Patents by Inventor David Mehnert

David Mehnert 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: 7858137
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a fermented and clarified nisin-containing whey and a method of making that can be used to produce a stabilized food product by adding, for example, to the pack water of fresh mozzarella cheese. The resulting stabilized food product retards or limits below detection levels the growth of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants when the nisin-containing whey is added in amounts between about 10 to about 30% to the food product. The stabilized food product improves the safety of the food by retarding the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and improves the shelf life of the product by retarding the growth of gas forming bacteria such as bacteria from the Leuconostoc species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC
    Inventors: Zuoxing Zheng, David Mehnert, Susan Monckton
  • Publication number: 20080095886
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a fermented and clarified nisin-containing whey and a method of making that can be used to produce a stabilized food product by adding, for example, to the pack water of fresh mozzarella cheese. The resulting stabilized food product retards or limits below detection levels the growth of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants when the nisin-containing whey is added in amounts between about 10 to about 30% to the food product. The stabilized food product improves the safety of the food by retarding the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and improves the shelf life of the product by retarding the growth of gas forming bacteria such as bacteria from the Leuconostoc species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Zuoxing Zheng, David Mehnert, Susan Monckton
  • Patent number: 7323204
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a fermented and clarified nisin-containing whey and a method of making that can be used to produce a stabilized food product by adding, for example, to the pack water of fresh mozzarella cheese. The resulting stabilized food product retards or limits below detection levels the growth of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants when the nisin-containing whey is added in amounts between about 10 to about 30% to the food product. The stabilized food product improves the safety of the food by retarding the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and improves the shelf life of the product by retarding the growth of gas forming bacteria such as bacteria from the Leuconostoc species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Zuoxing Zheng, David Mehnert, Susan Monckton
  • Publication number: 20070172546
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing reduced-fat components that may be used to make reduced and low-fat processed cheese, natural cheese or other reduced and low-fat food products. The reduced-fat flavor components are produced by extraction of fat from full-fat biogenerated cheese flavor components. Alternatively, natural biogenerated cheese flavor components are produced with reduced amounts of fat. Additionally, reduced-fat cheddar cheese can be derived from 1% milk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: James Moran, David Mehnert, Chad Galer, Jonathan Reeve, Thomas Jackson, Cheryl Baldwin, Gary Smith
  • Publication number: 20070098872
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to processes for making blocks of cheese having reduced moisture variability using controlled cooling of cheese curd to form the final cheese blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Divya Reddy, Gary Smith, David Mehnert
  • Publication number: 20060216374
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to processes for making blocks of cheese having reduced moisture variability using controlled cooling of cheese curd to form the final cheese blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: David Mehnert, Divya Reddy, Carie Wolters
  • Publication number: 20060216373
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for making a block of cheese having reduced moisture variability. A bulk container having a bottom and sidewalls, and a tube having a fill end and an opposite discharge end, are provided. The discharge end of the tube is positioned at an approximately central axial location of the container. Cheese curd is introduced into the container, and the tube via its fill end. Then, a chilled brine is introduced into the tube via its fill end to mix with curd therein. Preferably, the chilled brine has a salt content which approximately matches the salt content of the moisture phase of the cheese curd. The tube is removed from the cheese curd in the container. The cheese curd is pressed into a curd mass, and then cooled, and thereafter cured, providing a cheese block having reduced moisture variability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: David Mehnert, Divva Reddy, Carie Wolters
  • Publication number: 20060216375
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to processes for making blocks of cheese having reduced moisture variability using controlled cooling of cheese curd to form the final cheese blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: David Mehnert, Divya Reddy, Carie Wolters
  • Publication number: 20060008556
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a fermented dairy product including the use of an oxidase for the conversion of lactose to lactobionic acid. Moreover, it refers to a method for affecting firmness and/or sourness of a fermented dairy product. Hereby is produced a fermented dairy product having improved functional and/or organoleptic properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicant: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Gitte Lynglev, Rathna Koka, David Mehnert, Rudolf Fritsch
  • Publication number: 20050287272
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a fermented and clarified nisin-containing whey and a method of making that can be used to produce a stabilized food product by adding, for example, to the pack water of fresh mozzarella cheese. The resulting stabilized food product retards or limits below detection levels the growth of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants when the nisin-containing whey is added in amounts between about 10 to about 30% to the food product. The stabilized food product improves the safety of the food by retarding the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and improves the shelf life of the product by retarding the growth of gas forming bacteria such as bacteria from the Leuconostoc species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Inventors: Zuoxing Zheng, David Mehnert, Susan Monckton
  • Publication number: 20050244541
    Abstract: Process for manufacturing cheeses and other dairy products, and the resulting products, in which lactobionic acid is added, or generated in situ, in combination with a dairy component in the course of the process. The lactobionic acid can be used as the sole acidulent for direct acidification of the cheese, or in conjunction with reduced amounts of lactic acid culture. When the lactobionic acid is generated in situ during cheese manufacture according to the invention, a lactose oxidase is used in one embodiment to convert lactose intrinsically present in the dairy liquid ingredient(s) into lactobionic acid. The organoleptic attributes of the cheeses made using lactobionic acid as an ingredient are satisfactory and fully suitable. The process can be applied to the production of a wide variety of cheeses, including, for example, cream cheeses, hard cheeses such as cheddar, UF cheeses, process cheeses, cheddar cheeses, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Ramarathna Koka, David Mehnert, Rudole Fritsch, Wolfram Steffan, Peter Habermeier, Allan Bradbury, Alan Wolfschoon-Pombo, Mehran Rose, Gitte Lynglev, Hans Heldt-Hansen
  • Publication number: 20050208193
    Abstract: The invention provides a process for providing Mozzarella-type string cheese products having sufficiently good mouthfeel and textural properties so as to be suitable for direct consumption by a consumer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Eduardo Cortes-Martinez, Angela Schroeder, Alan Wolfschoon, Thomas Schmid, David Mehnert
  • Patent number: 5709900
    Abstract: A low-fat natural cheese is manufactured from skim milk or skim milk cheese. In one embodiment, a gel-forming fat mimetic is added to skim milk to provide a cheese substrate. The gel-forming fat mimetic may be gelled in situ. The cheese substrate is then subjected to a cheese make procedure to provide a cheese curd. The cheese curd is then cured to provide a low-fat skim milk cheese. The skim milk cheese is comminuted and heated to a temperature of from about 140.degree. F. to about 180.degree. F. for a period of time sufficient to provide a homogeneous cheese mass. The cheese mass is then packaged to provide a low-fat natural cheese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Kraft Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Miller, Kevin J. Surber, David Mehnert, Paul Wrezel, Sylvia Irene Crawford, Ronald L. Meibach
  • Patent number: 5532018
    Abstract: A low-fat natural cheese is manufactured from skim milk or skim milk cheese. In one embodiment of the invention, a gel-forming fat mimetic is added to skim milk to provide a cheese substrate. The gel-forming fat mimetic may be gelled in situ or may be pregelled. The cheese substrate is then subjected to a cheese make procedure to provide a cheese curd. The cheese curd is then cured to provide a low-fat skim milk cheese. The skim milk cheese is comminuted and heated to a temperature of from about 140.degree. F. to about 180.degree. F. for a period of time sufficient to provide a homogeneous cheese mass. The cheese mass is then packaged to provide a low-fat natural cheese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Kraft Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Miller, Kevin J. Surber, David Mehnert, Paul Wrezel, Sylvia I. Crawford, Ronald L. Meibach