Patents Examined by Mary S. Mims
  • Patent number: 5366750
    Abstract: The invention is a composite food subsystem that provides a sweet or savory flavored thermostable filling having an ultra-low water activity. The thermostable filling is, also, thixotropic or "shear thinning". The filling includes an edible hydrophilic liquid phase. A stabilizing network of ultrahigh surface area cellulose particulates are dispersed and reactivated in the hydrophilic liquid phase. A solid phase admixture can be added as a fine powder. The thermostable filling is desirable for use in methods for making co-extruded or co-laminated products of multi-textures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Crompton & Knowles Corporation
    Inventor: James R. Morano
  • Patent number: 5366748
    Abstract: An improved method for the production of extruded cereal grain-based fried food products having improved qualities is provided. In the improved method, the cereal grain-based food product is formed by extrusion of a cereal grain dough mass containing a gum such as carboxymethyl cellulose and optionally a protein, followed by frying the extruded cereal grain dough to produce a fried cereal grain food product having reduced gumminess or toothpacking and grittiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Maria D. Villagran, David A. Lanner, Lori J. Toman, Martin A. Mishkin, Nancy C. Dawes
  • Patent number: 5364652
    Abstract: An indigestible dextrin characterized in that the dextrin is prepared by heat-treating potato starch with addition of hydrochloric acid thereto to obtain a pyrodextrin, hydrolyzing the pyrodextrin with alpha-amylase and glucoamylase and removing at least one-half of glucose formed from the resulting hydrolyzate, and comprises a fraction other than glucose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Matsutani Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ohkuma, Yoshio Hanno, Kazuyuki Inada, Isao Matsuda, Yasuo Katta
  • Patent number: 5362511
    Abstract: An improved method for the production of extruded cereal grain-based fried food products having improved qualities is provided. In the improved method, the cereal grain-based food product is formed by extrusion of a cereal grain dough mass containing a protein, followed by frying the extruded cereal grain dough to produce a fried cereal grain food product having reduced gumminess or toothpacking and grittiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Maria D. Villagran, David A. Lanner, Lori J. Toman, Martin A. Mishkin, Nancy C. Dawes
  • Patent number: 5362510
    Abstract: A processed starch which is up to 8% in solubility on heating, is in the form of particles including up to 5% of +60-mesh fraction and has a cold water swelling power (Sc) and a heating swelling power (Sh) which are in the relationship of 1.2.gtoreq.Sc/Sh.gtoreq.0.8, the cold water swelling degree being 4 to 15. The starch is useful as an ingredient for bakery foods to give an excellent texture to the food and inhibit degradation of the food with time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Matsutani Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Mizoguchi, Yoshifumi Yanetani, Naoko Yamashita
  • Patent number: 5360623
    Abstract: In a first embodiment, the present invention provides an improved finishing process for dry mixes for baked goods of widely varying compositions. According to this embodiment, a standard cake finisher is replaced with a disc mill, which yields surprisingly superior dry mix properties. In another embodiment of the invention having particular utility in dry mixes for brownies and the like, a dry, particulate pre-mix is formed by mixing the shortening with a selected portion of the dry ingredients of the dry mix. It is preferred that no more than approximately 25% of the total flour content of the dry mix be added in this pre-mix. This pre-mix is then mixed with the rest of the ingredients of the dry mix and this final dry mix may subjected to a finishing operation such as that of the first embodiment of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventors: James S. Thorson, Jimmy A. DeMars
  • Patent number: 5360622
    Abstract: Disclosed are a powder kneading method and apparatus, in which a vermicelli-forming powder for the production of vermicelli or buckwheat vermicelli, a bread-forming powder or a soil powder for a soil paste for the production of a ceramic ware or the like is uniformly mixed with fine particulate ice, the ice in the powder/ice mixture is melted in an atmosphere maintained at a temperature higher than 0.degree. C. and a pressure is applied to the mixture to remove air contained in the interior of the mixture during or after the melting. Only by such simple operations, the powder can be uniformly kneaded with water, and a vermicelli or buckwheat vermicelli dough or a soil paste for a ceramic ware or a tile can be easily prepared in a very short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Inventor: Ryosuke Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 5356642
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an enrobed rice and pasta combination product, said process comprising: (a) combining rice and pasta to form a mixture; (b) applying an aqueous composition to said mixture; (c) contacting said mixture with edible coating material to form a coated mixture; and (d) drying said coated mixture. The present invention further comprises a rice and pasta combination product prepared in accordance with the above-described process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company
    Inventors: Patrick J. Patterson, Hideo Tomomatsu
  • Patent number: 5352474
    Abstract: Our invention concerns with ready-to-use non dairy creams with good storage stability, containing egg yolk and eggwhite. In fact, the composition of our creams is:0.05-0.5 wt % emulsifier0.5-8.0 wt % egg yolk0.01-1.0 wt % caseinate0.5-4.0 wt % egg white0-1.0 wt % thickener1-10 wt % carbohydrate25-45 wt % fatbalance: waterThe creams are sterile and display a water activity of 0.95-1.0.Also a process for the preparation of such non dairy creams is part of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Unilever Patent Holdings B.V.
    Inventors: Jannes G. Lammers, Hendrik Dijkstra, Ian M. Kimsey, Malcolm G. Jones
  • Patent number: 5342642
    Abstract: This invention relates to a pie or pastry dough, which provides a flaky tender pie crust when baked. The product is a laminate of two phases, a dough like mixture of flour, water, salt and oil, and a shortening and starch phase. One or both phases can contain a polyol. These phases are laminated to make a heterogeneous pastry dough which has a flaky tender texture when baked. The dough is characterized by having multiple, discontinuous layers which are interrupted by regions of gluten and the starch/fat/polyol phase, an increased dough strength and less water absorption over 24 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Katherine L. Moore
  • Patent number: 5338555
    Abstract: A beverage base is prepared by mixing moistened sugar grains having a mean diameter of 250 .mu.m to 500 .mu.m and a moisture content of from 5% to 12% by weight with cocoa powder so that the moistened grains are coated with the cocoa powder, after which the coated grains are dried. The base has a poured apparent voluminal mass (d1) of from 630 g/l to 750 g/l, a free apparent voluminal mass (d2) of from 750 g/l to 860 g/l and a degree of compressibility (d2-d1)/d2 below 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventor: William G. Caly
  • Patent number: 5336517
    Abstract: Air-classification of flours with a particle size of 5-160 .mu.m is best performed on flours that are remilled at least once to give a remilled flour with an x-50 of less than 40 .mu.m.The remilling, preferably being carried out by using a jet air mill, a Retsch mill or an extruder. In this way a higher yield of a fraction, enriched in protein (up to 40% protein) and a higher yield of a starch fraction with a low protein content (even less than 3 wt %) can be obtained. Wetting of the remilled flour, prior to remilling and drying of the remilled flour, prior to air classification lead to improved results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Unilever Patent Holdings B.V.
    Inventors: Aris Graveland, Matthijs H. Henderson, Leonie J. M. Linders
  • Patent number: 5336511
    Abstract: An edible cone having a flexible body of substantially right elliptical cone shape with opposed rounded proximate and remote sides flairing from a vertex portion to and including a mouth portion, with opposed lip segments defining the mouth portion and having arcuate edges joined end-to-end at the remote sides of the body and curving away from one another and from the vertex portion, so that the lip segment edges are farthest from one another and from the vertex portion at the proximate sides of the body portion, and an apparatus and method for making such a cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Inventor: Daniel V. Der Beek
  • Patent number: 5332594
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-based bran, such as oat bran, snack product or chip wherein a doughlike mixture of oat bran, masa, gluten flour and water is mixed , and fried to produce a stable dry chip or snack product. The unique process forms a stable chip which delivers large doses of oat bran to the consumer. The product, when sold in 31/2 oz. portions delivers 1 oz. of oat bran exceeding the minimum recommended daily requirement for oat bran.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Inventor: Harry E. Heller
  • Patent number: 5332592
    Abstract: In accordance with this invention, a starting powder mixture composed of raw tapioca starch mixed with durum semolina and/or wheat flour is kneaded together with water added thereto, and the resulting kneaded dough material is passed through an extruder, whereby the dough material is extruded to provide extruded raw noodle strings each having at least one groove extending longitudinally in the noodle string. Or alternatively, said kneaded dough material is extruded through an extruder to form a web of the dough for use in the formation of noodle, and the resulting noodle-forming, extruded dough web is engraved to form therein a plurality of parallel grooves extending in the direction of the extrusion molding. The resulting noodle-forming dough web having a plurality of the grooves is cut by means of cutting blade(s) at the zones of the web interposed between the respective grooves of the web to provide raw noodle strings each having at least one groove extending longitudinally in the noodle string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Ishigaki Foods Company Limited
    Inventors: Takayoshi Ishigaki, Hiroshi Saito, Akio Fujita
  • Patent number: 5332587
    Abstract: Acid-stabilized pasta is prepared with at least one polymeric food-acceptable acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: John G. Howard, Harvey J. Reiter, Dale Fritsch, Bryan Scherer, Theodore J. LaFleur
  • Patent number: 5330779
    Abstract: A material for food of slow digestion and absorption, characterized by comprising a starchy material having an amylose content in the range of from about 25 to about 60% by weight and a modifier for modifying said starchy material and having the enzymatic reaction ratio with amylase decreased to not more than 95% of unmodified starchy material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5320858
    Abstract: The invention is a continuous process and a product of the process for preparing a low fat content chip-like baked snack food from a composition containing at least one ingredient having starch. Water and the ingredient having starch comprise substantially all of the ingredients of the composition. The method involves mixing and heating the composition in a cooker extruder or continuous mixer to form a dough-like consistency. In the most preferred embodiments of the invention the ingredient including starch is either a corn or a potato ingredient. The heating is conducted until the composition obtains a temperature of from about 130.degree. F. to about 260.degree. F. The composition is extruded under a pressure drop which substantially avoids expansion of the extrudate to obtain an extrudate having a water content of from about 25% by weight to about 60% by weight. The extrudate is sheeted, while hot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: Nabisco, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Fazzolare, Joseph A. Szwerc, Bernhard van Lengerich, Rudolph J. Leschke
  • Patent number: 5320859
    Abstract: A high protein dough mix for a leavened bakery product, consisting essentially of, by weight, in unflavored form, a blend of up to 20% water, 10-80% of a protein containing material selected from the group consisting of soy products, gluten, milk products, whey products, egg products and nuts, 10-80% of a sweetener, up to 40% of a vegetable shortening, up to 50% flour, and up to 8% of a leavening agent. The dough mix may be baked and served as a cookie, a muffin, a cake, a brownie, or a snack bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Inventor: Bahram Namdari
  • Patent number: 5312633
    Abstract: A method of making a substantially elongated soft pretzel product from pretzel dough with the end product having an edible filling comprising the steps providing the combination of soft pretzel dough upon which an edible food has been positioned. The soft pretzel combination is formed into a soft pretzel dough product where the edible food is substantially enclosed by the dough. The soft pretzel combination is then baked as desired. Additionally, the combination may be subjected to a coloring agent or a caustic soda solution to provide a desired final appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Inventor: Janet Schwartz