Patents Examined by Lien T Tran
  • Patent number: 11963536
    Abstract: Composite flour includes native plant flour and complexed MCT and/or other nutritional oil at least partially encapsulated by wall material and incorporated within the composite flour, wherein polysaccharide from a portion of the native plant flour forms part of the wall material. The wall material includes protein, e.g., pea protein, polysaccharide released from the native plant flour, and emulsifier(s), and/or polysaccharide fiber, e.g., acacia fiber. The native plant flour may be gluten-flour, gluten-free flour and/or low carbohydrate seed, nut or vegetable flour. Composite flours can replace traditional flours to make food products, such as baked, fried or boiled goods but with benefits, such as reduced gluten and/or carbohydrates, increased freshness and volume and improved texture and taste compared to alternative flours and even all-purpose flour. Composite flour can be blended with native flour and/or another composite flour to form blended flour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Innovative Flours, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Millet, Kylin Liao
  • Patent number: 11950600
    Abstract: A shelf-stable ready-to-eat packaged focaccia, is described having appearance and organoleptic qualities comparable to those of a fresh focaccia, which has a relative humidity comprised between 25 and 32%, preferably 27% and water activity (aw) comprised between 0.85 and 0.92, preferably 0.89, and blind holes on its surface having depth of at least 50% of the thickness of the focaccia. A process for the production of a ready-to-eat shelf-stable packaged focaccia is also described which comprises the steps of: a) preparing a dough for focaccia comprising, by weight based on the total weight of the dough, 40-60% flour, 20-35% water, 7-16% vegetable oils and/or fats and/or fractions thereof, of which 1-6% extra virgin olive oil, 0.5-4% yeast, 0.1-3% salt, 0-15% at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient; 0-0.1% at least one baking processing aid, 0-0.8% at least one emulsifier and 0-1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BARILLA G. E R. FRATELLI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Corrado Ferrari, Cristina Gallina, Alessandro Ruggeri
  • Patent number: 11930828
    Abstract: Provided herein are gluten-free compositions which can be made into a dough. The gluten-free dough can be subjected to a sheeting or pressing process and therefore can be prepared easily in commercial settings. The dough comprises gluten-free flour, modified starch, protein, leavening agents; oil and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rich Products Corporation
    Inventors: HuaXiao Zhang, Paula Lugar
  • Patent number: 11903396
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for making a soluble native rapeseed protein isolate and the soluble native rapeseed protein isolate obtained by the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Hendrikus Maria Willemsen, Johannes Hendrikus Antonius Jeroen Vermunt, Nienke Nina Hylkema, Gerardus Johannes Franciscus Smolders
  • Patent number: 11896028
    Abstract: Disclosed are confectionery products having a dual texture provided by a combination of sanding coating and chewy confectionery core. The confectionery product provides a crunchy texture imparted by a particulate coating and a chewy texture imparted by the confectionery core. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the dual-textured confectionery product using a particulate coating composition. Upon consumption, the confectionery product exhibits reduced adhesion to a consumer's teeth, dental braces, palatal expanders, dental retainers, and other orthodontic appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: INTERCONTINENTAL GREAT BRANDS LLC
    Inventors: Anna Plociak, Jo Dixon, Gerald B. Cotten
  • Patent number: 11896018
    Abstract: A cooked dough product, such as a biscuit (cookie), comprising from about 10 wt. % to about 45 wt. % of an oil and/or fat component, and from about 0.25 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of ethylcellulose, based on the weight of said product. Also provided is a method of making a cooked dough product comprising the steps of: preparing a dough containing a flour, water, from about 10 wt. % to about 45 wt. % of an oil and/or fat component, and from about 0.25 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of ethylcellulose, based on the weight of the ingredients excluding added water; and cooking the dough at a temperature of at least about 140° C. The ethylcellulose is effective to reduce oil migration from the cooked dough products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrea Cattaruzza, Stewart Radford, Alejandro Gregorio Marangoni
  • Patent number: 11889839
    Abstract: Methods are described that impart a dual texture to baked goods. The methods generally include making a leavened batter that contains a relatively low flour to water ratio, followed by combining the leavened batter with a second portion of flour to make a dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristi L. Bahe, Kevin A. Haas
  • Patent number: 11889841
    Abstract: The process for producing low-gluten or gluten-free cooking dough for food purposes includes making a dough composition including, by weight relative to the total percentage by weight thereof: between 88.5 and 95% of dittany starch, between 0.1 and 0.5% of salt, between 40 and 65% of water, yeasts, between 3 and 5% of sugar, between 1.5 and 4% of pea protein, and between 0.2 and 3.6% of at least one thickener. The dough composition is kneaded in a closed chamber depressurized beforehand. Carbon dioxide CO2 is injected into the chamber at a pressure of between 25 and 550 mbar for 10 to 50 minutes simultaneously to the kneading step, so as to obtain a low-gluten or gluten-free cooking dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: PHYTOBOKAZ
    Inventors: Henry Joseph, Patricia Le Bail, Alain Le Bail
  • Patent number: 11889851
    Abstract: A composition formed from chickpea flour and having improved mouthfeel and taste, includes dextrinized starch and a controlled concentration of certain volatiles. Methods of forming the composition include extruding a composition containing chickpea at a temperature and pressure such that, when the extrudate exits the extruder, at least one volatile component is expelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ximena Quintero Fuentes, Mehtap Fevzioglu, Antonio Garay
  • Patent number: 11871773
    Abstract: Composite plant-MCT flour includes MCT oil encapsulated by and/or complexed with wall material and incorporated within the composite plant-MCT flour, wherein polysaccharide from the plant flour forms part of the wall material. The wall material includes protein, e.g., pea protein, carbohydrate, and emulsifier(s), and/or polysaccharide fiber, e.g., acacia fiber. The plant flour may be gluten-flour, gluten-free flour and/or low carbohydrate seed, nut or vegetable flour. Composite plant-MCT flour can replace traditional flours to make food products, such as baked, fried or boiled goods but with benefits, such as reduced gluten and/or carbohydrates, increased freshness and volume and improved texture and taste compared to alternative flours and even all-purpose flour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: INNOVATIVE FLOURS, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Millet, Kylin Liao
  • Patent number: 11871764
    Abstract: An encapsulated flavor, comprising a core material, flavor material and a coating material, the core material comprising a finely-divided native starch, xanthan gum and konjac, the combined weight proportion of the xanthan gum and konjac present in the encapsulated flavour being from about 4% to about 16%, and the relative weight proportions of xanthan gum to konjac being from about 20:80 to about 80:20. The encapsulated flavors may be completely gelatin-free, while retaining the desirable qualities of gelatin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: GIVAUDAN SA
    Inventor: Frans Witteveen
  • Patent number: 11849741
    Abstract: Provided are food products that have structures, textures, and other properties comparable to those of animal meat, and that may therefore serve as substitutes for animal meat. Also provided are processes for production of such ground meat-like food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Dariush Ajami, David Anderson, Jesse Dill, Timothy Geistlinger, Kenny Mayoral, Huu Ba Ngo, Thomas Noriega, Daniel Angus Ryan, Deya Suarez-Trujillo, Michael Timmons, Troy Walton
  • Patent number: 11832760
    Abstract: A method of roasting nuts comprises placing water and a mixture of nuts and sugar in a roaster bowl, mixing the water and mixture, heating the roaster bowl during mixing to roast and sugar coat the nuts, covering the roaster bowl with a cover after roasting and sugar coating, adding water to a reservoir disposed within the cover wherein the reservoir includes at least one metering hole, flowing through the metering hole, from the reservoir to the roaster bowl, the water added to the reservoir, glazing the nuts during the flowing of water into the roaster bowl from the reservoir, and removing the cover from the roaster bowl after glazing the nuts. The measured flow of water through the reservoir results in well coated glazed nuts and prevents the formation of a large burst of steam, thus protecting the operator against being scalded during glazing of the roasted nuts, as well as providing other benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CALICO COTTAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Montoya, Mark Wurzel, David Sank, Lawrence Wurzel, Steven Nagle, Robert Delauro, Barbara Riordan, Hanif Chung-Ying, Judith Levin, Christa Harrison, Andrew Irwin, Duane Saxton, Kevin Blakelock, Kenneth Antes, Mark Whatley, Ronald Beilin, Barnett Tessler
  • Patent number: 11819031
    Abstract: A composition useful for making bread of high quality comprises a) a gluten-free flour, b) a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having a methoxyl content of from 19 to 24 percent and a hydroxypropoxyl content of from 4 to 12 percent, each being based on the total weight of the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and c) a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having a methoxyl content of from 27 to 30 percent and a hydroxypropoxyl content of from 4 to 12 percent, each being based on the total weight the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, wherein the composition comprises from 10 to 90 weight percent of the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose b) and from 90 to 10 weight percent of the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose c), based on the total weight of b) and c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Nutrition & Biosciences USA 1, LLC
    Inventor: Franz Mayer
  • Patent number: 11779030
    Abstract: A caramel is provided comprising a solid plant fat and an amount of water less than 10 wt %. The caramel exhibits a chewy texture when consumed but is yet depositable. The caramel is thus advantageously used in a confection. In addition to the caramel, the confection may comprise a crisp component. Methods of making the confection are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Tiago Rodrigues, Justin Comes, Alexander Noah Suter, Lydia Eugenia Gutierrez Mantilla, Frank Firestone, Lauren Popescu, Hetvi Damodhar, Karl Ritter, Robert Nagle, Keith Dixon, Paul Capar, Paul Reeder
  • Patent number: 11723375
    Abstract: A baked good includes a gelatinized component comprising a starch and having a total starch content, the baked good having a slowly digestible starch content of at least 15 grams per 100 grams of ready-to-eat baked good, and at least 20% of the total starch content of the baked good being gelatinized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GENERALE BISCUIT
    Inventors: Monika Okoniewska, Dominic J. Vellucci, Indraneil Mukherjee, Luis Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 11696586
    Abstract: Starch-free baked comestible goods and aqueous slurries (batters) for preparation of starch-free baked comestible goods include a combination of three different protein components that are protein concentrates or protein isolates, wherein the protein components differ by solubility in water and/or particle size when suspended in an aqueous medium. The combination of three protein components, particularly in certain weight ratios, enables the preparation of starch-free baked comestible goods including doughnuts, muffins, cakes, and bars as well as other commonly recognized desirable comestible formats. The starch-free baked comestible goods have an improved texture and extended shelf-life as compared to previously developed starch-free baked comestible goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Simply Good Foods USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Anthony Romero, Zachary Zopf Kazarian
  • Patent number: 11684073
    Abstract: A method for producing a lactic acid bacteria fermented milk product comprising fermenting milk with both inoculated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and inoculated Bacillus bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Chr. Hansen A/S
    Inventors: Karin Bjerre, Mette Dines Cantor, Thomas Janzen, Patrick Derkx
  • Patent number: 11679937
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing dry sausage including preparing a dry sausage meat mixture, stuffing the moisture into a casing or mould, or extruding into a mould, fermenting the mixture, hat treating the sausage log, optionally removing the outer casing from the sausage log, cooling tire sausage log to a temperature sufficiently low to permit cutting, cutting the sausage, placing the sausage pieces onto a conveyor, optionally a multi-tier or spiral conveyor assembly, and passing the conveyor and sausage pieces through a chamber. The process also includes introducing a supply of conditioned, air into the chamber, the air having a relative humidity below about 60% and a temperature in the range, of at least about 40° F. to 130° F., and introducing a supply of microwaves into the chamber. The air supply and microwaves are selected to reduce the moisture content of the sausage pieces to a predetermined moisture to protein ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Smithfield Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Kafer, Dave Taylor, James Roberds
  • Patent number: 11540539
    Abstract: Naturally-derived compounds having various structures elicit the perception of salty taste or enhance the perception of salty taste of a salt. Food products may include such salty compounds, which may be used to reduce the sodium content, while parting a similar level of saltiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernhard H. Van Lengerich, Olaf Gruess, Joachim Hans, Lars Ole Haustedt, Andreas Hochheimer, Michael Krohn, Jens-Peter Muller, Christine M. Nowakowski, Suzanne Denise Pecore, Candace Michelle Rathjen-Nowak, Lia Scarabottolo, Karsten Siems