Patents by Inventor James E. Eastman

James E. Eastman 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: 5629090
    Abstract: A starch hydrolysate composition is particularly suited for use as a sequesterer, i.e., it readily interacts noncovalently with other molecules to form stable inclusion complexes which are useful in a variety of applications. The starch molecules in the composition which act as sequesterers are in the form of single helical inclusion complexes with starch molecules having a D.P. of about 10 to 200 and a weight-average D.P. of about 10 to 50 as the host molecule holding one or more guest molecules within their internal cavities. These hydrolysates are prepared by first converting amylopectin molecules from the double helix form to the single helix form and then by cleaving chain segments from the molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 5474718
    Abstract: A starch hydrolysate composition is particularly suited for use as a sequesterer, i.e., it readily interacts noncovalently with other molecules to form stable inclusion complexes which are useful in a variety of applications. The starch molecules in the composition which act as sequesterers are in the form of single helical inclusion complexes with starch molecules having a D.P. of about 10 to 200 and a weight-average D.P. of about 10 to 50 as the host molecule holding one or more guest molecules within their internal cavities. These hydrolysates are prepared by first converting amylopectin molecules from the double helix form to the single helix form and then by cleaving chain segments from the molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 5275837
    Abstract: Starch hydrolysates having a D.P. of about 20 to 200 and a D.E. of about 0.5 to 5 are used as fat replacements in food. The starch hydrolysates are prepared by heating granular starch containing at least about 20 weight percent amylopectin in an acidic slurry of water and a water-miscable organic solvent such as ethanol. The slurry is heated under conditions which do not gelatinize the starch but cleave at least about 20 percent of the terminal amylose groups from the amylopectin molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 4992539
    Abstract: A cold-water-swellable granular starch which affords aqueous solutions or dispersions having high-viscosity and/or excellent clarity is provided. In one embodiment, the granular starch is made cold-water swellable by contact with aqueous alcohol, then derivatized with an .alpha.-halocarboxylic acid, and then isolated under condition which inhibit esterification of the granular starch, e.g. high pH, to afford a starch that has excellent paste clarity. In other embodiments, the cold-water-swellable granular starch is crosslinked to afford a starch that has very high paste viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Norman A. Portnoy, James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 4837314
    Abstract: Cold water soluble etherified or esterified starch derivatives having a 20 rpm Brookfield viscosity of less than 15,000 cps when tested in the form of a 10 weight percent starch solids aqueous solution at 25.degree. C. and which forms a transparent film when dried from aqueous solution can be prepared by first preparing a non-crosslinked granular etherified or esterified starch derivative, washing said starch derivative to remove salt by-products therefrom and thereafter solubilizing said starch derivative and thinning same to the desired viscosity level. The resulting starch derivative products are particularly suitable for use in wall covering adhesive formulations and as protective colloids in emulsion polymerization processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 4634596
    Abstract: The subject invention relates to a cold water swelling starch composition which is comprised of a blend of at least two distinct starch components. One starch component is an essentially amylose free starch, while the other is a starch containing at least 20 percent amylose. The starch components are heat processed together under conditions that impart cold water swelling characteristics. The starch composition is useful in instant and convenience food formulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 4623549
    Abstract: A dry instant dessert mix composition containing a cold water swelling hydroxypropylated granular starch component, a non-starch saccharide bulking and/or sweetener agent and a high intensity sweetener, which can be readily dispersed and hydrated in cold liquids. The dry mix composition is particularly advantageous in that it can be formulated to provide a reduced calorie dessert mix composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Judy L. Katt, Carl O. Moore, James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 4465702
    Abstract: A cold-water-swelling granular starch material derived from ungelatinized corn starch and characterized by a cold-water solubility of at least 50% is prepared by subjecting granular corn starch, slurried in selected aqueous alcohols, to conditions of high temperature and pressure. The cold-water-swelling granular starch material derived from chemically unmodified (or minimally modified) ungelatinized corn starch has an ability to set to a sliceable gel without cooking or chilling when blended with an aqueous sugar syrup. That granular starch material is particularly useful in food systems of the type which set or gel upon standing such as pie fillings, jellies, demouldable desserts and puddings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: James E. Eastman, Carl O. Moore
  • Patent number: 4452978
    Abstract: Hydroxypropylation of granular starch in a liquid medium comprising a lower alkanol under alkaline conditions in a confined zone at high temperature provides a novel improved hydroxypropyl substituted granular starch having a pasting temperature reduced from that of the granular starch before hydroxypropyl substitution by at least 6.5.degree. C. for each 1% by weight of hydroxypropyl substitution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 4256509
    Abstract: A method of modifying the viscosity characteristics of a starchy flour by physical treatment, including heating in alcohol in a confined zone. The resulting starchy flour exhibits thin-thick viscosity characteristics when heated, and provides added viscosity in acid systems without breaking down. It has particular application to baby food recipes to impart desired texture and mouthfeel. Oat flour is the presently preferred starchy flour to be treated for use in baby foods.In one embodiment, a starchy flour is slurried in an aqueous organic liquid, preferably ethanol, and is then subjected to heat and pressure for a predetermined time to modify the physical properties of the flour. The specific combination of pressure, temperature, and heating time determine the properties of the treated flour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1981
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: John V. Tuschhoff, James E. Eastman, Schanefelt Robert V.
  • Patent number: 4120982
    Abstract: A thin-thick, hydroxypropylated, epichlorohydrin crosslinked tapioca-based starch derivative for continuous process pressure cooking of acid food systems. The degree of crosslinking of this starch derivative is carefully controlled so that it is initially low in viscosity and develops full viscosity only under high pressure and temperatures. These characteristics make this starch derivative ideally suited for use in recently developed acid medium, food canning processes in which initial rapid heat penetration without degrading the starch derivative is necessary for the heat sterilization of the canned foods. For the new continuous retort processing, the usual time allowed for the complete retorting cycle is less than twenty minutes, and this must include heat sterilization. As the retort medium using the starch derivative of the invention reaches the heat sterilization temperature, it then increases in viscosity to a range which retains the canned food product in a desirable suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: James E. Eastman, Frank DEL Valle
  • Patent number: 4038482
    Abstract: Root and root-type starch derivatives having controlled acetyl substitution levels which provide an initial high paste viscosity to facilitate uniform filling operations when used as a food canning medium, and which break down to a thinner viscosity upon heating to facilitate heat penetration into the canned food mass for sterilization of the canned food product and to provide a more acceptable watery or soup-like consistency to the food product. The thinning phenomenon is accomplished without the requirement of adding any separate hydrolyzing or thinning agent such as an acid or enzyme. It is presently thought that these acetylated starch derivatives are capable of self-hydrolysis under the retort conditions of pH and temperature, and that this auto-hydrolytic thinning action during heating of the pasted product is sufficient to thin the starch derivative canning media partially or completely, as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1977
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 3966990
    Abstract: A dough binder for puffable food products comprising an alcohol washed, granular hydroxypropyl waxy-maize based starch derivative obtained by the dry reaction of acid hydrolyzed waxy maize starch which has also been treated with anhydrous disodium phosphate and propylene oxide to a hydroxypropyl degree of substitution of 0.3 to 0.5. The granular, crude starch derivative is cold water swelling, and is alcohol washed and dried to 3-5 percent moisture.Doughs made using the subject granular, ungelatinized starch derivative as a dough binder are more formable and workable, having the consistency of modeling clay. It is non-sticking, but readily cold-formable when used at about 30-70 percent of our starch derivative. 0-10 percent shortening, 0-30 percent other food materials, and 10-40 percent water. The dough mixture is then cold formed into the desired shapes and sizes, and may be baked or cooked at elevated temperatures (300.degree.-475.degree.F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1976
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Charles W. Cremer, James E. Eastman, Robert V. Schanefelt
  • Patent number: 3959514
    Abstract: Root and root-type starch derivatives having controlled acetyl substitution levels which provide an initial high paste viscosity to facilitate uniform filling operations when used as a food canning medium, and which break down to a thinner viscosity upon heating to facilitate heat penetration into the canned food mass for sterilization of the canned food product and to provide a more acceptable watery or soup-like consistency to the food product.Blends of several root and root-type starch derivatives make possible a predictable final viscosity level which is not completely "water-thin." The selection of acetylating agent also affects the final viscosity level of the starch canning medium. It has been observed that a starch derivative substitute using vinyl acetate provides a slightly higher final viscosity under the same retorting conditions when compared to a starch derivative which has been substituted using acetic anhydride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1976
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James E. Eastman
  • Patent number: 3951947
    Abstract: A thin-thick, hydroxypropylated, crosslinked root-type starch derivative for continuous process pressure cooking, which remains stable over a wide pH range (3-7), and maybe used in both neutral and acid food systems. Suitable base starches include waxy maize, waxy milo, waxy sorghum, and any amylopectin-rich starch which is low in amylose contents.These hydroxypropylated starch derivatives are non-jelling, heat stable, freeze-thaw, and are crossed linked to a level at which their aqueous suspensions are initially low in viscosity and then developed full viscosity upon heating in sealed containers, thereby permitting initial rapid heat penetration necessary for the heat sterilizations of canned foods processed in high temperature-short time sterilization (HTST) food canning processes, in which the complete retorting cycle is less than 20 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1976
    Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert V. Schanefelt, James E. Eastman, Michael F. Campbell