Abstract: A method for producing a clean-tasting, neutral-color, concentrated, liquid protein base including separating fibrous material from the protein base. The method further includes applying ultrasonication to the protein base at an ulirasonication unit according to ulirasonication settings. The ultrasonication settmgs are adapted to cause acoustic cavitation within the protein base. The method further includes filtering the protein base through one or more membrane filters after separating the fibrous material from the protein base. The method further includes processing the protein base to form a protein ingredient in certain cases, the method further includes processing the separated fibrous material to produce a dietary fiber. Processing the fibrous material includes converting gelatinized starch from the separated fibrous material into resistant starch.

Abstract: A plant based allergen-free coffee creamer or whitener composition is described that includes components such as a) water; b) at least one sugar ingredient; c) at least one vegetal oil; d) acacia gum; e) xanthan gum, Tragacanth or gellan; and f) optionally a flavor modification agent and/or optionally a cereal component, wherein the composition is substantially free of sunflower lecithin and of nut component(s) and the components equal 100% by weight.

Abstract: A method for producing a mixture of oil and fluid food product includes placing a funnel into a pressure tank such that a stem of the funnel extends at least halfway down into the pressure tank. The pressure tank is flushed with nitrogen. Oil flows into the pressure tank through the funnel. A flow of nitrogen into the pressure tank is maintained through a side inlet of the pressure tank. Oil is dispensed from a pressure tank into the transfer line flowing a flow of fluid food product from a batch tank. The dispensed oil is dispersed into the flow of fluid food product in a inline shear mixer creating oil-in-fluid food product droplets. The oil-in-fluid food product droplets flow to the batch tank with the flow of fluid food product. The oil-in-fluid food product droplets are distributed in a volume of fluid food product in the batch tank.

Abstract: A method of producing a non-dairy cheese includes fermenting non-dairy milk with lactic acid bacteria and mixing the fermented non-dairy milk with dry ingredients. The dry ingredients include one or more gums and one or more starches. The method further includes heating the fermented non-dairy milk and dry ingredients to 180 degrees and mixing oil into the fermented non-dairy milk in an in-line high shear mixer creating an oil/non-dairy milk mixture. The method further includes circulating the oil/non-dairy milk mixture through the inline high shear mixer until the droplet size of the oil in the non-dairy milk is 15 micrometers or less, removing air from the oil/non-dairy milk mixture, and packaging the oil/non-dairy milk mixture to yield a non-dairy cheese product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises adding a plurality of soybeans to an extractor, the soybeans having an average protein:oil ratio of greater than 2.3, heating the soybeans, removing hulls from the plurality of soybeans, and grinding the plurality of soybeans with water at a temperature between 180° F. and 190° F. to yield a soy extract having hexanal levels of less than 50 parts per billion (ppb).

Abstract: An apparatus for distributing oil into fluid food product includes a batch tank, a transfer line, a pressure tank, a funnel, an oil dispenser, an inline shear mixer, and a flow line. The batch tank holds a volume of fluid food product. The transfer line is in fluid connection with the batch tank. The pressure tank holds a volume of oil. The funnel is disposed through a top opening in the pressure tank and dispenses oil into the pressure tank. A stem portion of the funnel extends at least halfway into an interior of the pressure tank. The funnel includes at least one vent. The oil dispenser dispenses oil from the pressure tank into a flow of fluid food product from the batch tank. The inline shear mixer mixes the fluid food product and the oil. The flow line flows the fluid food product-and-oil mixture to the batch tank.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cheese sauce comprises 13% to 17% carrot powder, 5% to 7% parsnip powder, 18% to 22% maltodextrin, 12% to 16% cheddar cheese, 12% to 16% whey, 10% to 14% salt, 6% to 8% corn starch, 3% to 5% nonfat dry milk, 2% to 4% butter, and 0.01% to 2% natural flavor, 0.01% to 2% disodium phosphate, 0.01% to 2% lactic acid, and 0.01% to 2% citric acid.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises adding ingredients to a mixing chamber, the ingredients comprising: one or more non-dairy first ingredients; one or more second ingredients operable to facilitate Maillard browning reactions; and one or more third ingredients selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, vitamins, minerals, flavors, functional ingredients, salts, antioxidants, sugar, and water. The method also comprises mixing to yield a mixture having the ingredients dispersed substantially evenly throughout. The method further comprises processing the mixture to yield a non-dairy beverage.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method selects one or more inflammatory markers to evaluate. The one or more inflammatory markers selected from the group consisting of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-alpha, NO, PGE2, IL-6, and IL-1?. The method determines a first expression level and a second expression level of the one or more inflammatory markers. The first expression level is associated with a positive control sample comprising a type of human macrophages. The second expression level is associated with a test sample obtained by exposing a food product to a digest, the type of human macrophages, and a pro-inflammatory compound. The method performs a comparison between the first expression level and the second expression level and designates the food product according to an anti-inflammatory standard based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method for removing isoflavones from a soy-based beverage is disclosed. The method includes processing a soy base by subjecting ground or milled soy beans to one or more of sonic vibration and ultrahigh pressure homogenization. The soy base is separated, using centrifugation, into a lipid phase substantially free from isoflavones and a serum phase containing isoflavones. One or more isoflavones are separated from the serum phase. The serum phase is mixed with the lipid phase.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a mixture includes a dairy ingredient, a diluting ingredient having fewer calories per gram than the dairy ingredient, and one or more accentuating ingredients selected to accentuate a property of the dairy ingredient.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises adding ingredients to a mixing chamber, the ingredients comprising: one or more non-dairy first ingredients; one or more second ingredients operable to facilitate Maillard browning reactions; and one or more third ingredients selected from the group consisting of stabilizers, vitamins, minerals, flavors, functional ingredients, salts, antioxidants, sugar, and water. The method also comprises mixing to yield a mixture having the ingredients dispersed substantially evenly throughout. The method further comprises processing the mixture to yield a non-dairy beverage.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a non-dairy cream includes a non-dairy base, a natural non-nutritive sweetener, and one or more stabilizers. The natural non-nutritive sweetener provides a sweet taste to the non-dairy cream. The stabilizer(s) facilitate maintaining the non-dairy cream in a substantially uniform liquid suspension.