Patents Assigned to NESTECS S.A.
  • Patent number: 6020009
    Abstract: Process for the production of a meat flavor, in which a mixture of a plant source of proteins and of a plant source of carbohydrates is prepared having at least initially 45% by weight of dry matter, the mixture is inoculated with one or more microbial species traditionally used in the preparation of fermented cooked meat products, and is then incubated for a time period and at a temperature sufficient to produce a meat flavor. The meat flavor may be extracted with oil, a gas, or a fluorocarbon-based solvent. The mixture may be a koji. Flavor compositions are thus produced. In particular, a salami flavor is obtained by incubation with a mixture of Pediococcus pentosaceus and Staphylococcus xylosus or Staphylococcus carnosus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Dustan Wood, Hugh Hose, Beat Denis Zurbriggen
  • Patent number: 6017569
    Abstract: A hydrolyzed cereal product containing honey or whole fruit or pieces of fruit is obtained by preparing a mixture of cereal flour and alpha-amylase and also honey or fruit, the fruit being whole or in pieces, passing a stream of the mixture through an assembly so that the mixture is treated successively by jets of steam which are injected to envelope the mixture stream to heat the stream first to hydrolyze starch of the cereal flour and so that after the first steam-treatment, wherein the steam jet may be directed to the mixture stream co- or counter-currently, the subsequent successive steam jet or jets are directed to the hydrolyzed product stream counter-currently. Apparatus for carrying out the process includes two nozzles which have conically-shaped ends positioned to form a channel which communicates which a steam-supply passage of a T-shaped body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Ernest Badertscher
  • Patent number: 6017558
    Abstract: To incorporate a water-soluble active principle in a stable lipidic phase, the water-soluble active principle is added with stirring in the presence of water to a fat containing a lecithin fraction low in phosphatidyl choline and the heterogeneous mixture obtained is dried to form a homogeneous micellar phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Raymond Bertholet
  • Patent number: 6017573
    Abstract: A process of preparing an intermediate moisture pasta product having a moisture content of from 15 to 28% by preparing a dough containing an amount of a humectant to obtain a maximum water activity of 0.89 and an amount of alkali to increase the pH to about 11.5, sheeting or extruding the dough to give a fresh dough product, steaming the fresh dough product, and partially drying to a moisture content of from 15 to 28%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Janice M. Baker, Robert N. Greene, Tian Seng Toh, Elaine Regina Wedral
  • Patent number: 6013289
    Abstract: A flavorant composition is prepared by hydrolyzing Trigonell foenum-graecum seed material with enzymes, heating the hydrolyzate obtained at a temperature for a time to inactivate the enzymes, centrifuging the heat-treated hydrolyzate to separate the liquid phase from the residue and isolating the liquid phase of the hydrolyzate from the hydrolyzate residue and evaporatively concentrating the isolated liquid phase. Additionally, the concentrated liquid phase may be dried, and the seed material employed may be that of germinated seeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Imre Blank, Daniel Jaeger, Beat Denis Zurbriggen
  • Patent number: 6012293
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for freezing of material into fully or partially frozen blocks. The apparatus includes a refrigeration panel and a sheet or belt which is passed along the refrigeration panel. The apparatus includes at least one flexible, material receiving mold having at least one open compartment, where the sheet or belt provides a base for the compartment. The compartment is conveyed along the refrigerating panel to freeze the material, and then is subject to bending and/or twisting forces release the block(s) from the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Bo Andersson
  • Patent number: 6010725
    Abstract: Spray-drying process in which a composition of microorganisms beneficial for human health is prepared and then reduced to a powder by spraying in a spray-drying device having a heated air inlet temperature of 200-400.degree. C. and an air outlet temperature of 40-90.degree. C., the residence time of the composition in the device being adjusted so as to obtain at least 1% survival of the microorganisms after drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Niklaus Meister, Jurg Aebischer, Martin Vikas, Kurt Eyer, David De Pasquale
  • Patent number: 6007858
    Abstract: A tamale roll prepared from a dough comprising from 1 to 15% by weight of wheat gluten in the presence of a humectant such as glycerol and/or maltodextrin, processes for preparing the tamale roll by steaming tamale shape dough followed by freezing or packaging in nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide or their combinations and kept refrigerated. An edible filling such as a meat or cheese filling may be placed on the tamale roll to make a tamale for serving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Ernest Kemp Gum, Jau Yann Hsu, Kaj F. Knudsen, Louise Barbara Wyant
  • Patent number: 6006535
    Abstract: Apparatus integrated for metering liquid products, particularly viscous products, into molds to prepare molded article products and for suctioning liquid product from the molds to remove liquid from the molded article products and to recycle suctioned liquid product includes a hopper for containing liquid product for supply to a liquid product metering component which meters the liquid product into molds, and the apparatus further includes components including a pipette device for suctioning liquid product from molds and recycling suctioned liquid product to the hopper. Further components of the apparatus are provided so that a headspace is maintained in the hopper, and components including a vacuum pump are connected to the hopper at positions for providing a vacuum pressure in the headspace and for suctioning liquid product via the pipette device from molds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Philip Igor Cathenaut
  • Patent number: 6004615
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of a substantially free flowing particulate flavor by mixing an oil soluble flavor with a melted edible fat having a melting point from about 30.degree. C. (85.degree. F.) to 93.degree. C. (200.degree. F.) to form a solution of the oil soluble flavor in the melted fat, cooling the solution of the oil soluble flavor in the melted fat, with the addition of a super-cooling agent with agitation during cooling, to produce solid particles having an average diameter of from about 0.1 to 10 cm, and then, if desired, grinding these particles with a super-cooling agent to produce the substantially free flowing particulate flavor whose particles have an average diameter of less than 1 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Hyung Wook Kim, Dharam Vir Vadehra, Elaine Regina Wedral
  • Patent number: 6004800
    Abstract: Strains of Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. cremoris which provide, upon culturing, dextran, and the strains include deposited strains CNCM I-1692 and CNCM I-1693.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Jurg Aebischer, Nicola D'Amico, Dominique De Maleprade, Kurt Eyer, Corinne Lesens, Jean-Richard Neeser, Roberto Reniero, Daniel Schmid
  • Patent number: 6004606
    Abstract: A composite ice confectionery product of the frozen type is prepared by pumping an ice composition into a former structure provided with an extrusion die so that the composition contained within the former passes through the former to the die for extrusion via the die and by pumping a material of texture different from that of the aerated ice confectionery through an assembly of a hollow spindle with nozzle(s) attached wherein the nozzle(s) is (are) provided with ports, particularly slots, for delivering the material into the ice confectionery composition stream in the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: William French, Josephine E. Lometillo
  • Patent number: 6001402
    Abstract: A moist multi-colored food product is prepared by mixing meat and meat-by-product materials and cereal, fat and water ingredient materials to obtain a base mixture, pumping the base material mixture to an emulsifier device and supplying a coloring solution to the emulsifier device and emulsifying the base material mixture and coloring solution to obtain a colored material mixture emulsion, passing the colored emulsion to a distribution valve which is connected to a plurality of parallel piping lines connected in series to extruders to pass differing colored emulsions to the extruders for extrusion and deposit onto a conveyor for conveying through a steam oven, and to obtain the differently colored product, a first coloring solution is delivered to the emulsifier device for a time, the colored emulsion is passed to the distribution valve and to one piping line and one extruder in series and then after that time, a differently colored solution is delivered to the emulsifier device to obtain a differently colore
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Dupont
  • Patent number: 6001405
    Abstract: A process for the production of a pre-cooked, high moisture, shelf-stable or refrigerated, acidified filled pasta comprising a filling within a dough skin which comprises mixing pasta ingredients together to form a pasta dough, forming the dough into a sheet suitable to form the skin of the filled pasta, encasing a filling having a water activity of less than 0.93 and a pH of above 4.6 within the dough sheet to give a raw filled pasta, cooking the raw filled pasta in acidified water to a pH of above 4.6 to a moisture content of from 55 to 70% by weight, partially drying to achieve a moisture content of from 40 to 55% and a water activity of less than 0.93, and finally packaging the cooked pasta either with heat processing or under modified atmospheric conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S. A.
    Inventors: Rupak Bajracharya, George Cherian, Louise Barbara Wyant
  • Patent number: 5997827
    Abstract: An apparatus for sterilizing surfaces has a tube and a plurality of nozzles wherein a mixture of hot air and vaporized hydrogen peroxide is fed from the tube, which is heated and which includes a porous section for feeding vaporized hydrogen peroxide into hot air fed through the tube to provide a mixture of hot air and vaporized hydrogen peroxide, the mixture being fed from the tube to surfaces to be sterilized by the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec, S.A.
    Inventors: Ulrich Mezger, Christian Schmied
  • Patent number: 5997931
    Abstract: Pasta dough is blanched or cooked by forming a pasta dough into a plurality of continuous pasta dough strands and simultaneously directing leading ends of the continuous strands and water at a temperature sufficient to blanch or cook the strands into the inlet end of a pipe which descends vertically from the inlet end to an outlet end. The water contacts the strands and draws and conveys the strands through the pipe for a time sufficient to blanch or cook the strands. As the blanched or cooked strands and water exit from the pipe through the outlet end, the continuous strands are conveyed away from the pipe while draining and collecting water, which is recirculated to the pipe inlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Lars Askman, Werner Leonhardt
  • Patent number: 5997929
    Abstract: A process for the continuous extraction of water soluble solids from solid particles containing them for providing an extract product in one or more extraction stages. In each extraction stage, a slurry containing particles to be extracted and extract is introduced into an extraction reactor to form an upwardly moving packed bed. Particles are scraped from the packed bed for defining an upper surface of the packed bed. An extraction liquid is introduced into the extraction reactor above the upper surface of the packed bed. A portion of the extraction liquid percolating through the packed bed for extracting water soluble substances from the particles in the packed bed and forming an extract. The remaining portion of the extraction liquid entrains the particles scraped from the packed bed for providing a spent particles slurry. The spent particles slurry is removed from the extraction reactor. Extract is removed from below the packed bed and at least a portion of the extract forms the extract product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Heeb, Zenon Ioannis Mandralis
  • Patent number: 5997934
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of cooked cereals or dry pet food which comprises preparing a mixture of water and a dry premix mainly comprising cereal flour or semolina, cooking the mixture and extruding it by pressing it through an extrusion die with the aid of a gear pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Osvaldo Geromini, Ernst Heck, Jean Noel Huet, Thierry Martin, Werner Pfaller
  • Patent number: 5997936
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a hot beverage having foamed milk-based topping. A frozen concentrated and aerated milk is combined with a liquid to form the beverage. The invention also relates to a product comprising a flavored beverage base and frozen milk concentrates constituting distinct separate portions of the product. The frozen milk incorporates gas, so that the product provides a flavored beverage having a foamed milk topping upon addition of a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Jimenez-Laguna
  • Patent number: 5993885
    Abstract: A stabilizer system for nutritional formulas; especially liquid nutritional formulas. The stabilizer system is made up of a gel-forming carrageenan and a diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and di-glycerides. The nutritional formula is formed of a protein source, a lipid source, a carbohydrate source, and the stabilizer system. The nutritional formula has improved color and physical stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Ershen Lin, Reinhard Behringer