: 7371421
    Abstract: Described are dough compositions and methods, wherein the dough composition is prepared using a metabolized portion of dough comprising bubbles, metabolically active yeast, and developed dough matrix, combined with non-metabolized yeast, and wherein the dough composition preferably has useful properties such as yeast-leavened freezer-to-oven capabilities, without the need for chemical leavening agents or modified atmosphere packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Domingues, Vicky V. Hoel, Tammy L. McIntyre, Gregg J. Moder
  • Patent number: 7316556
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing individual dough products, comprising the steps of conveying a continuous dough sheet along a travel path, engaging a first die cutter with a first portion of the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one dough product, then conveying the continuous dough sheet along the travel path and engaging the second die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a second portion of the peripheral shape of at least one dough product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas C. Maniak, Susan Y. deWerff, Amy B. Larson Kolbe, Sherri A. Slocum
  • Patent number: 7250187
    Abstract: Described are dough compositions and methods of preparing dough compositions, raw and baked, including preferred methods and compositions wherein chemical leavening agents are encapsulated by a degradable barrier material to control their reaction until a time during baking, wherein the encapsulated chemical leavening agents at least partially leaven the dough composition during baking, and wherein the encapsulated chemical leavening agents are uniformly incorporated into the dough composition or dough ingredients by methods that limit shear damage to the encapsulated particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Domingues
  • Patent number: D546678
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ali El-Afandi
  • Patent number: D547180
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ali El-Afandi
  • Patent number: D548074
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ali El-Afandi
  • Patent number: D572584
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ali El-Afandi
  • Patent number: D610465
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Domingues, Susan Hall, David A. Kirk, Scott Kackman
  • Patent number: D621278
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Domingues, Susan Hall, David A. Kirk, Scott Kackman
  • Patent number: D643744
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Domingues, Susan Hall, David A. Kirk, Scott Kackman
  • Patent number: D646181
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Domingues, Susan Hall, David A. Kirk, Scott Kackman