Abstract: The taste of foods and beverages containing less than a normal amount of sodium chloride is enhanced by addition of a food-acceptable encapsulated ammonium salt. Food-acceptable carrier agents for encapsulating food-acceptable ammonium salts include maltodextrin, gum arabic and gelatinized starches, in particular, starches which have a high amylopectin content, and in particular, a gelatinized starch hydrolysate debranched at 1,6-alpha-D-glycosidic linkages. The ammonium salts are usefully prepared with ammonia recovered during spray-drying of fermented soy sauce and by recovering ammonia formed by acid hydrolysis of a protein.

Abstract: A flexible liquid impermeable package is in the form of a tubular bag and has a tear-strip for opening the bag. The bag is made of monoaxially or biaxially stretched polyolefin film, and has opposed transverse welds and a longitudinal weld which is parallel to a stretched orientation of the film for sealing the bag. The tear strip is heat-welded to an outer surface of a wall of the bag, disposed away from and parallel to the longitudinal weld. The tear strip is made of polyolefin, and has a thickness greater than the thickness of the polyolefin film of the bag.The invention relates to a flexible liquid-tight bag intended for a liquid food product or a food product containing a solid product immersed in a liquid, comprising a tear strip for easy opening of the bag with no spurting of liquid.The tear strip is applied by heat sealing to the outer surface of the bag in the stretching direction of the constituent film of the bag.

Abstract: An antioxidant for fat is prepared from tocopherol, ascorbic acid and lecithin. In one embodiment, a mixture of tocopherol and a lecithin first is made at a temperature not greater than 60.degree. C. Ascorbic acid dissolved in a polar solvent is added to the mixture and the solvent is eliminated at a temperature not greater than 60.degree. C. Alternatively, a lecithin is added to a fat. Tocopherol and ascorbic acid are dissolved in a polar solvent which is then added to the lecithin-added fat.

Abstract: Dried fruits are treated by contacting and incubating them with a glycerol solution containing a carbohydrase enzyme in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 parts enzyme by weight per 100 parts fruit at a temperature of from 40.degree. C. to 60.degree. C. for a time sufficient so that the fruit absorbs at least 10% by weight glycerol. The carbohydrase enzyme is inactivated and the incubated fruit is dried so that the fruit has a water activity of from 0.25 to 0.40.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an apparatus and method for wetting and dissolving finely divided dry particles, including hygroscopic particles such as coffee fines, in a liquid, including viscous liquids such as concentrated coffee liquor, in a manner in which foaming, the presence of wet lumps and liquor degradation are minimized. The apparatus includes a dissolving tank containing at least one pair of counter-rotating drums partially submerged in a body of the dissolving liquid. The tank includes a liquid inlet and a discharge conduit which maintain a predetermined level of liquid in the tank. A powder feeding device mounted above the tank discharges a falling curtain of particles onto a thin layer of liquid on the surface of one of the drums in each counter-rotating pair.

Abstract: Strains of the Lactobacillus delbrueckii species are identified by a probe having a DNA fragment which hybridizes specifically to chromosomal DNA of strains of the L. delbrueckii species.

Abstract: Non-tumorigenic, human bronchial epithelial cell lines are provided wherein the cell lines are capable of expressing cytochrome P450 genes which have been inserted into the cell lines. Also provided are methods and kits for identifying potential mutagens, cytotoxins, carcinogens, and chemotherapeutic agents utilizing these cell lines.

Abstract: A device for assisting extraction of a material contained in a cartridge for preparation of a beverage has a wall which forms a hollowed enclosure which has an interior surface which defines a frustoconically shaped cavity for containing the cartridge. A rim intersects and extends laterally from the interior surface of the wall to form a peripheral rim base surface which intersects the wall for supporting a cartridge contained by the interior wall surface. A plurality of fins integral with the rim extend from the rim laterally, with respect to the interior wall surface, to converge and connect at an area which is centrally disposed, with respect to the interior wall surface and rim, and displaced at a distance away from a plane defined by the intersection of the interior wall and rim base surfaces so that the area of convergence is displaced away from a cartridge contained and supported by the wall and rim base surfaces.

Abstract: A gripping device and process comprising:first and second matable jaw members;a cylinder adapted to reciprocate vertically;connecting the first jaw member to the cylinder such that, in operation, the cylinder and connection urge the first jaw member to open and close the jaws;maintaining the second jaw member in a fixed position relative to the cylinder;a fixed table positioned beneath the jaw members, provided with at least one transverse groove;transporting a product downstream on the fixed table to locate it with its upstream or downstream edge overlying the transverse groove;advancing the cylinder downwardly with the jaws in the open position to enable the lower end of the second jaw member to contact the product at its upstream or downstream end above the groove causing the product to tilt in the groove;activating the cylinder to close the jaws to grip the tilted product at its upper end;retracting the cylinder upwardly with the closed jaws gripping the product; anddeactivating the cylinder to open the j

Abstract: Frozen ice products are prepared by freezing a first ice mixture in a first mold to form a core and then by freezing a second ice mixture about the core in a second mold. The core is prepared by introducing and freezing a first ice mixture in a mold having a grooved frustocylindrical hollowed interior which, after demolding, provides a frozen grooved ice article which is introduced as a core into a second mold having a frustocylindrical hollowed interior and which has been filled partly with a second ice mixture which is frozen. A striped product is produced by employing a second mold which has a hollow cross-section size not larger than the cross-section size of the hollow of the first mold so that the outer edge frozen core surfaces contact the second mold.

Abstract: Devices for extraction of a beverage material contained in a cartridge include an extraction head and a water distributing grill, a cartridge holder and a cartridge holder support which engages tightening ramps of a tightening ring of the extraction head to support the holder. Projecting elements extend from the grill in a direction away from a base of the extraction head. The cartridge holder has a frustoconical inner shape and has a seal incorporated in a rim extension.

Abstract: A tamper-evident device for application to a container closure cap has a ring element which surrounds an insert panel element. The insert panel element, which is centrally disposed with respect to the ring element, has an edge displaced from and surrounded by an edge of the ring element and is connected to the ring element by at least two lugs. The ring element of the device is bonded to an outer surface of a container closure cap which has a centrally positioned portion which is elastically deformable under the effects of changes in pressure so that when positioned on a rigid container which has an interior under a partial vacuum and upon opening and pressurization of the container, the deformable membrane lifts the insert panel element to break lugs connecting the ring and insert elements.

Abstract: Fresh cocoa beans to be fermented are treated by removing and separating the pulp content from the beans in an amount of from 10% to 30% by weight based upon the weight of the fresh beans. The pulp content may be removed and separated from the fresh means by passing the fresh beans dynamically through a depulper apparatus, which may be followed by drying of the depulped beans, or with a hydraulic press followed by drying of the pressed beans, or with a combination of a press and a depulper apparatus.

Abstract: Articles are transferred by an apparatus having a hollowed frame lacking a continuous peripheral wall in which a guide is positioned for slidably containing an open-topped bowl. A hopper connected with a holding plate is positioned within the frame to reciprocate to be fixed to a bowl contained in the guide so that upon rotation of the frame which, in turn, rotates the hopper and holding plate and the guide containing a bowl having a product therein, the bowl in the guide is moved from an upright position to an inverted position. During the rotation, the hopper is covered to contain product and then, upon bowl inversion, the product is released.

Abstract: Coffee aromas are transferred to an oil by introducing a condensation product of a frost of carbon dioxide charged with coffee aromas and water into a heat-regulated enclosure having a lower portion for containing an oil bath and an upper portion for containing a layer of the frost introduced therein and for venting sublimed carbon dioxide. To carry out the process, the oil bath is regulated at a temperature above the freezing point of the oil, and the temperature in the enclosure above the oil bath is regulated so that during introduction of the frost into the enclosure, a layer of frost is formed and maintained above the bath, carbon dioxide of the frost is sublimated and water of the frost is melted. Sublimated carbon dioxide is vented from the enclosure, an aroma- and water-laden oil bath is removed from the enclosure and oil is added to the bath to replace oil removed from the enclosure, while introducing frost into the enclosure and regulating the temperatures.

Abstract: A metering device includes a valve body defining a chamber extending longitudinally between an inlet and an outlet and an intake valve having an opening extending into the chamber adjacent the inlet and a metering valve having an opening extending into the chamber between the intake valve and the outlet. A tube is connected to the chamber outlet, and a reciprocable piston closure is positioned for sealing the chamber from the tube. An intake piston is positioned within the intake valve and reciprocates in operation to draw product into the chamber in a retracted position and to seal the chamber inlet in an extended position. A metering piston is positioned within the metering valve and reciprocates in operation to draw product into the chamber in a retracted position and to expel product from the chamber by forcing product to open the flap in an extended position.

Abstract: Compounds, physiologically acceptable salts of the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds or the salts are provided wherein the compounds have a formula of: ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 is a C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 .omega.-hydroxy-n-alkyl group or a C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 (.omega.-1)-hydroxy-n-alkyl group, R.sub.3 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl group, R.sub.8 is H, methyl, or ethyl and the sum of the carbon atoms in R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 is between 4 and 9 and provide inotropic (cardiotonic) activity.

Abstract: A beverage base is prepared by mixing moistened sugar grains having a mean diameter of 250 .mu.m to 500 .mu.m and a moisture content of from 5% to 12% by weight with cocoa powder so that the moistened grains are coated with the cocoa powder, after which the coated grains are dried. The base has a poured apparent voluminal mass (d1) of from 630 g/l to 750 g/l, a free apparent voluminal mass (d2) of from 750 g/l to 860 g/l and a degree of compressibility (d2-d1)/d2 below 20%.

Abstract: A granular food product is prepared by mixing a molten fat with an amylaceous material, extruding the mixture in strands, cooling the strands and then subdividing them into sections and projecting the sections through a grill to size-reduce the sections into granules.

Abstract: Rolled products are prepared by transporting articles from an upstream end to a downstream end of an endless conveyor belt upper run having a complete spiral twist therein for shaping the articles so that rolled products emerge from the twist on the upper run.