Abstract: The present application provides a filling line for filling a container with one of a number of different beverages. The filling line may include a water circuit with a counter-pressure nozzle to fill the container with carbonated water and one or more micro-ingredient towers with a number of micro-ingredients therein positioned downstream of the counter-pressure nozzle to fill the container with the micro-ingredients.

Abstract: A vacuum insulated panel is disclosed herein. According to an embodiment, the vacuum insulated panel may include a frame having a first side and a second side. The vacuum insulated panel also may include a first convex sheet positioned about the first side of the frame and a second convex sheet positioned about the second side of the frame. Moreover, the vacuum insulated panel may include a cavity formed between the first convex sheet and the second convex sheet. Further, the vacuum insulated panel may include a vacuum formed within the cavity. The vacuum may be configured to at least partially flatten the first convex sheet and the second convex sheet into a substantially parallel planar configuration.

Abstract: A consumable item dispenser and method may include an ingredient storage unit configured to store a consumable ingredient used to produce consumable items by the dispenser. A sensor may be configured to sense an amount of consumable ingredient remaining to be dispensed. An input/output unit may be configured to communicate data over a communications network. A processing unit may be in communication with the sensor, and be configured to authenticate an electronic device associated with an operator and register the electronic device associated with the operator. A determination as to whether an amount of the ingredient in the ingredient storage unit is at or below a threshold level. The processing unit may generate a notification indicative that the ingredient is at or below a threshold level, and communicate the notification to the operator in response to being generated.

Abstract: Rebaudioside M compositions with improved aqueous solubility and methods for preparing the same are provided herein. The rebaudioside M compositions include (i) disordered crystalline compositions comprising rebaudioside M and rebaudioside D, (ii) spray-dried compositions comprising rebaudioside M, rebaudioside D and steviol glycoside mixtures and/or rebaudioside B and/or NSF-02, (iii) spray-dried compositions comprising rebaudioside M, rebaudioside D and at least one surfactant, polymer, saponin, carbohydrate, polyol, preservative or a combination thereof. Sweetened compositions, such a beverages, containing the rebaudioside M compositions with improved water solubility are also provided herein.

Abstract: An edible caramel color composition and method of making the same are disclosed. The method of making an edible caramel color composition includes the step of heating a reaction mixture to form a caramel color composition, wherein the reaction mixture contains: a carbohydrate, and a sulfite compound, in the absence of a caustic compound and in the absence of an ammonium compound.

Abstract: Stevia varieties with a high content of RebM, are disclosed Further provided are methods for producing Stevia plants having a high RebM content by negatively regulating certain genes selecting the resulting plants, and breeding with such plants to confer such desirable Reb M phenotypes to plant progeny.

Abstract: An object with an icon thereon encodes a bit sequence. The icon comprises a plurality of concentric rings, each of the plurality of concentric rings is divided into a plurality of data sectors. Each of the plurality of data sectors is associated with a corresponding bit in the bit sequence, and each of the plurality of data sectors encodes the corresponding bit based on the presence or absence of a line segment in the sector. The plurality of concentric rings further comprises at least three anchor sectors on one or more of the plurality of concentric rings, the at least three anchor sectors comprise an anchor mark. The plurality of concentric rings further comprises one or more error correction sectors, each of the one or more error correction sectors encodes a corresponding error correction bit based on the presence or absence of a line segment in the error correction sector.

Abstract: The present application provides a dispensing nozzle assembly for mixing a first fluid and a second fluid. The dispensing nozzle assembly may include a target assembly with a number of twisted fins and an injector ring assembly surrounding the target assembly in whole or in part. The injector ring assembly may include a number of first tubes with one or more threads therein directed towards the target assembly for the first fluid and a number of second tubes directed towards the target assembly for the second fluid such that the first fluid and the second fluid mix along the twisted fins of the target assembly.

Abstract: Sweetened compositions comprising at least one sweetener and rebaudioside X are provided herein. Rebaudioside X is present in the sweetened compositions in a concentration at or below the sweetness recognition threshold, while the at least one sweetener is present in a concentration above its sweetness recognition threshold. Rebaudioside X acts to enhance the sweetness of the sweetened compositions, e.g. beverages and concentrate compositions, thereby allowing for preparation of sweetened compositions with reduced calorie content. Methods of enhancing the sweetness of a sweetened composition with rebaudioside X are also provided herein.

Abstract: A dispensing system may be provided. The dispensing system may comprise a control architecture internal to the dispensing system. The dispensing system may further comprise an internal portion internal to the dispensing system. The internal portion may be configured to provide an internal ingredient under the control of the control architecture. An external portion may be external to the dispensing system. The external portion may be configured to provide an external ingredient to the dispensing system. The external portion may be under the control of the control architecture.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically coring a whole citrus fruit, isolating fiber or substantially whole juice sacs from at least a portion of a whole citrus fruit.

Abstract: The present application provides a beverage dispensing system for dispensing beverages with low solubility ingredients. The beverage dispensing system may include a sweetener flow, a first diluent flow, a low solubility ingredient premixing system for mixing a low solubility ingredient with a second diluent flow to create a mixed flow, and a nozzle to mix the sweetener flow, the first diluent flow, and the mixed flow.

Abstract: An automatic vending machine includes a product housing rack including a plurality of product housing shelves that are disposed in an up-down direction, a plurality of product housing paths corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves, each product housing path being defined in the corresponding product housing shelf and configured to house products, a plurality of product discharge devices corresponding to the plurality of product housing shelves and the plurality of product housing paths, each product discharge device being configured to separate and discharge, one by one, the products that are housed in the corresponding product housing path. The product housing shelf includes a front side shelf member and a back side shelf member that are divided in the front-back direction, supported by support members, and detachably coupled with each other so that the front side shelf member is sandwiched by the back side shelf member.

Abstract: The present application provides a dispensing nozzle assembly for mixing a first fluid and a second fluid. The dispensing nozzle assembly may include a target assembly with a number of fins and a number of channels and a static mixer positioned about the fins.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include systems and methods for providing dynamic ingredient matrix reconfiguration in a product dispenser. In one example, a method for configuring a dispenser apparatus may include determining one or more current associations between some or all of a plurality of ingredient packages and one or more of a plurality of dispensing devices associated with the dispenser apparatus. The method may include determining whether a current association of the one or more current associations has changed with respect to at least one previous association between some or all of the plurality of ingredient packages and one or more of the plurality of dispensing devices, and in response to ascertaining that the current association has changed, modifying an association table based at least on the one or more current associations, the association table being representative of the at least one previous association.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser configured for servicing from the front. A front cover is coupled to a cabinet and positionable in open and closed positions. A housing is positioned in an interior of the cabinet and supports cartridges containing ingredients for dispensing a beverage. The housing at least partially defines a cavity within the interior of the cabinet. An electronics box is configured for coupling to the cabinet in an operating position within the cavity and also in a service position in front of the housing. The cavity is accessible from the front of the cabinet when the front cover is in the open position and the electronics box is in the service position.

Abstract: One embodiment of a system and process of reading a multi-character code may include identifying regions in which respective characters of the code reside in response to receiving an image of the multi-character code. The identified regions may be applied to a neural network to determine the respective characters in the identified regions. The determined characters may be displayed in an ordered sequence for a user to visually inspect to confirm that each of the determined characters are correct.

Abstract: A Stevia extract made from leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant is described. The extract has desired levels of steviol glycosides and is useful in food, beverage, and other consumable products.