Patents Examined by Arthur L. Corbin
  • Method of preparing liquid smoke
    Patent number: 7244461
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing a smoke extract, which method comprises the steps of i) preparing a char from wood or cellulose preferably by pyrolysis, ii) extracting one or more fractions of the char with an extraction solvent in its supercritical state and/or an extraction solvent in its liquid state, said solvent in its supercritical state being selected from the group consisting of CO2, propane, methane, ethylene, ammonia, methanol, water and mixtures of one or more of these solvents, said solvent in its liquid state being selected from the group consisting of CO2, propane and mixtures of these components, iii) collecting at least some of the extracted char to thereby obtain a smoke extract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Danfo A/S
    Inventor: Kim Plaschke
  • Draught alcoholic beverage
    Patent number: 7241464
    Abstract: An open topped drinking vessel containing a beverage, the beverage comprising a water content and a dissolved gas content and having a head overlying an ice formation made of many ice crystals, the ice formation having been produced by ice formed in the beverage whilst the beverage is in the drinking vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Coors EMEA Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Daniel Scullion, Peter Thomas Foster, Stephen Paul Smith
  • Dough composition packaged in flexible packaging with carbon dioxide scavenger and method of preparing
    Patent number: 7235274
    Abstract: Described is a packaged dough product comprising a dough composition in a flexible package and including encapsulated basic chemical leavening agent and non-encapsulated acidic chemical leavening agent, the packaged dough product containing a carbon dioxide scavenger to reduce bulging of the packaged product during storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Archibald, David A. Kirk
  • Method of chocolate coating soft confectionery centers
    Patent number: 7232584
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of coating soft confectionery centers with chocolate. The method comprises the steps of: mixing the soft confectionery centers having a bed temperature of from about 0° C. to about 15° C.; applying chocolate onto the soft confectionery centers, wherein the chocolate is at a temperature of from about 36° C. to about 50° C.; and cooling the chocolate covered soft confectionery centers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin Rabinovitch, Shane Benedict
  • Multilayer edible moisture barrier for food products and method of use
    Patent number: 7229654
    Abstract: An edible multilayer moisture barrier for food products is provided for separating food components having different water activities and preventing or significantly inhibiting movement of water between the food components. The edible multilayer moisture barrier of the present invention includes a lipid layer and a flexible hydrophobic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Anilkumar Ganapati Gaonkar, Laura Herbst, Weizhi Chen, Dennis A. Kim
  • Beverage container
    Patent number: 7228789
    Abstract: A beverage container for a carbonated beverage includes a floating hollow insert (1) comprising an upper moulding (2) and a lower moulding (3) defining a chamber for containing gas, a first one-way duck-bill type valve (4) integrally formed with the upper moulding (2) at the bottom of a down pipe (6) and arranged to allow gas to enter the chamber and a second duckbill valve (5) integrally formed with the lower moulding (3) and arranged to allow gas to exit the chamber and be jetted into the beverage upon opening the beverage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignees: Whitbread PLC, Lawson Marden Packaging UK Limited, Heineken Technical Services BV
    Inventors: Karl Mondszein, Mark Philip Radford, Sian Bronwyn Gastall
  • Edible moisture barrier for food and method of use products
    Patent number: 7226630
    Abstract: An edible moisture barrier for food products is provided. This edible moisture barrier is highly effective in preventing moisture migration within a multi-component food product between food components having different water activities and/or moisture contents at a given storage temperature. The moisture barrier includes an edible microparticulated high melting lipid having a melting point of 70° C. or higher and an edible low melting triglyceride blend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimbay Loh, Maria Almendarez, Tim Hansen, Laura Herbst, Anilkumar Ganapati Gaonkar
  • Microwaveable grilled cheese and meat sandwiches and method of preparation
    Patent number: 7226629
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to microwaveable grilled cheese and grilled cheese and meat sandwiches that include an edible, lipid based moisture barrier. The edible moisture barrier includes an edible microparticulated high melting lipid and an edible low melting triglyceride blend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary F. Smith, Maria E. Almendarez, Glenn A. MacBlane, Jimbay Loh, Timothy S. Hansen, Laura L. Herbst, Kent H. Thrasher, Anilkumar G. Gaonkar
  • Steam generating assembly
    Patent number: 7222563
    Abstract: The steam generating assembly of the present invention subjects a food product, such as a sandwich bun, to a controlled burst of low pressure steam in order to quickly and uniformly raise the temperature of the food product to its desired serving temperature or higher. By raising the temperature to above the desired serving temperature, the storage time of a pre-assembled food product, such as a fast food sandwich may be extended without sacrificing the quality or freshness of the product. The invention claims a steam generating assembly for steam heating a pre-processed food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Burger King Corporation
    Inventors: John Reckert, Jeff Cook, Duane Crisp, Terry Peter, Rhonda Sward, Robert Wenzel
  • Method of embossing chocolate products
    Patent number: 7223428
    Abstract: Methods of producing shaped, embossed, or decorated confectionery chocolate products by using chilled forming, shaping, or embossing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Mars Incorporated
    Inventors: Neil A. Willcocks, Frank W. Earis, Thomas M. Collins, Ralph D. Lee, William Harding, Steven D. Stephens
  • Method and apparatus for making loaves crustless, sliced bread
    Patent number: 7223429
    Abstract: A method of making a loaf of crustless, sliced bread from a rectangular prismatic loaf of bread, the method comprising: decrusting the bread by moving the loaf of broad longitudinally past cutting blades to remove the crust from four sides of the loaf of bread; slicing the crustless bread by moving the loaf transversely past a plurality of blades to slice the loaf; and packaging the loaf by moving the loaf longitudinally to a packaging station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Sara Lee Bakery Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Berger, Clifton M. Buell, Kevin Ike Wilson, R. Daniel Hickman, Jose Maria Aguila Plassa, Javier Llavina Nadal, Barry Janeway
  • Method for producing a pH enhanced comminuted meat product
    Patent number: 7214398
    Abstract: A pH increasing material is placed in contact with the surface of an initial comminuted meat product. This contact with the pH increasing material increases the pH of the initial meat product to produce an intermediate meat product. The method also includes the step of removing the pH increasing material and applying mechanical action to the intermediate, pH increased meat product. The method may also include placing a pH lowering gas at a neutralizing pressure in contact with the surface of the intermediate meat product to decrease the pH of the meat product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Freezing Machines, Inc.
    Inventor: Eldon Roth
  • Shelf stable vegetable composition and method of making
    Patent number: 7214399
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a shelf stable vegetable composition that includes a vegetable having a green color and a water-soluble compound in an amount sufficient to impart to the composition a water activity of 0.65 or less and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 at ambient conditions for preservation of the green color of the vegetable. Advantageously, the water-soluble compound is present in an amount to preserve the green color of the vegetable for at least 6 months, and to impart a water activity of 0.6 to 0.65. The invention also relates to a method for increasing shelf stability of a vegetable composition that includes a vegetable having a green color, by adding effective amounts of such water-soluble compounds thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Markus Froehlich, Ernst Isler-Sieber, Walter Penaloza Izurieta
  • Confectionery product containing functional ingredients and method of making and using
    Patent number: 7214396
    Abstract: The invention relates to a confectionery product that includes at least one functional ingredient that has a casing and a filling enclosed within the casing. The filling includes at least one confectionery material having properties that confer to the filling a perceivable effect when the filling is released in the mouth. The casing is capable of releasing the filling when contacting saliva in the mouth. This liberates the filling out of the casing while allowing the casing to be left substantially as an empty shell before it entirely dissolves in the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: Vincent Rivier
  • Ham product and method for production thereof
    Patent number: 7214403
    Abstract: A ham product and method for production thereof described herein separate bone-in hams into smaller pieces. Accordingly, pieces of bone-in ham, even those spirally-sliced, will be available to consumers in smaller portions. Unlike conventional methods, however, the ham product and method for production does not cut the femur bone longitudinally. As a result, one piece of the bone-in ham has substantially no bones. A method for separating a bone-in ham comprises the steps of providing a first separation through the ham to provide a first portion and a second portion, and providing a second separation through the first portion, wherein only one of the first separation or second separation is through a femur bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: HBH Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Deanna M. Peters
  • Method of manufacturing an aerated carbohydrate containing food product
    Patent number: 7214401
    Abstract: This invention provides a method to aerate a carbohydrate containing food product. The method is characterized by the use of a vegetable protein that is hydrolyzed under alkali conditions as whipping agent. More in particular the invention is related to a method for aerating carbohydrate containing food products by using a vegetable protein hydrolysate as whipping agent characterized in that the whipping agent is obtained by converting the vegetable protein by hydrolysis in an aqueous solution with a pH of at least 10 to a peptide product having an average chain length in the range of 5–20 amino acids and a free amino acid level less than 15 wt. % of the total protein derived material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Quest International B.V.
    Inventors: Anthonie Kunst, Wilhelmus Reinerus Blom, Johannes Wilhelmus Harmanus Elizabeth Diederen, Rob Dekker
  • Composition for retaining and developing the flavor of a food or drink
    Patent number: 7211285
    Abstract: In the present application are disclosed a method for enhancing or improving the flavor of foods or drinks in general with the use of a non-volatile thiazolidine compound alone or a non-volatile flavor compound and/or a reaction flavor concurrently with the non-volatile thiazolidine compound, a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a retort food by suppressing the flavor-deterioration upon heat sterilization or the unpleasant odor at the time of eating, and a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a soybean-incorporated food product by suppressing the unpleasant, weed-like odor peculiar to soybean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kawaguchi, Hidehiko Wakabayashi, Masanori Kohmura, Mika Uda, Yasushi Nishimura, Yoichi Ueda
  • Self contained spoon feeder
    Patent number: 7210600
    Abstract: A disposable spoon having a hollow main housing with a spoon that is releasably attached to the main housing. When the user places a food packet inside the main housing, the spoon pierces the food packet. A movable extruder actuator is operatively attached to an extruder blade. When the user slides the movable extruder actuator, the extruder blade compresses the food packet causing the contents of the food packet to extruded from the food packet and onto the spoon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: John Delio, Jr.
  • Encased food products with contrasting components
    Patent number: 7211283
    Abstract: A food product that includes a casing of a gelatin-free, water-based, set hydrocolloid gel that forms an enclosure, and at least one solid, liquid, soft or particulate center enclosed by the casing. The casing is made of a carageenan, alginate, agarose, gellan gum, pectin or cellulose compound, and the food product can withstand changes in temperature. Also, a process for the production of such a food product, wherein a liquid hydrocolloid mass is partially set and a hard, liquid, soft or particulate center is injected therein with the final completing or the setting of the hydrocolloid mass providing the encapsulation of the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Adrienne Sarah Jones, Mei Horng Ong, Cristiana Fernanda Soldani
  • Process for coating cheese
    Patent number: 7211284
    Abstract: A cheese coating method, in particular pressed paste cheese, is characterised in that it consists in applying on whole cheeses or cheese portions, a coating composition comprising from 60 wt. % to 100 wt. % of an esterifying product of at least a fatty acid and at least a branched polyol having at least 3 carbon atoms and at least two OH groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Fromageries Bel
    Inventors: Marie-Hélène Chassagne, Annie Imbert, Jean Graille, Michel Pina, Serge Laurent