Patents by Inventor Athula Ekanayake

Athula Ekanayake has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8900648
    Abstract: Processes for controlling strength of an extracted beverage including providing a pseudo packed bed of an extractable beverage material and contacting at least one liquid extraction stream with the pseudo packed bed of beverage material at a selected depth to obtain at least one zone of minimum extraction and at least one zone of maximum extraction. As the depth at which the liquid extraction stream is introduced into the packed bed increases, the zone of minimum extraction increases and the zone of maximum extraction decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: The Folger Coffee Company
    Inventors: Paul Ralph Bunke, Alisa Anne Bolinger, Jianjun Justin Li, Athula Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 8697150
    Abstract: A process for producing an essential oil. The essential oil can be white mustard essential oil. The white mustard essential oil can include a moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound. The moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound can be 4-HBITC. The essential oil can be produced from mustard seed, which can comprise a precursor sinalbin and myrosinase enzyme. The mustard seed can be reduced into a powder. Activation of the myrosinase enzyme by using a water solvent and a promoter to form a slurry can be performed, wherein the myrosinase enzyme catalyzes the production of an essential oil comprising an isothiocyanate from the sinalbin precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Scott Alan Vandiest, Jeffrey John Kester, Paul Henry Zoutendam, Jairus R. D. David
  • Publication number: 20130280388
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are solid food products comprising an isothiocyanate compound. Also disclosed are methods of preserving solid food products comprising such isothiocyanate compounds. In one embodiment, the methods comprise providing a solid food product comprising an isothiocyanate compound and exposing the solid food product to energy input to cause thermal heat. In one embodiment the energy input may be microwave radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jairus R. David, Clinton Lewis Johnson, Kari Dalene Sweeney
  • Patent number: 8475862
    Abstract: A composition for preserving solid food products comprising a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate compound and a hygroscopic carrier, wherein the composition is substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof. Also disclosed is a solid food product containing the aforementioned preservative composition and a method for preserving solid food products including the steps of adding a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate to the solid food product and storing the resulting product at a reduced temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester, Jianjun Justin Li, Gerhard Norbert Zehenbauer, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Patent number: 8449933
    Abstract: Processes for extracting juice from plant material containing terpene glycosides comprising the steps of crushing a plant material comprising terpene glycosides, blanching the crushed plant material in acidified water to obtain a puree, the puree comprising a juice extract and a plant solids residue, separating the juice extract from the plant solids residue, mixing enzymes with the juice extract, and separating the juice extract to obtain a sweet juice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester, Jianjun Justin Li
  • Publication number: 20120276252
    Abstract: Processes for controlling strength of an extracted beverage including providing a pseudo packed bed of an extractable beverage material and contacting at least one liquid extraction stream with the pseudo packed bed of beverage material at a selected depth to obtain at least one zone of minimum extraction and at least one zone of maximum extraction. As the depth at which the liquid extraction stream is introduced into the packed bed increases, the zone of minimum extraction increases and the zone of maximum extraction decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: The Folger Coffee Company
    Inventors: Paul Ralph Bunke, Alisa Anne Bolinger, Jianjun Justin Li, Athula Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 8277865
    Abstract: A snack chip comprising from about 15% to about 60% of vegetable material; from about 40% to about 65% of starch material made from materials selected from the group consisting of tapioca, rice and mixtures thereof; from about 0.1% to about 3.0% water; and from about 1% to about 20% of optional ingredients. At least about 40% of the starch material is pre-gelatinized. The snack chip can be made by combining the vegetable material and dry ingredients with water to form a dough which is then sheeted, dried without the use of a heated extruder to form a half product, which is cooked to form the snack chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventors: Paul Ralph Bunke, Athula Ekanayake, Priscilla G Hammond, Robert Lawrence Prosise, Peter Yen-Chih Lin, Sharon Lee Schnur
  • Patent number: 8277859
    Abstract: A composition for preserving solid food products comprising a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate compound and a hygroscopic carrier, wherein the composition is substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof. Also disclosed is a solid food product containing the aforementioned preservative composition and a method for preserving solid food products including the steps of adding a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate to the solid food product and storing the resulting product at a reduced temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester, Jianjun Justin Li, Gerhard Norbert Zehenbauer, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Patent number: 8225712
    Abstract: Processes for controlling strength of an extracted beverage including providing a pseudo packed bed of an extractable beverage material and contacting at least one liquid extraction stream with the pseudo packed bed of beverage material at a selected depth to obtain at least one zone of minimum extraction and at least one zone of maximum extraction. As the depth at which the liquid extraction stream is introduced into the packed bed increases, the zone of minimum extraction increases and the zone of maximum extraction decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: The Folger Coffee Company
    Inventors: Paul Ralph Bunke, Alisa Anne Bolinger, Jianjun Justin Li, Athula Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 8178141
    Abstract: Articles of manufacture and methods for absorbing gasses released by roaster coffee packed in hermetically sealed containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: The Folger Coffee Company
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Publication number: 20120070557
    Abstract: A composition for preserving solid food products comprising a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate compound and a hygroscopic carrier, wherein the composition is substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof. Also disclosed is a solid food product containing the aforementioned preservative composition and a method for preserving solid food products including the steps of adding a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate to the solid food product and storing the resulting product at a reduced temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester, Jianjun Justin Li, Gerhard Norbert Zehenbauer, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Publication number: 20120052176
    Abstract: A composition for preserving solid food products comprising a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate compound and a hygroscopic carrier, wherein the composition is substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof. Also disclosed is a solid food product containing the aforementioned preservative composition and a method for preserving solid food products including the steps of adding a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate to the solid food product and storing the resulting product at a reduced temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester, Jianjun Justin Li, Gerhard Norbert Zehenbauer, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Publication number: 20120052175
    Abstract: A process for producing an essential oil. The essential oil can be white mustard essential oil. The white mustard essential oil can include a moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound. The moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound can be 4-HBITC. The essential oil can be produced from mustard seed, which can comprise a precursor sinalbin and myrosinase enzyme. The mustard seed can be reduced into a powder. Activation of the myrosinase enzyme by using a water solvent and a promoter to form a slurry can be performed, wherein the myrosinase enzyme catalyzes the production of an essential oil comprising an isothiocyanate from the sinalbin precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Scott Alan Vandiest, Michael Eisenmenger, Jerry Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20120003369
    Abstract: A process for acidifying a food product. The process can include providing a food product having an initial pH, adding a first acid to the food product so as to adjust the initial pH of the food product to an intermediate pH of the food product, adding a second acid to the food product so as to adjust the intermediate pH of the food product to a final pH of the food product, wherein an acidified food product having the final p is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester
  • Publication number: 20120003375
    Abstract: Products that include cassava flour. The products can be dry blends, doughs, and fabricated snack products. The cassava flour can have a total cyanide content of less than 10 mg HCN equivalent/kg, can have a peak RVA viscosity ranging from about 700 cP to about 1200 cP, can have a final RVA viscosity ranging from about 200 cP to about 1100 cP, and can be formed from a crushed cassava root having a cyanide content of at least 50 mg HCN equivalent/kg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Publication number: 20120003371
    Abstract: A process for acidifying and preserving a food product. The process can include providing a food product having an initial pH, acidifying the food product to a final pH to produce an acidified food product, treating the acidified food product with a preservative composition comprising a moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound, wherein the acidifying and treating produce an acidified and preserved food product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester
  • Publication number: 20120003356
    Abstract: A process for the production of cassava flour having low concentration of cyanogenic compounds is described. The process is suitable for removing the cyanogenic compounds from bitter-type cassava roots using a minimum of washing steps. The resultant cassava flour has a high fiber content while having less than about 10 mg HCN equivalents/kg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Patent number: 8084072
    Abstract: A composition for preserving solid food products comprising a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate compound and a hygroscopic carrier, wherein the composition is substantially free of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and salts thereof. Also disclosed is a solid food product containing the aforementioned preservative composition and a method for preserving solid food products including the steps of adding a moisture-sensitive isothiocyanate to the solid food product and storing the resulting product at a reduced temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Procter & Gamble
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Jeffrey John Kester, Jianjun Justin Li, Gerhard Norbert Zehenbauer, Paul Ralph Bunke
  • Publication number: 20110245526
    Abstract: A process for producing an essential oil. The essential oil can be white mustard essential oil. The white mustard essential oil can include a moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound. The moisture sensitive isothiocyanate compound can be 4-HBITC. The essential oil can be produced from mustard seed, which can comprise a precursor sinalbin and myrosinase enzyme. The mustard seed can be reduced into a powder. Activation of the myrosinase enzyme by using a water solvent and a promoter to form a slurry can be performed, wherein the myrosinase enzyme catalyzes the production of an essential oil comprising an isothiocyanate from the sinalbin precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Scott Alan Vandiest, Jeffrey John Kester, Paul Henry Zoutendam, Jairus R.D. David
  • Publication number: 20110244078
    Abstract: A white mustard essential oil having from about 30% to about 35% 4-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate, by weight. An enriched white mustard essential oil having about 30% to about 80% 4-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate, by weight. A food or beverage product can include the enriched white mustard essential oil. A flour including a mustard flour, wherein the mustard flour is substantially free of sinalbin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Athula Ekanayake, Scott Alan Vandiest, Jeffrey John Kester, Paul Henry Zoutendam, Jairus R. D. David