Patents Examined by Elizabeth A. Hatcher
  • Patent number: 4277502
    Abstract: Yeast raised bakery products, including bread, are made by combining glandless cotton-seed, including both its meal and oil factions, which has been cracked in a hammer-mill or the like. The cracked glandless cotton-seed is mixed with water, yeast, and flour and, optionally, salt, malt and other types of flour such as rye flour, whole-wheat flour, corn, flax-seed, oats, barley, soy-flour, triticale and rice and other coarse ingredients. If desired, a sour ingredient such as sour culture, lemon juice or other acids can be added. The combined ingredients are mixed, divided, and baked to produce a yeast raised bakery product of desired characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Inventor: Karl A. Kurzius
  • Patent number: 4276321
    Abstract: A method of preparing a shaped rice food comprising the steps of wrapping a boiled rice pretreated to be substantially non-viscous in a heat-shrinkable film in a predetermined shape, and heating the wrapped rice, thereby softening and swelling the rice and shrinking the film so as to compress the swollen rice utilizing the shrinking force of the film. The boiled rice may be frozen before wrapped in the heat-shrinkable film. Shaped rice food of various tastes can be provided by this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: Nagatanien Honpo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Nagatani
  • Patent number: 4271200
    Abstract: A frozen pizza and method. The pizza includes a frozen crust portion and a filling portion for receiving the pizza sauce or other filling. The crust includes a generally flat filling-receiving center section of predetermined thickness, height and density, and this center section is surrounded by an edge portion which is formed integrally with the center section portion. The edge portion is of increased height and decreased density with respect to the respective height and density of the center section portion. The edge portion has an inner sidewall which serves to confine the filling portion to the center section of the pizza product. The method includes the steps of permitting limited rise of the dough during crust formation, and then depressing or debossing the center section of the dough sheet to increase its density and reduce its height, while permitting the outer margin of the sheet to rise naturally to greater height and to assume a reduced density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1981
    Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company
    Inventors: Walter L. Hempenius, June E. Yantis
  • Patent number: 4267196
    Abstract: Palatable and edible food products are prepared from a fruit precursor comprising substantially non-edible and substantially non-palatable portions of fruits by comminuting the precursor and digesting the comminuted precursor by combining an edible, water-soluble digesting agent with the comminuted precursor. The digesting agent serves to adjust the pH of the precursor to a value at which the precursor cells rupture and enzymes in the precursor are active.Thereafter, the digested precursor is neutralized by changing the pH of the digested precursor with an edible, water-soluble neutralizing agent to about the value of the pH of the comminuted precursor prior to digestion. Fruits for which this process can be used include citrus fruits, pineapple, banana, papaya, mango, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1981
    Inventor: Ian F. Johnston
  • Patent number: 4265915
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of a textured protein-containing material in which an amylolytic fungus is grown on a moist starch based substrate which includes a nitrogen source assimilable by the fungus the substrate being provided in the form of small, partially gelatinized particles. During growth, the fungus degrades and utilizes a large proportion of the starch, resulting in a dense matrix of closely interwoven mycelia, randomly dispersed with substances containing the residual starch or starch degradation products. On the denaturation of the fungal mycelium, the product assumes a tough but resilient texture and when diced or minced has a similar appearance to meat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Inventors: Mary E. MacLennan, Martial Lawson
  • Patent number: 4264638
    Abstract: A dry beverage mix composition for use in preparing a low pH milk-based beverage comprising a readily soluble substrate with carboxymethylcellulose applied to it, and an edible acid in an amount effective to bring the pH of the beverage to below about 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: General Foods Limited
    Inventors: Robert R. Sirett, James D. Eskritt, Edward J. Derlatka
  • Patent number: 4264634
    Abstract: A method for application of grated cheese to pizza shells is provided including feeding of cheese to a grating station, intermittent grating of the cheese to produce a predetermined quantity of grated cheese particles in a selected pattern and permitting the particles to freely drop, receiving the grated particles in a plane in the pattern as dropped and then discharging the particles from that plane, along a fixed line while transporting a pizza shell relative to the fixed discharge line in a direction perpendicular thereto to thereby collect the particles in the same specific pattern on the pizza shell. This method enables forming of the particles at a stationary point and to then place those particles in the same pattern on a pizza shell which is continuously moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: J. E. Grote Pepp-A-Matic Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Hochandel, Richard A. Meyer
  • Patent number: 4262028
    Abstract: A puffable food composition is provided by extruding a mixture of ground animal parts and starch whereby the mixture is at least partially gelatinized during extrusion into a shape-sustaining form. The form is puffed either at the die of the extruder, or in subsequent hot oil frying, or both. With added flavoring, the puffed composition has the taste, texture and mouth feel of fried pork skins. The process accommodates a wide variety of animal parts without the necessity of substantial changes in the process parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Assignee: Beatrice Foods Co.
    Inventors: Robert H. Meyer, Charles I. Graham, John E. Rudolph, Robert E. Haas
  • Patent number: 4262024
    Abstract: A procedure is described for determining the overall performance of a flour in baked goods, i.e. for determining the baking strength of the flour so that a baker may compensate for the same when preparing baked goods with the flour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Inventor: Irwin J. Mathason
  • Patent number: 4259359
    Abstract: A high protein, whole wheat grain expanded food product is prepared by the process of the present invention. Ground whole wheat is mixed with moisture and an edible acid to provide a dough. The dough is then extruded through a die under particular conditions to provide a high protein, expanded wheat product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Assignee: New Generation Foods, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnold Spicer
  • Patent number: 4255456
    Abstract: A coating for simulating the taste of toasted, baked, and leavened food products such as bread or the like, and the method of preparing such a coating. The coating is applied to an untoasted, baked and leavened food product, particularly on the outer surface thereof in order to simulate toasting. The coating in addition to providing a simulated taste of a toasted product, further provides a sealant to resist or retard the penetration of moisture, grease, or condiments into the interior portions. The coating contains roasted ground wheat, and preferably includes a quantity of roasted ground wheat which, in the whole grain form, has been soaked in an aqueous solution of a food grade acid selected from the group consisting of phosphoric, adipic, hydrochloric, citric and malic acids and mixtures thereof. The soaked grain is roasted at temperatures of between about 150.degree. F.-510.degree. F. for a period sufficient to reduce the moisture content to 4% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1981
    Assignee: Peavey Company
    Inventor: Phillip S. Arendt
  • Patent number: 4251549
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of bases for tarts or pizzas from pastry of the dough type and a tool for carrying out the process.According to the process the dough is kneaded, divided into lumps, the lumps thus formed are left standing for a short period, flattened, are subjected to a single rise and the bases thus formed are baked, characterized in that the flattening operation is carried out directly without preliminary rolling or rising. The tool shown in FIG. 1 comprises a stamp and a die receiving a lump on its support and means for forming a cushion of air between the stamp and the dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignee: Societe d'Assistance Technique pour Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Gaston Fournet, Alain Gueroult, Daniel Sauterey
  • Patent number: 4250202
    Abstract: Suitable cakes can be made where 100% of the sucrose normally employed is replaced by a blend of a high fructose corn syrup/corn syrup as sweetening agent. Satisfactory cakes result provided that mono and diglycerides of fat forming fatty acids and ethoxylated sorbitan monostearates are used in the presence of a single stage non-nucleating leavening agent, such as sodium aluminum phosphate, in addition to regularly included cake ingredients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: ICI Americas Inc.
    Inventor: Deborah I. Hartnett
  • Patent number: 4248896
    Abstract: A process for baking bread by separating a portion of the flour to be used into a wet gluten phase and a starch slurry phase, converting the starch slurry phase into sugar, combining the wet gluten phase and the sugar into a dough including the remaining flour or other weaker flours and treating and baking the resulting dough to produce a bread product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1981
    Inventor: Leland C. Wallace
  • Patent number: 4246293
    Abstract: A protein fortified complete meal snack item is prepared from a whole potato base by a process involving subdivision of whole potatoes, including skins, to provide potato pieces, adding on a weight basis of from 10% to 40% by weight of said potato pieces of edible protein fortifying additives, intimately admixing the protein additives and the whole potato pieces to provide a substantially homogeneous mixture, and extruding which provides at least partial cooking of said homogeneous mixture, resulting in a protein fortified snack food extrudate. The resulting product contains substantially the complete starch food value, and vitamin value of the starting potato.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Inventor: James M. Larson
  • Patent number: 4243687
    Abstract: A freeze-dried sour dough French bread starter culture, or baking additive for other purposes, is prepared by inoculating an unsterilized and unpasteurized flour-water-salt suspension with a natural mother or starter sponge containing numerous naturally occurring and closely related strains of Lactobacillus sanfrancisco, and also containing substantial levels of the natural fermentations acids, lactic and acetic; incubating said mixture at about 82.degree. F. until a specified acidity level is reached corresponding to about 2.times.10.sup.9 viable bacteria per gram; cooling to about 55.degree. F., and adding stabilizers compatible with the flour system, in particular certain disaccharides; freezing under moderate conditions (-10.degree. to -25.degree. F.) without first separating the cells from the flour medium; followed by conventional freeze-drying in vacuo (vacuum of approximately 50 to 200 microns) to a moisture content in the final product of about 2%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Inventor: Leo Kline
  • Patent number: 4243690
    Abstract: Instant-cooking dry macaroni products are manufactured by preparing a raw macaroni or like macaroni type food material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then subjecting this mixture to a preliminary steaming at a gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes till an .alpha.-conversion degree of from 60% to 80% is reached; then shaping the resulting material into individual molded pieces of a desired configuration; thereafter, with or without application of water to the surfaces of the molded pieces so that these surfaces carry water in an amount not exceeding 100% by weight relative to the weight of the molded pieces; then subjecting the molded pieces to a further steaming step at similar pressure and time till an .alpha.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Assignee: Kanebo Foods Ltd.
    Inventors: Sanpei Murakami, Sadao Kokeguchi, Hiroshi Takahashi, Ken Okada
  • Patent number: 4243689
    Abstract: Non-fried oil free instant cooking dry noodles are manufactured by preparing a mixture of raw noodle material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then rolling the mixture into a web form; thereafter with or without external application of water onto the surfaces of the web, steaming the web at gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes until the starch therein has an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least 98%; followed by preliminary heating preferably at 80.degree.-110.degree. C. for 2-5 minutes to adjust the water content to 15-35% by weight; then shaping the web into individual noodles; and then further drying these noddles at 55.degree.-145.degree. C. until the water content becomes 10% or smaller by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Assignee: Kanebo Foods Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadao Kokeguchi, Hiroshi Takahashi, Ken Okada, Sanpei Murakami
  • Patent number: 4242366
    Abstract: A blend of commercial grade emulsifiers suitable for use in a dry prepared mix, dry prepared cake mixes containing such blend and processes for preparing same are described and claimed. The blend comprises an admixture of three separate functional emulsifying components consisting essentially of 46-68% propylene glycol monoester, 20-39% alpha monoglyceride and 9-22% glyceryl lacto ester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1980
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventors: Jay E. Morgan, Anthony J. DelVecchio, Betty L. Brooking, David M. Laverty
  • Patent number: 4241106
    Abstract: Tortillas which may be stored without substantial loss of flexibility are prepared from dough comprising wheat flour, water, fat, vital wheat gluten and a hydrophilic gum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Assignee: Standard Brands Incorporated
    Inventor: Orinda L. Tims