Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid heating device, in particular for household application, mainly, for preparing hot beverages comprising a body provided with a liquid flow channel which comprises a liquid inlet and outlet and is connected to at least one electrical heating body whose feeding is controlled by switching means connected to control means.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of wetting and/or dissolving a substance contained in a capsule for producing a beverage consisting, by means of a piercing and injection element, in piercing the capsule and injecting a liquid under pressure into the capsule to wet and/or dissolve the substance; the piercing and injection element being arranged so as to inject the liquid into the capsule in the form of at least one thin layer extending in a continuous, divergent and multidirectional manner, covering a spray surface in an arc of a circle inside the capsule. The invention also relates to a device comprising a flow channel and a valve designed to close off the channel in a first position, called the rest position, and to open under the effect of the pressure from the liquid against an elastic element so as to free a passage as a function of the pressure and thus create the thin layer of liquid.

Abstract: The present invention is a closure (1) suitable for closing a container containing a first product, said closure being an assembly of less than four independent pieces, and having external side walls (3), a top wall (4), and an internal skirt (5) extending downwardly inside the side walls (3) from the top wall (4), characterized in that: (i) the internal skirt (5) comprises an opening disposed in the top wall (4) of the closure, said opening being closed by a membrane, so as to define at least one compartment to store a second product separately from said first product, and (ii) the membrane (11) closing the top wall opening is made of an oxygen-barrier material, so that said compartment (6) is free of oxygen contamination from ambient air when said closure (1) is screwed onto the neck (2) of said container.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel apparatus to grow cells where the cultivation chamber (1) is partially filled with liquid cultivation medium and cells. Mixing and aeration is achieved by generating intermittently one single large gas bubble (6) at the bottom of the column bioreactor, the single large bubble width representing from 50 to 99% of the tank width, preferably from 60 to 99%, more preferably 98.5%. The culture medium flows out as a film between the large bubble and the inner wall of the bioreactor. This rising bubble allows mixing and aeration of the bulk. As the design of the invention is very simple, it is possible to manufacture it with flexible plastic material and use the apparatus as a disposable system. Moreover, such a mixing/aeration principle minimizes cell damages usually due to shear stress and small bubbles and allows easy and efficient scale-up from small scale to a larger one. Such a large-scale, efficient and disposable culture system can largely reduce production costs.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a device for preparing a nutritional composition by supplying water to ingredients provided to the device comprising a pump (2) being connected to an integrated or external water supply (1), a water discharge head (4) designed for providing water to a cartridge containing ingredients (7) for interaction between water and the ingredients in the cartridge (7), wherein the pump (2) and the water discharge head (74) are in water communication via a water flowpath (50), whereby the pump can supply water under pressure through the water flowpath, a rigid filter assembly (20) comprising at least one antimicrobial filter membrane (30) and filter enclosing means (40a, 40b), wherein the filter assembly (20) and the filter enclosing means (40a, 40b) are complementary configured such that the filter assembly (20) is insertable into the filter enclosing means (40a, 40b) across the water flowpath (50) in a fluid tight manner before the water discharge head (4), and is removable from the filte

Abstract: The present invention proposes a system for preparing a beverage from a food substance contained in a single-use capsule (1) by injection of a liquid into the capsule (1), said system comprises a device (50) having at least one enclosing member (13a, 13b) connected to a closing mechanism (21) for selectively enclosing said capsule (1) in a receiving chamber (16) of the device (50), said device further comprising a pump (70) for supplying liquid to the capsule (1), opening means (15,16) for opening a first inlet face (3a) and a second outlet face (3b) of the capsule (1), and a control unit (80) for controlling at least the pump (70) of the device, wherein the opening means (15,16) are arranged to supply a liquid received from the pump (70) to the inside of the capsule (1), wherein the capsule (1) further comprises a rigid body (2) and a recessed section (4) formed as an integral part of the body (2), and wherein said recessed section (4) is formed at the inlet face (3a) of the capsule (1) and comprises a plura

Abstract: A Bifidobacterium comprising a genome that is customized so as to lack an operable functional gene is disclosed. A method of making such cells is also disclosed. The method is used to make Bifidobacterium cells that lack certain functional antibiotic resistance genes, such as tetW, and are sensitive to antibiotics such as tetracycline.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a coffee extract with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and uses of the extract of the invention. The coffee extract comprises caffeic acid and/or ferulic acid and can be produced by hydrolysing chlorogenic acids present in coffee extract, e.g. with a microorganism or an enzyme. The coffee extract of the invention may e.g. be used as an ingredient of a food or beverage product.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions for preparing a beverage, the compositions comprise a microorganism and/or an enzyme capable of hydrolysing chlorogenic acids of a coffee extract to phenolic acids. When a beverage prepared with the compositions of the invention is consumed chlorogenic acids present in coffee extract is hydrolysed to improve antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory properties compared to a similar conventional beverage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a satiety inducing food composition based on a dry food powder composition which upon reconstitution in a liquid, e.g. water, and subsequent consumption, induces satiety. The resulting food compositions have an optimised combination of protein and fibres, consistency, energetic value which together promote an optimised fullness sensation upon consumption. The present invention thus also relates to the use of the dry food powder for the preparation of a satiety inducing food composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to uses of decarboxylated phenolic acid derived from chlorogenic acid of coffee as well as products comprising decarboxylated phenolic acid derived from chlorogenic acid of coffee, especially a coffee extract, and methods of producing such products. Coffee comprises chlorogenic acids, according to the invention these chlorogenic acids can be transformed into decarboxylated phenolic acids. The resulting decarboxylated phenolic acids have antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory properties and can be used as ingredients in food and beverage products and to treat certain health conditions.

Abstract: An oligosaccharide ingredient comprising glycosylated amino acids and peptides of the general formula RnSacm where R is an amino acid residue, Sac is a monosaccharide selected from the group comprising N-acetyl-neuraminic acid, N-acetyl galactosamine and galactose, n has a value between (1) and (10) with the proviso that if n has the value (1) R is a threonine residue or a serine residue and if n has a value between (2) and (10) the peptide contains at least one threonine or serine residue, m has a value between (2) and (4) and at least (20) mol % of the ingredient is N-acetyl-neuraminic acid.

Abstract: A device for preparing a beverage from a capsule containing an ingredient of the beverage, includes a housing with a cavity to which used capsules are evacuated; and a collection receptacle in the cavity of the housing. The receptacle has an opening for receiving the evacuated used capsules and collecting the capsules. The receptacle has a reception orientation in which the receptacle is arranged to be filled with capsules up to a maximum level of fill in the cavity which extends above the opening of the receptacle in the reception orientation of the receptacle. The receptacle being tiltable or pivotable in the cavity into a removal orientation for allowing removal of the collection receptacle filled with capsules from the cavity.

Abstract: Depanning devices and methods of using the depanning devices are provided. In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a device comprising a rotatable support and a grid attached to the support. The grid comprises one or more movable gates and defines one or more passages. The device can further comprise a tray defining one or more recessed portions. The tray is removably attachable to the rotatable support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an instant beverage powder and, more particularly, to an instant soluble beverage powder which forms foam on its upper surface when reconstituted with water. The powder has a foaming porosity of at least 35% an open pore volume of less than 3 ml/g and a closed pore average diameter D50 of less than 80 micrometres.

Abstract: The invention aims at providing a container for refill that enables transfer of the contents with one action and successfully secure the self-supporting property of the container for allowing the safe transfer. The opening portion (2A) of body (2) of a cup-shaped container is provided internally with a hopper (3) tapering toward the opening portion (2A). Ribs (12) are integrally provided between the outside of the hopper (3) and the inside of a ring (3A) and arranged circumferentially at predetermined intervals. Height H from the top surface of the rib (12) to the opening (3C) of hopper (3) is approximately a quarter or more of diameter ? of the opening (3C) of hopper (3).

Abstract: Products as well as methods for reducing plaque in a domestic animal are provided. The product comprises retorted milk.

Abstract: A pet food is provided, comprising a sorbent food body and a fluid carrier comprising a functional ingredient absorbed into the body. The body preferably is realtively moist, having a moisture content for example of from 35% to 60% by weight and firm structure that is resilient under initial biting by a pet animal. Protein content is preferably at least 20% by weight. The sorptivity of the body is increased by depleting the body of a first liquid, for example by causing drying by exposure to a source of dry heat, such as in roasting, grilling, frying and baking. Methods of manufacture are disclosed including providing a sorptive food body, causing the body to take up a carrier fluid containing a functional ingredient and packing the body in suitable packaging. The invention further provides delivery means for delivering a functional ingredient to a pet animal, the delivery means comprising a sorbent food body with the functional ingredient absorbed therein.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a container comprising a container body with bottom and side walls and a container opening, and a container closure (1), said body and closure comprising corresponding screw threads (3) to allow releasable attachment of the closure onto the body in order to open/close the container opening, characterized in that the container body comprises at least one cam-like means (4) located on the external surface of the container body walls, and the closure comprises at least one engagement means (5) corresponding to the cam-like means of the container body, said engagement means being located at the internal surface of the closure walls, so positioned that during the screwing operation of said closure onto said container body, said cam-like and engagement means cooperate in a audible manner at the time said closure is sufficiently engaged onto the body to ensure gas and/or liquid tightness of the closed container.

Abstract: Beverage preparation machine comprising: a fluid circuit (2) comprising a water reservoir (4), a water pump (5), a heating means (7), a beverage producing module (9), which are fluidically connected for circulating water from the reservoir to the beverage producing module, wherein an inlinedescaling system (3) is provided in the fluid circuit (2)comprising a dedicated compartment (15) intended for receiving a predetermined dose of a water soluble/dispersible descaling agent (19). The invention also relates to a method for automatically descaling and rinsing the fluid circuit (2).