Patents by Inventor E. Kim Fifer

E. Kim Fifer 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: 8323673
    Abstract: A concentrated quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) solution comprising a QAC with a concentration greater than about 10% by weight and at least one solubility enhancing agent, such as an alcohol, is disclosed. A diluted QAC solution is useful on food products to prevent microbial growth on the food from a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination. Also disclosed is a method of contacting food products with the dilute QAC for an application time of at least 0.1 second. Foods that can be treated by this method are meat and meat products, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pet foods and snacks, and any other food that can be 10 treated and still retain its appearance and texture. One of the treatment methods is spraying and misting the QAC solutions on the food products for an application time of at least 0.1 second to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Cesar Compadre, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yanbin Li, Timothy O'Brien, Amy L. Waldroup, Thomas F. Berg
  • Publication number: 20120071521
    Abstract: A concentrated quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) solution comprising a QAC with a concentration greater than about 10% by weight and at least one solubility enhancing agent, such as an alcohol, is disclosed. A diluted QAC solution is useful on food products to prevent microbial growth on the food from a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination. Also disclosed is a method of contacting food products with the dilute QAC for an application time of at least 0.1 second. Foods that can be treated by this method are meat and meat products, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pet foods and snacks, and any other food that can be 10 treated and still retain its appearance and texture. One of the treatment methods is spraying and misting the QAC solutions on the food products for an application time of at least 0.1 second to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Cesar COMPADRE, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yanbin Li, Timothy O'Brien, Amy L. Waldroup, Thomas F. Berg
  • Publication number: 20090239912
    Abstract: A concentrated quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) solution comprising a QAC with a concentration from greater than about 10% by weight and at least one solubility enhancing agent, such as an alcohol, is disclosed. A diluted QAC solution is used to contact food products to prevent microbial growth on the food products from a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination. A method of contacting the food products with the dilute QAC for an application time of at least 0.1 second is disclosed. The foods that can be treated by this method are meat and meat products, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pet foods and snacks, and any other food that can be treated and still retain its appearance and texture. One of the treatment methods is spraying and misting the QAC solutions on the food products for an application time of at least 0.1 second to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: CESAR COMPADRE, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yanbin Li, Timothy O'Brien, Amy L. Waldroup, Thomas F. Berg
  • Patent number: 7541045
    Abstract: A concentrated quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) solution comprising a QAC with a concentration from greater than about 10% by weight and at least one solubility enhancing agent, such as an alcohol, is disclosed. A diluted QAC solution is used to contact food products to prevent microbial growth on the food products from a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination. A method of contacting the food products with the dilute QAC for an application time of at least 0.1 second is disclosed. The foods that can be treated by this method are meat and meat products, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pet foods and snacks, and any other food that can be treated and still retain its appearance and texture. One of the treatment methods is spraying and misting the QAC solutions on the food products for an application time of at least 0.1 second to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Cesar Compadre, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yanbin Li, Timothy O'Brien, Amy L. Waldroup, Thomas F. Berg
  • Patent number: 7034020
    Abstract: The present invention provides a series of compounds having structural formulas wherein n1 is 1 to 5, n2 is 1 to 4 and m is 1 to 3; X is O or NH; Y is CH2, O, S, NH, NR; R is selected from the group consisting a straight-chain aliphatic group, a branched-chain aliphatic group and an alicyclic group; wherein R? is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; when Y is O, n1 is not 1; and wherein X and R? are independently optionally substituted at C2, C3 or C4 in compounds of Fomula IV or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Also provided is a method of inactivating antigen-specific T cells in a n individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: The University of Arkansas for Medical Science
    Inventors: Kathleen Gilbert, E. Kim Fifer
  • Patent number: 6864269
    Abstract: A concentrated quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) solution comprising a QAC with a concentration from greater than about 10% by weight and at least one solubility enhancing agent, such as an alcohol, is disclosed. A diluted QAC solution is used to contact food products to prevent microbial growth on the food products from a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination. A method of contacting the food products with the dilute QAC for an application time of at least 0.1 second is disclosed. The foods that can be treated by this method are meat and meat products, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pet foods and snacks, and any other food that can be treated and still retain its appearance and texture. One of the treatment methods is spraying and misting the QAC solutions on the food products for an application time of at least 0.1 second to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Cesar Compadre, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yanbin Li, Timothy O'Brien, Amy L. Waldroup, Thomas F. Berg
  • Publication number: 20040127564
    Abstract: The present invention provides a series of compounds having structural formulas 1
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Inventors: Kathleen Gilbert, E. Kim Fifer
  • Patent number: 6664394
    Abstract: The present invention provides a series of compounds having structural formulas wherein n1 is 1 to 5, n2 is 1 to 4 and m is 1 to 3; X is O or NH; Y is CH2, O, S, NH, NR; R is selected from the group consisting a straight-chain aliphatic group, a branched-chain aliphatic group and an alicyclic group; wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; when Y is O, n1 is not 1; and wherein X and R′ are independently optionally substituted at C2, C3 or C4 in compounds of Fomula IV or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Also provided is a method of inactivating antigen-specific T cells in an individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Kathleen Gilbert, E. Kim Fifer
  • Publication number: 20030021818
    Abstract: A concentrated quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) solution comprising a QAC with a concentration from greater than about 10% by weight and at least one solubility enhancing agent, such as an alcohol, is disclosed. A diluted QAC solution is used to contact food products to prevent microbial growth on the food products from a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination. A method of contacting the food products with the dilute QAC for an application time of at least 0.1 second is disclosed. The foods that can be treated by this method are meat and meat products, seafood, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, pet foods and snacks, and any other food that can be treated and still retain its appearance and texture. One of the treatment methods is spraying and misting the QAC solutions on the food products for an application time of at least 0.1 second to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventors: Cesar Compadre, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yambin Li, Timothy O'Brien, Amy L. Waldroup, Thomas F. Berg
  • Publication number: 20020143056
    Abstract: The present invention provides a series of compounds having structural formulas 1
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Inventors: Kathleen Gilbert, E. Kim Fifer
  • Patent number: 6407107
    Abstract: The present invention provides a series of compounds having structural formulas wherein n1 is 1 to 5, n2 is 1 to 4 and m is 1 to 3; X is O or NH; Y is CH2, O, S, NH, NR; R is selected from the group consisting a straight-chain aliphatic group, a branched-chain aliphatic group and an alicyclic group; wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; when Y is O, n1 is not 1; and wherein X and R′ are independently optionally substituted at C2, C3 or C4 in compounds of Fomula IV or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Also provided is a method of inactivating antigen-specific T cells in an individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Unversity of Arkansas
    Inventors: Kathleen Gilbert, E. Kim Fifer
  • Patent number: 6039992
    Abstract: A method of using quaternary ammonium compounds for inhibiting attachment of and removing a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination from food products. The method uses quaternary ammonium compounds for inhibiting attachment of and removing microorganisms such as, Staphylococcus, Campylobacter, Arcobacter, Listeria, Aeromonas, Bacillus, Salmonella, non-toxin-producing Escherichia, and pathogenic toxin-producing Escherichia, such as 0157:H7; fungi, such as Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium chrysogenum; and parasites, such as Entameba histolytica from a broad range of food. The foods that can be treated by this method are meat, seafood, vegetables, and fruit. One of the treatment methods is spraying quaternary ammonium compounds on the food products to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Cesar Compadre, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny L. Lattin, Michael Slavik, Yanbin Li, Timothy O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5855940
    Abstract: A composition and a method of using the composition for removal and prevention of broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination in meat products. The method uses quaternary ammonium compounds for inhibiting attachment of and removing a broad spectrum of foodborne microbial contamination from poultry and meat products. The method uses quaternary ammonium compounds for inhibiting attachment of and removing Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination from meat and poultry products. One of the treatment methods is spraying quaternary ammonium compounds on the poultry and meat products to prevent broad spectrum foodborne microbial contamination. The treatment methods can contact the meat products with the quaternary ammonium compounds for less than 10 minutes and still obtain significant reduction of viable foodborne microorganisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Cesar Compadre, Philip Breen, Hamid Salari, E. Kim Fifer, Danny Lattin, Mike Slavik, Yanbin Li
  • Patent number: 5366983
    Abstract: A composition and method for removing and preventing Salmonella contamination of meat products, in particular poultry. The composition comprises an effective amount of a quaternary ammonium compound in an aqueous solution. The quaternary ammonium compound are selected from the group consisting of alkylpyridinium, tetra-alkylammonium, and alkylalicyclic ammonium salts. Preferably, the quaternary ammonium compounds are cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB). The method comprises treating meat and poultry products with an effective amount of the quaternary ammonium compound in an aqueous solution. Mutagenicity studies are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of The University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Danny L. Lattin, Philip J. Breen, Cesar M. Compadre, E. Kim Fifer, Michael F. Slavik, Hamid Salari, Phillip V. Engler