Patents by Inventor Lloyd E. Metzger

Lloyd E. Metzger 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).

  • Publication number: 20200260753
    Abstract: A process cheese produced by a combination of an acid curd and a concentrated milk protein at specific ratios is disclosed. The process cheese is produced without an emulsifying salt. A method of producing the process cheese is disclosed. The method includes preparing a volume of concentrated milk protein and a volume of acid curd. The method further includes producing a volume of process cheese product by combining the volume of the concentrated milk protein and the volume of acid curd. The ratio of protein in the acid curd to the protein in the concentrated milk protein ranges from 1.35:1 to 3.35:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Lloyd E. Metzger, Ahmed Hammam
  • Patent number: 7771761
    Abstract: A calcium lactate crystal inhibitor is added to the typical cheese-making recipe to inhibit the growth of calcium lactate crystals as the cheese ages. The calcium lactate crystal inhibitor is preferably a sodium salt of an organic acid, and is preferably added with sodium chloride or shortly after sodium chloride as part of the salting step. The calcium lactate crystal inhibitor can be identified in a solubility model as being effective in preventing calcium lactate crystal formation by having no or essentially no visually observable crystals and a minimal reduction (less than 5.0%, and more preferably less than 1.0%) in the calcium and lactate content of a calcium L-lactate pentahydrate solubility solution after 14 days of storage at 7° C. The amount of calcium lactate crystal inhibitor salt is within the range of greater than zero to 10% of the weight of the curd, to result in a cheese having 0.26 to 2.8% calcium lactate crystal inhibitor in a cheddar cheese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignees: Regents of The University of Minnesota, Nutricepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd E. Metzger, Donald A. Grindstaff
  • Patent number: 7625589
    Abstract: Sodium gluconate is added to the typical cheese-making recipe to inhibit the growth of calcium lactate crystals as the cheese ages. The sodium gluconate is preferably added with sodium chloride or shortly after sodium chloride as part of the salting step. The amount of sodium gluconate is within the range of greater than zero to 10% of the weight of the curd, to result in a cheese having 0.26 to 2.8% gluconate in the cheese. The amount of sodium gluconate added for other cheeses can be based upon the lactate content and salt retention of the cheese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignees: Regents of The University of Minnesota, Nutricepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd E. Metzger, Donald A. Grindstaff
  • Patent number: 7101580
    Abstract: The present invention describes bleached grain products such as bleached whole wheat flour that are obtained having the color and taste of white flour by bleaching whole wheat kernels prior to conventional flour milling. The wheat kernels are treated with a peroxide solution to lighten the color of the bran layers. The bleached grain kernels can be tempered and milled into whole grain flours having 10% to 12% dietary fiber from the bran but which are white in color and bland in flavor. The whitened, high fiber whole wheat flours can be used to prepare good tasting, and nutritious products such as baked goods such as breads and pastries as well as pasta product, and ready-to-eat cereals or grain based snacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventor: Lloyd E. Metzger
  • Patent number: 6899907
    Abstract: A method of bleaching bran, comprising treating bran with a hydrogen peroxide solution to produce lightened bran having fewer native flavor components is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bleached bran product suitable for admixing with whole wheat flour to produce white whole wheat flour having an “L” value on the Hunter scale of at least about 75 is disclosed. In one embodiment, cleaned bran is treated with a solution of chelating agents to remove or inactivate transition metals. Thereafter, exposure to oxidant substances, such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and so forth, in the presence of an alkaline compound produces bleached bran, which can be washed and dried for use in products such as flours, pastas, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Adelmo Monsalve-Gonzalez, Lloyd E. Metzger, Aruna Prakash, Mayur Subhash Valanju, John G. Roufs
  • Publication number: 20030108652
    Abstract: A method of bleaching bran, comprising treating bran with a hydrogen peroxide solution to produce lightened bran having fewer native flavor components is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bleached bran product suitable for admixing with whole wheat flour to produce white whole wheat flour having an “L” value on the Hunter scale of at least about 75 is disclosed. In one embodiment, cleaned bran is treated with a solution of chelating agents to remove or inactivate transition metals. Thereafter, exposure to oxidant substances, such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and so forth, in the presence of an alkaline compound produces bleached bran, which can be washed and dried for use in products such as flours, pastas, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Adelmo Monsalve-Gonzalez, Lloyd E. Metzger, Aruna Prakash, Mayur Subhash Valanju, John G. Roufs
  • Publication number: 20030087012
    Abstract: The present invention describes bleached grain products such as bleached whole wheat flour that are obtained having the color and taste of white flour by bleaching whole wheat kernels prior to conventional flour milling. The wheat kernels are treated with a peroxide solution to lighten the color of the bran layers. The bleached grain kernels can be tempered and milled into whole grain flours having 10% to 12% dietary fiber from the bran but which are white in color and bland in flavor. The whitened, high fiber whole wheat flours can be used to prepare good tasting, and nutritious products such as baked goods such as breads and pastries as well as pasta product, and ready-to-eat cereals or grain based snacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventor: Lloyd E. Metzger
  • Publication number: 20030082280
    Abstract: The present invention describes bleached grain products such as bleached whole wheat flour that are obtained having the color and taste of white flour by bleaching whole wheat kernels prior to conventional flour milling. The wheat kernels are treated with a peroxide solution to lighten the color of the bran layers. The bleached grain kernels can be tempered and milled into whole grain flours having 10% to 12% dietary fiber from the bran but which are white in color and bland in flavor. The whitened, high fiber whole wheat flours can be used to prepare good tasting, and nutritious products such as baked goods such as breads and pastries as well as pasta product, and ready-to-eat cereals or grain based snacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventor: Lloyd E. Metzger
  • Patent number: 6497909
    Abstract: The present invention describes bleached grain products, such as bleached whole wheat flour, that are obtained having the color and taste of white flour by bleaching whole wheat kernels prior to conventional flour milling. The wheat kernels are treated with a peroxide solution to lighten the color of the bran layers. The bleached grain kernels can be tempered and milled into whole grain flours having 10% to 12% dietary fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventor: Lloyd E. Metzger
  • Patent number: 6372281
    Abstract: Improved wheat milling processes for the production of white flour involves selecting a hard white wheat variety for milling, milling the hard white wheat into white patent flour, isolating a high bran stream, size reducing the high bran stream and sifting the size reduced high bran stream into a fine bran and bran flour fractions. The bran flour fraction is then blended with the white patent flour to form a high fiber finish flour which nonetheless is characterized by a white color. The wheat milling processes provide improvements in current wheat milling to increase the milling extraction rate for flour without a decrease in flour quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd E Metzger, Christopher Jones
  • Patent number: 6224924
    Abstract: A shelf stable ready-to-bake batter article for baked goods comprises an unpressurized gas impermeable container, a high pH, low water activity, batter that is substantially free (less than 0.1%) of conventional CO2 gas producing leavening agents disposed within the container and partially filling the container and an inert low oxygen gas in the headspace not filled by the batter. The ratio of sugar to flour in the batter ranges from about 0.5:1 to 3.5:1. The batter has a water activity of less than 0.85.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkatachalam Narayanaswamy, Lloyd E Metzger, James E Langler, David W Tobelmann
  • Patent number: 6165524
    Abstract: A shelf stable ready-to-bake batter article for baked goods comprises an unpressurized gas impermeable container, low water activity, batter with a leavening system disposed within the container and partially filling the container and an inert low oxygen gas in the headspace not filled by the batter. The ratio of sugar to flour in the batter ranges from about 0.5:1 to 2.5:1. The batter has a water activity of less than 0.85.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkatachalam Narayanaswamy, Lloyd E. Metzger, James E. Langler, David W. Tobelmann, Linda R. Kreisman