Patents by Inventor Juha Nurmi

Juha Nurmi 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: 6407227
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of structurally pure lactitol crystal forms selected from the group consisting of anhydrous lactitol, lactitol monohydrate, lactitol dihydrate and lactitol trihydrate. The crystallization is performed by cooling a lactitol solution from a temperature at or slightly below the highest temperature of the stability area of the respective crystalline lactitol form to a temperature at or slightly above the lowest temperature of the stability area of said crystalline lactitol form, said stability areas being defined, respectively, within the temperature limits of 100° C. and 0° C. by the intersections of the solubility lines shown in FIG. 1, and by maintaining the supersaturation of said lactitol solution at a level of 1 to 8% (w/w) above the solubility line of the respective lactitol form crystallizing in said area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Juha Nurmi, Miika Kaira
  • Publication number: 20010018084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the hard panning of chewable cores in a pan or drum wherein a syrup of a crystallizable sugar or polyol is intermittently sprayed over a bed of the cores and the cores are dried between sprayings with a flow of air. The speed and efficiency of the panning process is increased by controlling the drying of the cores between sprayings by controlling parameters of the drying air in such a way as to intentionally leave a substantial residual moisture in the drying coating layer at the start of a subsequent spraying phase. The chewable products are preferably xylitol coated chewing gums.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Publication date: August 30, 2001
    Applicant: XYROFIN OY
    Inventors: Juha Nurmi, Tammy Pepper, Juha Oravainen, Mike Bond, Ian Fairs
  • Patent number: 6262318
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing xylitol and erythritol from arabinoxylan-containing material. According to the invention, the arabinoxylan-containing material is hydrolyzed and xylose and arabinose are separated from the obtained hydrolysate, whereafter the xylose is reduced to xylitol, and the xylitol is recovered, and the arabinose is subjected to alkaline oxidation to obtain erythronic acid which is reduced to erythritol, and the erythritol is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Heikki Heikkilä, Raimo Alen, Siru Kauko, Mirja Lindroos, Juha Nurmi, Päivi Sarmala, Matti Tylli
  • Patent number: 6206977
    Abstract: Methods of crystallizing anhydrous fructose from aqueous solutions using a large scale crystallizer are provided. The various crystallization methods include at least a cooling crystallization step wherein cooling is controlled so as to maintain a temperature difference between the solution and the cooling element of less than about 10° C., and maintain supersaturation of the aqueous solution with respect to the saturated fructose at a ratio between 1.1 and 1.25, whereby optimum heat transfer and a fructose crystal growth rate of at least 0.008 mm/hr is achieved with little or no spontaneous crystal nucleation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Danisco Finland Oy
    Inventors: Juha Nurmi, Heikki Heikkila
  • Patent number: 6140498
    Abstract: A process of preparing a L-ribose fraction having greater than 97% purity starting from an aqueous solution of L-arabinose is provided by utilizing an epimerization reaction conducted in the presence of a Mo compound and eluting the product formed by said epimerization reaction through a separation zone containing a strong acid cation exchange resin. A process of crystallized said L-ribose fraction under conditions effective to form monohydrate L-ribose crystals is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Juho Jumppanen, Juha Nurmi, Ossi Pastinen
  • Patent number: 6129944
    Abstract: The invention relates to a product containing a microcrystalline plant sterol, a method for producing the product by pulverization, and use of the product for the manufacture of edible products. The invention also relates to products manufactured using the microcrystalline plant-sterol-containing product. Preferably, the product is a spread based on a combination of a sweetening agent, a microcrystalline plant sterol and suitable berry or fruit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Suomen Sokeri Oy
    Inventors: Ilkka Tiainen, Juha Nurmi, Leena Klasi
  • Patent number: 6086681
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the recovery of xylose from xylose-containing aqueous solutions containing 30-60% by weight of xylose on dissolved solids, in which method the solution is treated to produce a solution supersaturated with xylose, xylose is crystallized from the supersaturated solution and the xylose crystals are recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Mirja Lindroos, Heikki Heikkila, Juha Nurmi, Olli-Pekka Eroma
  • Patent number: 6022394
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for fractioning vinasse, in which process the pH value of the vinasse is lowered by adding acid, and the formed precipitate is separated in order to obtain an inorganic fraction, whereupon an organic fraction remains. The invention also relates to the products obtained. The inorganic fraction mainly contains potassium salt, and it is useful for example as a fertilizer. The organic fraction mainly contains organic acids, and it is useful for example as an additive in animal feed and in producing silage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Cultor Oy
    Inventors: Hannu Paananen, Mirja Lindroos, Juha Nurmi, Tapio Viljava
  • Patent number: 5980640
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering a crystallizable organic compound from solutions containing said compound. In accordance with the method, the compound is crystallized substantially by way of nucleation from a solution having high viscosity and high supersaturation in respect of the compound to be recovered, and the formed crystals are recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Juha Nurmi, Olli-Pekka Eroma, Kristian Eriksson
  • Patent number: 5951777
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the recovery of xylose from xylose-containing aqueous solutions that contain over 30% by weight of xylose on dissolved dry solids. The solution is evaporated at low pressure to a solution supersaturated in respect of xylose, the solution is seeded, and the evaporation is continued at the boiling point of the solution until a crystal mass is obtained in which the xylose yield is 1 to 60%, and the xylose crystals are recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Juha Nurmi, Olli-Pekka Eroma
  • Patent number: 5081026
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for the production of xylitol from a xylose and/or xylan containing material. A solution containing xylitol and other hexoses is fermented with a yeast strain capable of converting free xylose to xylitol and other free hexoses present to ethanol, with the xylitol subsequently separated by chromatographic separation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Suomen Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Heikki Heikkila, Juha Nurmi, Leena Rahkila, Marja Toyryla