Abstract: Methods of making a powdered milk product are described. The methods may include providing an aqueous milk-sourced mixture, and evaporating water from the aqueous milk-sourced mixture to produce an evaporated milk-sourced mixture having a total solids concentration of 35 wt. % or more. The evaporated milk-sourced mixture may be dried to form the powdered milk product, which may have less than 6 wt. % water. Systems for making the milk powdered product are also described. The systems may include an evaporator to evaporate water from a supply of a milk-sourced mixture to form an evaporated milk-sourced mixture. They may also include a dryer to dry the evaporated milk-sourced mixture and atomize it into the powdered milk product.

Abstract: Methods of making a powdered milk product are described. The methods may include providing an aqueous milk-sourced mixture, and evaporating water from the aqueous milk-sourced mixture to produce an evaporated milk-sourced mixture having a total solids concentration of 35 wt. % or more. The evaporated milk-sourced mixture may be dried to form the powdered milk product, which may have less than 6 wt. % water. Systems for making the milk powdered product are also described. The systems may include an evaporator to evaporate water from a supply of a milk-sourced mixture to form an evaporated milk-sourced mixture. They may also include a dryer to dry the evaporated milk-sourced mixture and atomize it into the powdered milk product.

Abstract: Coatings containing one or more thermally coagulating proteins (e.g., whey protein) and foodstuffs coated with such coatings are provided. The coatings render foodstuffs less permeable to fat and oil in the frying medium, and thus reduce the amount of fat or oil absorbed by the foodstuff during cooking. The coatings also improve the color, texture and crispiness of the cooked foodstuff. Methods for applying such coatings to obtain the coated foodstuff are also provided.

Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus includes an inlet header, an inlet connection connected to the inlet header, an outlet header, an outlet connection connected to the outlet header and a plurality of serpentine tube bodies. The plurality of serpentine tube bodies interconnect and are in communication with the inlet header and outlet header. Each serpentine tube body has a plurality of straight tube sections and a plurality of U-shaped return bend sections. Each one of the straight tube sections and each one of the return bend sections have an elliptically-shaped cross-sectional configuration. The plurality of serpentine tube bodies are arranged in a juxtaposed manner with consecutive ones of the serpentine tube bodies contacting each other at a point defining a series of stacked common planes disposed parallel with one another.

Abstract: A heat exchanger tube includes a tube body forming a hollow passageway and having a U-shaped tube section defining a return bend, a pair of straight tube sections and a pair of transition sections. Respective ones of the straight tube sections are connected to the return section with respective ones of the transition sections disposed therebetween. The straight tube sections extend generally parallel to one another. Each straight tube section has a straight tube cross-sectional width and the return bend has a return bend cross-sectional width that is smaller than the straight tube cross-sectional width. Multiple heat exchanger tubes can be connected together to form a serpentine heat exchanger tube. Multiple serpentine heat exchanger tubes or multiple heat exchanger tubes can be assembled together to form a heat exchanger apparatus.

Abstract: Methods of making protein hydrolysates are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a solution comprising protein, and adjusting a pH of the solution to about 10.4 or more to form a basic protein solution. Additional steps may include adding a protease enzyme to the basic protein solution that converts at least a portion of the protein to protein hydrolysates. Protein hydrolysate compositions and water-soluble food additives are also described. The additives may include a mixture of protein hydrolysates formed by protein hydrolysis of a protein substrate. The protein hydrolysates may have an average molecular weight of about 2000 to about 10,000 Daltons.

Abstract: A fluid treatment device includes an AC power source connected to first, second and third conductors. A electromagnetic field generating device is positioned adjacent to a fluid conduit, electrically connected to the first and third conductors to form a first circuit. A second electromagnetic field generating device is positioned adjacent to a second fluid conduit, electrically connected to the second and third electrical conductors to form a second circuit. A circuit element in the first circuit initiates a high frequency electromagnetic field at said first electromagnetic field generating device during a first half of the AC wave form in the first circuit, and a circuit element in the second circuit initiates a high frequency electromagnetic field at said first electromagnetic field generating device during a second half of the AC wave form in the second circuit.

Abstract: A method of making a powdered whey protein, where the method includes heating a slurry comprising starting whey protein to a temperature of about 140° F. to about 300° F. The heating converts at least a portion of the starting whey protein to denatured whey protein. The method also includes subjecting the slurry to high shear conditions, and drying the slurry to leave the powdered whey protein. Also, a system for producing a powdered whey protein. The system includes a cooker to heat a slurry comprising starting whey protein, and a shear pump to subject the slurry to high shear conditions.

Abstract: A process of making cheese, e.g., a mozzarella variety cheese, is disclosed. It comprises the following steps: (a) preparing a cheese curd; (b) grinding the curd while in admixture with (i) an aqueous solution of at least one cheese emulsifying salt and (ii) at least one GRAS food additive in the form of a comminuted solid, to obtain an emulsifier/additive-impregnated ground curd; and (c) converting the emulsifier/additive-impregnated curd into cheese either by (i) heating, kneading, and stretching the emulsifier/additive-impregnated ground curd to obtain a homogeneous mass of cheese, or (ii) pressing the emulsifier/additive-impregnated ground curd to obtain a homogeneous mass of cheese. Examples of suitable GRAS food additives include gums, stabilizers, dairy solids (e.g., non-fat dry milk or whey protein concentrate), cheese powders, non-dairy protein isolates, sodium chloride, native or modified food starches, colorants, and flavorants.

Abstract: Methods for preparing cheese are provided that involve combining a slurry with a cheese precursor to form an admixture that is subsequently processed to form the cheese product. The slurry typically includes a liquid such as water, milk and/or cream and one or more ingredients that are useful for inclusion in the final cheese product. Systems for preparing such slurries and cheese products are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing soft or firm/semi-hard cheese are provided, as well as soft or firm/semi-hard cheese prepared by the methods. The methods typically involve the formation of a slurry that contains blended or molten cheese curd. A variety of ingredients can be introduced into the curd used to prepare the slurry, the slurry that is formed, or at other stages along the manufacturing process to tailor the performance and nutritional characteristics of the final cheese product. The slurry in some methods is directly processed to form a final cheese product. In other methods, the slurry undergoes various types of processing to achieve certain desired composition or performance requirements.

Abstract: Methods for preparing cheese blends of analog cheese and soft or firm/semi-hard, ripened or unripended, cheese are provided. The methods generally involve combining a slurry that contains the basic ingredients for an analog cheese and optionally one or more other ingredients with a mass of heated soft or firm/semi-hard cheese. Slurries that are used in the methods and cheeses produced by the methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method of making an aldobionate product is described. The method may include providing a milk product having one or more reducing sugars, and maintaining a pH of the milk product at about 5.5 or more by adding a buffer compound to the milk product. The method may also include adding an oxidoreductase enzyme to the milk product, where at least a portion of the reducing sugar is oxidized into the aldobionate product. In addition, a method of making an aldobionate product is described that includes the steps of providing a milk product comprising a reducing sugar, mixing oxygen into the milk product, and adding an oxidoreductase enzyme to the milk product, where at least a portion of the reducing sugar is oxidized into the aldobionate product.

Abstract: Methods for preparing cheese blends of analog cheese and soft or firm/semi-hard, ripened or unripended, cheese are provided. The methods generally involve combining a slurry that contains the basic ingredients for an analog cheese and optionally one or more other ingredients with a mass of heated soft or firm/semi-hard cheese. Slurries that are used in the methods and cheeses produced by the methods are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for preparing cheese are provided that involve combining a slurry with a cheese precursor to form an admixture that is subsequently processed to form the cheese product. The slurry typically includes a liquid such as water, milk and/or cream and one or more ingredients that are useful for inclusion in the final cheese product. Systems for preparing such slurries and cheese products are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing soft or firm/semi-hard cheese are provided, as well as soft or firm/semi-hard cheese prepared by the methods. The methods typically involve the formation of a slurry that contains blended or molten cheese curd. A variety of ingredients can be introduced into the curd used to prepare the slurry, the slurry that is formed, or at other stages along the manufacturing process to tailor the performance and nutritional characteristics of the final cheese product. The slurry in some methods is directly processed to form a final cheese product. In other methods, the slurry undergoes various types of processing to achieve certain desired composition or performance requirements.

Abstract: The invention describes in detail the structure of a CMOS image sensor pixel that senses color of impinging light without having absorbing filters placed on its surface. The color sensing is accomplished by having a vertical stack of three-charge detection nodes placed in the silicon bulk, which collect electrons depending on the depth of their generation. The small charge detection node capacitance and thus high sensitivity with low noise is achieved by using fully depleted, potential well forming, buried layers instead of undepleted junction electrodes. Two embodiments of contacting the buried layers without substantially increasing the node capacitances are presented.

Abstract: A removable sealing device for a standard container having a neck, which allows the container to remain sealed while it is being properly positioned with respect to a receptacle and then to be remotely unsealed after it has been properly positioned with respect to the receptacle, thereby preventing the contents of the container from spilling on or around the receptacle. A method of sealing containers involving dispensing removable membranous seals from a continuous length and attaching the seals to standard containers.

Abstract: Coatings containing one or more thermally coagulating proteins (e.g., whey protein) and foodstuffs coated with such coatings are provided. The coatings render foodstuffs less permeable to fat and oil in the frying medium, and thus reduce the amount of fat or oil absorbed by the foodstuff during cooking. The coatings also improve the color, texture and crispiness of the cooked foodstuff. Methods for applying such coatings to obtain the coated foodstuff are also provided.

Abstract: A vertical color filter sensor group formed on a substrate (preferably a semiconductor substrate) and including at least two vertically stacked, photosensitive sensors, and an array of such sensor groups. In some embodiments, a carrier-collection element of at least one sensor of the group has substantially larger area, projected in a plane perpendicular to a normal axis defined by a top surface of a top sensor of the group, than does each minimum-sized carrier-collection element of the group. In some embodiments, the array includes at least two sensor groups that share at least one carrier-collection element. Optionally, the sensor group includes at least one filter positioned relative to the sensors such that radiation that has propagated through or reflected from the filter will propagate into at least one sensor of the group.