Patents Assigned to NESTECS S.A.
  • Process for preparing caramelized cocoa nibs and product thereof
    Patent number: 6156371
    Abstract: Process for the preparation of cocoa nibs coated with caramelized crystalline sugar, in which a mixture containing at least cocoa nibs pieces, sugar, and water and/or milk is prepared, the mixture being treated at a high temperature so as to obtain caramelized cocoa nibs, which are then tempered and heat treated. Also, the caramelized cocoa nibs obtainable by this process and their use in food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Vareille, Faycal Idriss
  • Microwave thawing using micro-emulsions
    Patent number: 6149954
    Abstract: An edible water-in-oil micro-emulsion for thawing of a food product which is subjected to microwave energy and the use of such an edible water-in-oil micro-emulsion for thawing is described. Further described is a frozen food product comprising an edible water-in-oil micro-emulsion effective for enhancing thawing of the food product and to the process of providing such a frozen food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Mustapha Merabet
  • Bacterocide compositions and their preparation from micrococcus varians
    Patent number: 6150139
    Abstract: A bacteriocin having activity against bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes is obtained by culturing cells of a strain of Micrococcus varians, particularly cells of deposited strains CNCM I-1586 and CNCM I-1587, to obtain cultured cells and a supernatant and by separating the supernatant from the cultured cells to obtain the supernatant which contains the bacteriocin which, in turn, may be isolated from the supernatant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Beat Mollet, John Peel, David Pridmore, Nadji Rekhif, Suri Bruno
  • Aroma recovery process
    Patent number: 6149957
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of aroma components from coffee. A slurry of coffee grounds in an aqueous liquid is subjected to stripping for stripping aroma components from the slurry. The stripping is carried out using gas in a substantially counter-current manner to provide an aromatized gas containing aroma components. The aroma components are then collected from the aromatized gas. The aroma components may be added to concentrated coffee extract prior to drying of the extract. The coffee powder produced has much increased and improved aroma and flavor and contains higher levels of furans and diketones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Zenon Ioannis Mandralis, Scott Westfall, Kenneth A. Yunker
  • Apparatus having members for preparing an extruded food product and particularly a multi-colored product
    Patent number: 6145433
    Abstract: Apparatus for preparing an extruded food product, particularly a multi-colored food product, includes a mixer for mixing food materials for obtaining a base material mixture which is emulsifiable and includes an emulsifying device for emulsifying the base material mixture to obtain an emulsified product, and tanks are provided for supplying different solutions, particularly differently colored food-coloring solutions, to the emulsifying device for inclusion in the emulsified product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Dupont
  • Reduced fat chocolate
    Patent number: 6143350
    Abstract: A processs for the preparation of a reduced fat milk chocolate which comprises preparing a powdered premix of substantially all the non-fat ingredients, adding up to 96% of the fat containing ingredients to the powdered premix and mixing to give a mass containing from 18 to 24% by weight fat based on the total weight of the mass, refining the mass on refining rollers to give a particle size of from 25 to 35 microns, adding the remainder of the fat containing ingredients and lecithin, conching, tempering to give a reduced fat milk chocolate containing less than 27% by weight of fat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Karin Dubberke
  • Full moisture shelf stable rice product
    Patent number: 6139898
    Abstract: A full moisture shelf stable rice product, which comprises a cooked or precooked whole grain rice having a dry matter content of from about 30% to about 55% by weight, an acid in amount effective to obtain a pH of about 3.5 to about 4.5, and an oil in an amount sufficient to coat the surface of the rice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Paul Philipp Meyer, Peter Jonas Halden, Goran Jaelminger, Eva Ehrenberg
  • Preparation of toasted bread product having a topping for microwave heating
    Patent number: 6139885
    Abstract: A composite food product for consumption after microwave heating is obtained by preparing a dough with, by weight, from 55% to 65% flour and from 28 to 40% water, the dough is baked to obtain a bread so that the bread has a water content of from 17% to 22% less than a water content of the dough, and then the bread, after advantageously being allowed to rest for from 1 day to 7 days at a temperature of 4.degree. C. to 10.degree. C., is sliced, to provide a slice or slices having at least one crumb surface which then is toasted and after which, a food composition topping, which may be in an amount, by weight based upon the composite product weight, of from 50% to 75%, is placed upon the toasted crumb surface, and then the composite product obtained is packaged and refrigerated or frozen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Herve Jouanneau, Jacques Popot, Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Tharrault
  • Powder- and tablet-form salt- and fat-containing food products
    Patent number: 6139887
    Abstract: A food product powder which includes salt particles coated with a fat is prepared by mixing salt crystals and a fat to obtain a paste and roll-refining the paste to size-reduce the salt crystals to particles having a size of less than about 40 .mu.m and to coat the size-reduced salt particles with the fat and to obtain a flowable powder. Subsequently, the powder may be formed into a tablet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Laurent Le Bourg Carment, Anne Frot-Coutaz
  • Reduced-fat fluid lactic cream which avoids phase separation during storage
    Patent number: 6139896
    Abstract: A fluid lactic cream which has a fat content in an amount, by weight, between 10% and 30% and which has been treated by an ultra-high temperature ("UHT") treatment or other sterilization procedure or by pasteurization to provide a cream product for unrefrigerated or refrigerated storage and which contains an additive component for controlling viscosity which is in an amount so that the composition has a viscosity between 250 and 1600 mPas and which is chosen from a group of (i) a modified starch in an amount, by weight, between 1.5 and 4%, or (ii) a mixture of modified starch and maltodextrin wherein, by weight, the modified starch is in an amount between 1.5 and 4% and the maltodextrin is in an amount between 1 and 4%, or (iii) a mixture of maltodextrin and xanthan wherein, by weight, the maltodextrin is in an amount between 1.5 and 4% and the xanthan is in an amount between 0.1 and 0.4%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Martine Daenzer-Alloncle, Niklaus Meister, Madeleine Merz
  • Oat containing cereal products
    Patent number: 6136365
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing an oat containing cereal product having an improved stability by heat treating a mixture comprising a pre-oxidized comminuted oat material at about 100 to 250.degree. C. for about 2 sec to 60 min. Also provided is a process for preparing a comminuted oat material wherein the comminuted oat material is prepared by pre-oxidizing oat groats, bran, flakes or flour, especially dehulled, steamed and kilned oat groats, flakes or flour. The use of pre-oxidized comminuted oat material to produce an oat containing cereal product results in an oat containing cereal product having improved stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Josef Burri
  • Method and apparatus for making food articles
    Patent number: 6129940
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making food articles such as chocolate articles. The method comprises providing first and second surfaces with cavities that are capable of alignment, depositing a first food in the form of a solidifiable liquid into the cavities of the first surface, depositing a second food in the form of a solidifiable liquid into the cavities of the second surface, aligning the cavities by moving the first and second surfaces toward each other, thus contacting the first food in the first cavities with the second food in the second cavities, and separating the aligned cavities to obtain food articles, wherein the first food comprises a first part of each food article and is joined to the second food which comprises a second part of each food article. The invention also relates to an apparatus for this purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: John Michael Leadbeater
  • On-demand direct electrical resistance heating system and method thereof
    Patent number: 6130990
    Abstract: A liquid heater includes an electrical power supplier and a heating passage configured to receive unheated liquid. The heating passage is defined by a first electrode and a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the electrical power supplier. The unheated liquid received into the heating passage generates heat when an electric current flows through the liquid and between the first and second electrodes. The liquid heater is utilized in beverage product dispensers and heated liquid food product dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: James Peter Herrick, Sudhir Sastry, Gene Frank Clyde, Elaine Regina Wedral
  • Flavoring agent
    Patent number: 6129937
    Abstract: Flavoring agent obtained by a process in which seeds of an edible plant are germinated, the sprouts obtained are matured under the effect of their endogenous enzymes, an optional fermentation of these sprouts is envisaged with at least one microorganism, the enzymes and/or microorganism are inactivated and all or part of the matured and/or fermented sprouts is recovered, and use of this flavoring agent as raw material for the preparation of products of the Maillard reaction, alone or mixed with other materials rich in flavor precursors and/or enhancers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Beat Denis Zurbriggen, Bengt Bengtsson
  • Method for deoxygenating food products
    Patent number: 6123969
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for deoxygenating a food product and packing it. This method includes the steps of supplying one or more products to an evacuation chamber, evacuating oxygen from the chamber for deoxygenating the chamber and the product or products, injecting protective gas into the chamber to replace at least part of the oxygen evacuated from the product and chamber with protective gas, and transferring the products to a packing unit and sealing it in a package. The invention also relates to an apparatus for such as purpose and to deoxygenated food package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Elisabeth Sjoberg
  • Apparatus for heat treating a food product
    Patent number: 6120176
    Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating a food product by injection of steam therein in order to provide a sterilization, pasteurization and/or a homogenization of the product. The apparatus comprises a mixing chamber comprising a steam injection inlet, a product inlet and an outlet for the treated product, a rotatable shaft disposed within the mixing chamber, a plurality of discs, each disc comprising at least one product passage opening, wherein the discs are disposed substantially co-axially upon the shaft, and a device for rotating the shaft with the discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Ernest Badertscher, Gerald Bernard, Paul-Henri Poget, Nadine Tripier
  • Noodle product of the Koay Teow type
    Patent number: 6120826
    Abstract: A full moisture, shelf stable or frozen noodle product having a dry matter content between about 30% to about 45% by weight. This product contains a cooked flour or semolina of a starchy plant, softened water, a cooked starch, an ionic gelling agent, an emulsifier, a cation which has formed a gel with the ionic gelling agent, and an oil. If desired, an acid can be included to provide a pH between about 3.7 to about 4.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Philipp Paul Meyer, Eugene Scoville, Goran Jaelminger, Marianne Rudberg-Tamm, Tian-Seng Toh
  • Method of making a reduced fat agglomerated chocolate
    Patent number: 6117478
    Abstract: A low fat agglomerated chocolate having an average particle size up to 5 mm and containing from 18 to 24% by weight fat based on the total weight of the chocolate and a reduced fat milk chocolate bar comprising a mixture of from 60 to 90% of a reduced fat chocolate containing less than 27% fat and from 40 to 10% of a reduced fat agglomerated chocolate having an average particle size up to 5 mm and containing from 18 to 24% by weight fat based on the total weight of the chocolate. The products have a unique crunchy texture, melt easily and have a smooth texture in the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Karin Dubberke
  • Process for preparing fully cooked packaged shelf stable or frozen noodles
    Patent number: 6110519
    Abstract: A full moisture, shelf stable or frozen noodle product having a dry matter content between about 30% to about 45% by weight. This product contains a cooked flour or semolina of a starchy plant, softened water, a cooked starch, an ionic gelling agent, an emulsifier, a cation which has formed a gel with the ionic gelling agent, and an oil. If desired, an acid can be included to provide a pH between about 3.7 to about 4.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Philipp Paul Meyer, Eugene Scoville, Goran Jaelminger
  • Isothermal preparation of chocolate products
    Patent number: RE36937
    Abstract: Chocolate products are formed by feeding solid set chocolate to an extruder and passing the chocolate through the extruder at a temperature below the pour point of the chocolate to deform and extrude the chocolate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Malcolm R. Mackley