Patents Examined by Curtis E. Sherrer
  • Patent number: 6203841
    Abstract: A whippable food product suitable for preparing a stable whipped confection, comprising an oil-in-water emulsion of (1) a triglyceride fat component wherein at least about 50% or more of the fatty acids thereof are of C14 length or less, (2) water, (3) emulsifier component in an amount that is sufficient to stabilize the product emulsion, and optionally, (4) a protein component that facilitates preparation of or stabilization of the product the, and optionally, (5) one or more additional substances, provided that the triglyceride fat component has a profile of solid fat index of about 70 at 50° F., about 40 to 75 at 80° F., and less than about 20 at 100° F., wherein the product is characterized by providing a whipping overrun of between about 300 and about 500% that can be achieved between about 45° F. and 50° F. in less than about 4 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Rich Products Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Lynch, John Sean O'Mahony
  • Patent number: 6149949
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for pasteurization and fermentation in the production of an alcoholic beverage. The method involves taking a fermentable soluble extract from a processed brewer's mash, mixing it in a mixing zone with a fermented fermentable extract containing an alcohol content of at least 4% alcohol by volume together with other products formed during fermentation, processing this mixture by heating the mixture to a temperature of at least 51.degree. C. (124.degree. F.) holding the mixture at that temperature for ten to twenty minutes and then cooling the mixture to a minimum of 10.degree. C. (50.degree. F.) before fermenting the mixture according to known fermentation processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Morton Coutts Limited
    Inventor: Morton William Coutts
  • Patent number: 6139891
    Abstract: A treatment for stabilizing wine against tartaric acids and proteins by adding mannoproteins extracted from yeast walls by enzymatic digestion, is disclosed. A method for carrying out the treatment by extracting mannoproteins from yeast by enzymatic digestion, and the resulting mannoprotein, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Faculte d'Oenologie
    Inventors: Denis Dubourdieu, Virginie Moine
  • Patent number: 6132788
    Abstract: An extract of a mature oak aged alcoholic beverage is produced by adding a food grade solvent, such as ethyl acetate, to the alcoholic beverage and mixing the two liquids. The resulting mixture is allowed to separate into two layers, a first layer and a second layer. The first layer, including the food grade solvent, is separated from the second layer. The solvent is then removed from the first layer to produce the extract. The extract can be added to a less costly alcoholic beverage, such as grain neutral spirits, or sugar beet spirits, to produce a beverage having the taste of a mature oak aged alcoholic beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Brown-Forman Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph A. Zimlich, III
  • Patent number: 6110513
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a cured pickle stock without subjecting the pickle stock to conventional fermentation processes. The pickle stock is immersed in a curing liquid and then subjected to alternative vacuum and pressure treatment steps. A cured pickle product is produced having the desired translucent appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Dean Foods Co.
    Inventors: Craig Hackl, Ted Koelling
  • Patent number: 6083545
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for sealing the seams of ravioli in commercial production. The improvement includes applying dry steam to the top surface of the bottom layer of pasta dough and to the bottom surface of the top layer of pasta dough before crimping the seams together. Steam is applied via a pair of steam manifolds adjacent the pasta layers and increases the adhesiveness of the pasta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Faribault Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Nelson, Marcia H. Richter
  • Patent number: 6077549
    Abstract: A process is for the continuous production of beer having a diacetyl content below 0.1 mg/l from a cooked, unfermented, fermentable wort with an oxygen content of 0.5 to 3.0 mg O.sub.2 per liter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roland Bodmer, Rudolf Bonsch, Michael Eichelsbacher, Peter Mitschke, Thorsten Seiffert
  • Patent number: 6070520
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the drying or kilning of malt in a substantially continuous operation. The malt is transported through one or more separate drying zones by means of fluid bed dryer units at which time tempered or conditioned air at a predetermined temperature and moisture content is passed through the malt to effect a drying of the malt. The rate of malt movement through the drying zones is varied according to the moisture content of the malt at predetermined points in its travel whereby to achieve a desired drying rate and moisture content in the malt as it travels through the various drying zones. Sulfur dioxide gas is selectively infused with the air in the drying zones to minimize carcinogens within the malt. Optional treatments are provided for the malt as it passes through the drying zones, including subjecting the malt to a vacuum to facilitate moisture removal and to effect a sanitizing of the malt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Inventors: James R. Kannenberg, Bernard Fulayter
  • Patent number: 6056979
    Abstract: The invention relates to a strain of Streptococcus thermophilus deposited at Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microorganismes (CNCM) No. I-1477 and a mutant strain that has similar milk acidification characteristics. Also disclosed is the use of the S. thermophilus strains to produce fermented milk products and the products produced thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Compagnie Gervais Danone
    Inventors: Laurent Benbadis, Elisabeth Oudot, Jacques de Villeroche
  • Patent number: 6020019
    Abstract: Carbon dioxide is used as a reaction solvent in the hydrogenation of organic compounds. The carbon dioxide is preferably a liquid or a supercritical fluid. The hydrogenation method can be used advantageously in methods for making tetrahydroiso-alpha-acids from alpha-acids, iso-alpha-acids, or beta-acids. If beta-acids are used to make tetrahydroiso-alpha-acids, an acidic lower alcohol is preferably added to the carbon dioxide reaction medium to act as a promoter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Miller Brewing Company
    Inventors: Patrick L. Ting, Jay R. Refling, Henry Goldstein
  • Patent number: 6017568
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the continuous boiling of wort, comprising feeding the unboiled wort to a wort heater, wherein it is heated to a temperature between 75 and 125.degree. C., introducing the heated wort in a plug flow reactor, preferably a rotating disc holding column, followed by treating the wort obtained from said reactor in countercurrent with steam in a stripping column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Heineken Technical Services B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik J. Visscher, Christiaan W. Versteegh
  • Patent number: 6013286
    Abstract: A composition of matter and method for administering a bioactive substance to the post-rumen portion of the digestive system of a ruminant substantially without introducing the substance to the rumen portion of the digestive system is provided. The composition of matter comprises particles which have a specific gravity between about 0.3 and 2.0, preferably between about 1.0 and 2.0. The particles comprises a core comprising bioactive substance; a hydrophobic coating essentially completely encapsulating said core in a quantity sufficient to essentially preclude introduction of bioactive substance into the rumen; and a surfactant applied to the surface of the hydraphobic coating in a quantity sufficient to ensure that said particles do not float on the rumen. The method comprises orally administering this composition of matter to a ruminant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Balchem Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Klose
  • Patent number: 6001407
    Abstract: Dehydrated vegetable pieces having incorporated therein a mixture of sodium chloride of concentrations of at least 2% and an alkali metal carboxylate at a concentration of 1 to 4%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Byron Agricultural Company Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Victor Marcus Lewis, David Adrian Lewis
  • Patent number: 6001410
    Abstract: Described is the use of a recombinant single-strand monellin taken alone or further together with sclareolide and/or succinic acid for enhancing the alcoholic impact of a fruit liqueur beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
    Inventors: Paul L. Bolen, Nicholas Kossiakoff, Regina D. Hawn, Lewis G. Scharpf, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5980959
    Abstract: Enhancing the foam head on a bottled beverage where a pressurized container is housed within the neck of the bottle and above the level of the liquid and so arranged that upon opening of the bottle the pressurized container also opens to release the liquid stream therefrom initially to float on the top surface of the beverage in the bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: Bernard Derek Frutin
  • Patent number: 5972411
    Abstract: The isolation and characterization of a group of odorless and non-volatile glycosides from extracted hops (hop solids which have been previously extracted with non-polar solvents) is disclosed. These glycosides are water soluble and consist of a group of aromatic compounds conjugated to mono-, di-, and trisaccharides. These glycosides are responsible for the formation of kettle hop flavor and taste through both chemical and biological transformations. When these glycosides are transformed, they yield an essence and flavorant which imparts a kettle hop flavor and taste when the essence and flavorant is added to an unhopped beer. These kettle hop flavor essences and flavorants provide economy, consistency, flexibility, quality, and convenience to the brewing process because only one unhopped wort is required to brew a stock of unhopped beer. The unhopped beer can then be dosed with the desired amount of kettle hop flavor essence and flavorant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Miller Brewing Company
    Inventors: Henry Goldstein, Patrick L. Ting, William G. Schulze, Aki A. Murakami, Lance T. Lusk, Velta D. Young
  • Patent number: 5962045
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing beers having yeast turbidity, in particular wheat beer, in which it is possible to metabolize virtually completely the oxygen which has unavoidably passed into the container during packaging, and nevertheless to perform continuous pasteurization integrated into the filling device. For this purpose, prior to packaging, yeast and beer wort are again added to the beer, and the yeast in the beer present in a package is destroyed within 24 hours of packaging. By this means, sterile beer having very high flavor stability can be produced, which is also suitable for sale of canned beer and for export even to distant countries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Tucher Brau AG
    Inventors: Klaus Rubelmann, Martin Leibhard, Maximilian Ammon, Klaus Wojtenek, Hans-Gunther Rother, Jochen Sprotte, Georg Rammelmeir
  • Patent number: 5958492
    Abstract: A sliced food product such as a cheese product or meat product having a design or figure cut or otherwise formed therein. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the design or figure is cut entirely or substantially through the slice so that the design or figure may be removed from a surrounding peripheral portion of the slice. A method and apparatus for forming the figure or design are also disclosed. The preferred method and apparatus employ a rotary figure cutter which cuts entirely through the slice to outline a pattern or figure, and which cuts or penetrates partially through the slice to form details of the figure by embossing or indenting design components on the slice. The slice is preferably wrapped in film prior to the figure cutting operation, and the figure cutter performs its function without cutting or tearing the film wrap. The rotary figure cutter preferably comprises a pair of rotary dies between which each slice passes as the design is formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Kraft Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Chris Jens, Leon Alberto Espinel, Gilbert George Fryklund
  • Patent number: 5955135
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for stripping volatiles from a feed stream and concentrating the volatiles in the overhead vapors forming a condensate product and simultaneously producing a low percent volatiles outlet stream as a concentrate product. The volatiles separator and concentrator, ("VSC"), unit has many applications in the reduction and the concentration of volatiles in the beverage, fuel, and industrial alcohol industries, as well as in chemical applications for removing or stripping volatiles from heat sensitive feed substrates which require low temperatures and a short residence time to prevent degradation of the product. The preferred embodiment of the VSC unit utilizes a short feed stream preheat contact time in combination with turbulent high velocity flow at temperatures below 100.degree. F. to provide flash vaporization for volatiles separation with reboil capability to adjust volatiles concentration in the residue and product. The application of high vacuum in the range of 27" to 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Vendome Copper & Brass Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Armand R. Boucher, Philip N. Hambrick
  • Patent number: 5897904
    Abstract: Methods for producing a liquor having a high alcohol content are disclosed. Such methods employ mild conditions for increasing the alcohol content of the liquor, resulting in decreased levels of by-products that may adversely affect the taste. The high proof liquor generated by the methods disclosed herein is suitable for the preparation of alcoholic beverages such as brandy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: TFE Partnership
    Inventors: Andrew J. Friedman, Brian L. Nordwall