Patents Examined by Vera Stulii
  • Patent number: 9944891
    Abstract: An alcoholic beverage is aged in a wooden barrel after the barrel is covered by a film having an oxygen transmission rate of at least 50 cc/m2/day and an ethanol transmission rate of less than 30 g/m2/day. The beverage acquires one or more specific flavor components in an amount of 50%, 75%, or 100% relative to amounts of one or more of the same flavor components in a control alcoholic beverage aged in a wooden barrel without the film thereon. Covering the barrel with the film reduces the angels' share evaporative loss, while allowing the beverage to develop desirable flavor components during aging. In another embodiment, the process reduces angels' share evaporative loss while achieving organoleptics indistinguishable from a control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: Seetharaman Chidambarakrishnan, Sumita S. Ranganathan, Robert Babrowicz, Angela Elizabeth Morgan
  • Patent number: 9936714
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for stabilizing moisture in muscle foods using natural, phosphate-free ingredients are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ISOAGE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Richard Hull, Mo Toledo, Romeo Toledo
  • Patent number: 9918486
    Abstract: The invention provides novel food compositions having a realistic meat-like appearance, feel, and texture. The compositions comprise from about 40 to about 90% functional proteins, from about 0.05 to about 2% of one or more cross-linking agents, and from about 60 to about 10% of a meat slurry, wherein the meat slurry comprises meat and one or more humectants plasticizers in a meat:humectant plasticizer ratio of from about 20:80 to about 80:20. The compositions are produced by heating a preconditioned mixture of the food components under pressure and then expanding the heated composition to form the food composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: NESTEC SA
    Inventors: Richard B. Uhrhan, David W. Kuehnle
  • Patent number: 9909088
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of iso-alpha-acids starting from alpha-acids in which an alpha-acid containing hop extract is mixed with a carbon-containing chemical compound with one or more functional groups containing a (basic) nitrogen atom with a lone pair (or mixtures thereof), either in solvent-free conditions or in the presence of solvents and preferably under an oxygen-free atmosphere. The resulting mixture is subjected to a temperature of at least 278 K for a time sufficient to effect the intended conversion of the alpha-acid reactant into the iso-alpha-acid product. The present invention further relates to iso-alpha-acid compositions obtained by said improved isomerisation process and to the use of said iso-alpha-acid compositions as bittering formulation and/or as source to obtain reduced or hydrogenated iso-alpha-acid compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: IFAST NV
    Inventors: Dirk De Vos, Pascal Mertens
  • Patent number: 9907329
    Abstract: Moisture is retained in cooked or thawed food by adding to the food an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein obtained from animal muscle tissue. The aqueous suspension is obtained by mixing comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade base to form an aqueous basic solution of animal muscle protein. The basic solution is mixed with a food grade acid to precipitate the protein in an aqueous composition. The precipitated protein then is comminuted to form an aqueous suspension of comminuted animal muscle protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Proteus Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D Kelleher, William R Fielding, Wayne S Saunders, Peter G Williamson
  • Patent number: 9879209
    Abstract: Multi-stage fermentation process for making red/white/rosé wines having a unique, unexpected and intense “vertical palate” (VP) of aroma, flavors and exceptional finish. The inventive VP wines are a blend of 3-4 feed stocks: I. Red: A) a primary and secondary fermented, barrel-aged must-based wine; B) a flashed-must, barrel-fermented, barrel-aged wine; C) a flashed-on-skin primary and secondary fermented, barrel-aged wine; or D) A+C; and II. White: A-1) a low solids, juice-based barrel fermented wine, and/or A-2) a low solids primary and secondary fermented, barrel or tank-aged wine; B) a flashed-juice, concentrated, barrel-fermented, barrel or tank-aged wine; C) a flashed-juice, concentrated, primary and secondary fermented, barrel or tank-aged wine; or D) A-2+C. Quantitative assays show the inventive VPP wines have 2-3× phenolic components as compared to traditional fermentation process wines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Barry Gnekow
  • Patent number: 9872512
    Abstract: A method for economically retrieving pre-rigor lean and fat for pork sausage from a butcher hog; barrow (a male pig that has been castrated) or gilt (female pig less than six months old that has never been pregnant), (a pig approximately 285 lbs live weight, 6 months old and ready for market with no abnormalities). Retrieving pre-rigor pork sausage from a butcher hog is not known currently in the industry because the perception is that it is not economically feasible. The process technology as disclosed and claimed herein is a new method for economically retrieving and processing certain sections of a butcher hog for producing ground pork sausage while maintaining the value from the primal cuts. The ground pork sausage from this process has comparable texture, color, consistency and other characteristics as compared to the pork sausage retrieved from the older sows, which are typically utilized in industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Tyson Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Matthew Claussen, Brent Robert McElroy, Brady Thomas Wilson, Daniel Jason Boetel, Harry Y. Chu, Jace Joseph Hollenbeck
  • Patent number: 9872505
    Abstract: A method for separating fat from lean, while minimizing the loss of micronutrients from the lean, is disclosed. The method includes combining a mixture of fat particles that are a majority of fat, and lean particles that are a majority of lean, with a saturated aqueous fluid, wherein a density of the fluid is greater than a density of the fat particles, and wherein the fluid is saturated with one or more components found in beef prior to being combined with the beef particles. The method includes collecting the fat particles separate from the lean particles by causing the fat particles to rise in the fluid, and collecting the lean particles. The saturated fluid reduces the depletion of micronutrients from the lean.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 9872509
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improved rendering of animal products may utilize a multi-step process including at least a heating step through use of a steam-jacketed tube system and a pressing step to squeeze out the oils. Grinding and pre-breaking may first be used to break the fat/whole animal into pieces. The ground material may then be transported and heated in one or more steam-jacketed tubes to create a slurry. A press may then be employed to press out the oil and water from the slurry. Residual solids may be removed from the oil and water through a decanting step. Water and extremely fine materials may then be removed from the oil through a centrifuge step, and the oil may be transferred to one or more storage tanks. Following the pressing step, the protein that remains may be subjected to high pressure to squeeze out any residual fat and then may be transferred to a hammer mill to prepare into a powdered protein or other desired protein material that may be stored for later use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: James K. Zitnik
  • Patent number: 9868929
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a nested fermentation method for making a beverage, such as an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beer, a wine, or the like, the method comprising the steps of: (1) performing a first fermentation process on first fermentation ingredients to form a first solution; (2) removing a first collection of alcohol, aromatics, and water from the first solution to generate an intermediate solution; (3) adding additional fermentation ingredients to the intermediate solution; (4) removing additional alcohol, aromatics, and water from the intermediate solution after fermentation of the additional fermentation ingredients; (5) repeating steps (3) and (4) as necessary to create a concentrated solution; and (6) adding aromatics and/or alcohol to the concentrated solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventor: Patrick J. Tatera
  • Patent number: 9862917
    Abstract: An alcoholic beverage is aged in at least one wooden barrel after the barrel is covered by a film having an oxygen transmission rate of at least 0.5 cc/m2/day and an ethanol transmission rate of less than 30 g/m2/day. The beverage acquires one or more specific flavor components in an amount of 50%, 75%, 90%, or 100% relative to amounts of one or more of the same flavor components in a control alcoholic beverage aged in at least one wooden barrel without the film thereon. Covering the barrel with the film reduces the angels' share evaporative loss, while allowing the beverage to develop desirable flavor components during aging. In another embodiment, the process reduces angels' share evaporative loss while achieving organoleptics indistinguishable from a control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: Seetharaman Chidambarakrishnan, Sumita S. Ranganathan, Robert Babrowicz, Angela Elizabeth Morgan
  • Patent number: 9848627
    Abstract: To provide an unfermented beer-taste beverage provided with fermentation flavor, and a method for producing the unfermented beer-taste beverage. An unfermented beer-taste beverage provided with good fermentation flavor characteristic of beer can be provided by a method for producing an unfermented beer-taste beverage comprising a step of adding a flavor composition containing a sulfur-containing compound to an unfermented beer-taste beverage to achieve a content of the sulfur-containing compound of 1×102 ppt or more but 1×103 ppt or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Ito, Jun Kubota
  • Patent number: 9839226
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a fish meat paste product that is soft and highly preferable like the meat of eel in terms of mouth feel and flavor, and a method for making the fish meat paste product. In some embodiments, provided are a spitchcock-like fish meat paste product, comprising: an upper layer, the upper layer comprising fish meat, glucomannan, salt, transglutaminase, an alkaline agent, cooking oil or avocado paste, and spitchcock sauce; and a lower layer, the lower layer comprising fish meat, glucomannan, salt, transglutaminase, an alkaline agent, cooking oil or avocado paste, spitchcock sauce, and squid ink, as well as a method for making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SUGIYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minoru Noda, Kazuki Tomiyama, Naoki Takamoto, Isamu Yoshino, Kiyoharu Miyamoto, Koichi Ueda, Haruhiko Hamaguti
  • Patent number: 9826757
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method and an automatic system for recovering protein powder meal, crude and pure omega-3 oil and purified distilled water from a mixture of animal tissue processed in a filter-drier-reaction tank. Animal tissue, for example fish, and organic solvent are directly or indirectly fed into the filter-drier-reaction tank. The filter-drier-reaction tank mixes, heats, and separates solid and heavy liquid portions of the mixture, the organic solvents are automatically recycled back in to the system after distillation. The solid portion is retained in the filter-drier-reaction tank and baked. Solid protein powder product (the protein powder meal) is thus recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Advance International Inc.
    Inventors: Shahmard Maziar Ghorbani, Kerry Coltun
  • Patent number: 9820502
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a surimi food product similar to fresh pasta, which is furthermore ready for immediate consumption. It also relates to the method of manufacturing said food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: ANGULAS AGUINAGA, S.A.U.
    Inventors: Javier Cañada Millán, Maria Barandiaran Martinez, Ana Aseguinolaza Garcia, Beatriz Uriarte Seminario
  • Patent number: 9820503
    Abstract: Moisture is retained in cooked or thawed food by adding to the food an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein obtained from animal muscle tissue. The aqueous suspension is obtained by mixing comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade base to form an aqueous basic solution of animal muscle protein. The basic solution is mixed with a food grade acid to precipitate the protein in an aqueous composition. The precipitated protein then is comminuted to form an aqueous suspension of comminuted animal muscle protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Proteus Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D Kelleher, William R Fielding, Wayne S Saunders, Peter G Williamson
  • Patent number: 9816061
    Abstract: In a method for treating a hop product exhibiting a moisture in excess of 18% GG water content, the hop product is sterilized in an airtight container, and stored in an airtight packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Inventor: Martin Schmailzl
  • Patent number: 9795160
    Abstract: Moisture is retained in cooked or thawed food by adding to the food an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein obtained from animal muscle tissue. The aqueous suspension is obtained by mixing comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade acid to form an aqueous acidic solution of animal muscle protein. The acidic solution is mixed with a food grade base to precipitate the protein in an aqueous composition. The precipitated protein then is comminuted to form an aqueous suspension of comminuted animal muscle protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Proteus Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D Kelleher, William R Fielding, Wayne S Saunders, Peter G Williamson
  • Patent number: 9781941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable alcoholic milk and/or soy protein-based drink with a pH ranging from 5.2-6.5 comprising at least one or more milk and/or soy proteins, alcohol and one or more stabilizers. The invention also relates to a method for preparing the drinks, comprising at least one or more milk and/or soy proteins, which method comprises: a) mixing at least a portion of the milk and/or soy proteins and at least a portion of the stabilizers in an aqueous medium to obtain a mixture; b) setting the pH of the mixture to 3.5-4.4; c) homogenizing the mixture obtained in step b) to obtain a homogenate; d) setting the pH of the homogenate to 5.2-6.5; and e) mixing in the alcohol and optionally a residual portion of the milk and/or soy proteins and of the stabilizers during or after one or more of steps a)-d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: FrieslandCampina Nederland Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Henricus Van Dijk, Pauline Elisabeth Antoinette Smulders
  • Patent number: 9758752
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method of producing an alcoholic beverage by fermentation having flavor and taste of passion fruit and grapefruit, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: providing a gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide, bubbling the gas stream containing hydrogen sulfide into a grape juice and/or grape juice derived fractions prior to yeast inoculation, and/or during fermentation. The alcoholic beverage obtainable by the method can be chosen from the group constituted by wines, beers and spirits. Most preferably, the alcoholic beverage is a Sauvignon Blanc wine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: PERNOD RICARD
    Inventors: Audrey Joyce Dorsey, William James Marfell, Frank Benkwitz, Michael Johannes Harsch, Andrew Frost