Patents by Inventor Stefan Töpfl

Stefan Töpfl 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: 20230270143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a preserved food item (1) from a raw material (2), in particular for producing a snack product, comprising the following steps: treating the raw material (2) by applying an electric field; bringing the treated raw material (2) into contact with an aqueous medium (3); and preserving the raw material (2) into a food item (1) after the step of bringing into contact. In order to avoid occurring impurities during the production of preserved food items and to provide a consistent product quality the invention comprises the following method steps: determining a measured value (4) characterizing a product property of the preserved food item (1) and/or an ingredient of the aqueous medium (3); and outputting a control signal (5) as a function of the determined measured value (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Robin Ostermeier, Stefan Toepfl, Kevin Hill
  • Publication number: 20230189858
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a dried food from a fruit or vegetable, more particularly for producing potato flakes. The invention proposes the following method steps for providing a dried food pulp from a fruit or vegetable, more particularly potato flakes, having a low free starch content without the addition of emulsifiers or other additives: Treating the fruit by applying an electrical field; comminuting the treated fruit or vegetable to form a food pulp; and drying the food pulp. The present invention also relates to a dried food pulp, more particularly potato flakes, produced according to the method of the invention, and the use of such a dried food pulp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: James Paul Gratzek, Kevin Hill, Robin Ostermeier, Stefan Toepfl
  • Patent number: 11503844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for continuously processing foodstuffs with pulsed electric fields, comprising a conveyor belt that is guided in a housing. The conveyor belt guide encompasses the longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt respectively in a recess that is arranged e.g. within the side walls of the housing and is preferably formed by the housing floor and the lateral insulator panels mounted at a distance from the housing floor on the inner side of the side walls or are formed as a groove within the lateral insulator panels. The upper strand of the conveyor belt is guided through the guides above the housing floor within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Töpfl, Volker Heinz, Johann Isaak, Martin Stute
  • Publication number: 20220193686
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for conditioning plant seeds (3) for disintegration and to a system (1) for disintegration of plant seeds (3), comprising a conditioning system (2) for conditioning the plant seeds (3), a disintegration device (4) for disintegration of the conditioned plant seeds (3), and a separating device (5) for separating different fractions of the disintegrated plant seeds. In order to provide a method and a device which facilitate the subsequent disintegration of the plant seeds and positively influence the behavior of the plant seeds during the disintegration process, according to the invention, the plant seeds (3) are exposed to an electrical field, or the conditioning system (2) has a capacitor (6) for generating an electrical field that acts on the plant seeds (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Volker Heinz, Lutz Popper, Stefan Toepfl
  • Patent number: 11051524
    Abstract: A process for producing a composition from a biological source, which composition is preserved and, especially pathogen free and is storage stable, preferably at room temperature. Embodiments of the invention provide a process for producing a composition from eggs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: MYOS RENS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Waldemar Buxmann, Volker Heinz, Stefan Toepfl
  • Publication number: 20210153515
    Abstract: This invention refers to a method for freezing food, in particular fruit and vegetables, and a method for drying food, in particular fruit and vegetables, by exposing the food to a negative pressure and removing water from the food while exposed to the negative pressure. The present invention also refers to a device for drying food, in particular fruit and vegetables, comprising a negative pressure chamber, a vacuum pump for generating a negative pressure in the negative pressure chamber, and a liquefier connected to the negative pressure chamber by a closable valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Robin Ostermeier, Vanessa Voelkel, Stefan Toepfl
  • Publication number: 20200359659
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (1) for process monitoring of the treatment of media (3), in particular a HACCP-compliant system (1) for the preservation of foods. In order to ensure and standardize successful treatment, system (1) comprises an electroporator (2) for treating a medium (3) with a pulsed electric field, at least one measuring device (4) for determining a change of a condition parameter of the medium (3) caused by the treatment with the pulsed electric field, and an evaluation device (5) for comparing the determined change of the condition parameter to a predetermined change target value and for outputting a warning signal once the difference between the determined change and the predetermined change target value exceeds a limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan Toepfl, Julian Witt, Claudia Siemer
  • Publication number: 20200315219
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for processing plant leaves, in particular in the context of producing a fermented product, and to a method for producing a fermented product from plucked plant leaves, comprising the steps: optionally withering the plant leaves, optionally rolling the plant leaves, optionally fermenting the plant leaves, and drying the plant leaves. In order to reduce the expenditure in costs, time and energy of conventional methods for processing plant leaves and for producing a fermented product from plucked plant leaves, respectively, it is provided according to the invention that the plant leaves are conditioned by applying an electric field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Robin Ostermeier, Stefan Toepfl, Julian Witt
  • Publication number: 20200214327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of a food product, in particular a snack product. In order to distribute additives evenly in a food product, in particular in a snack product, and to obtain a more homogeneous product quality, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of: conditioning the food product by applying an electric field; introducing an additive into the food product; and preserving the food product after the additive has been introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Robin OSTERMEIER, Isabell BEYER, Stefan TOEPFL
  • Publication number: 20200008449
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for continuously processing foodstuffs with pulsed electric fields, comprising a conveyor belt that is guided in a housing. The conveyor belt guide encompasses the longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt respectively in a recess that is arranged e.g. within the side walls of the housing and is preferably formed by the housing floor and the lateral insulator panels mounted at a distance from the housing floor on the inner side of the side walls or are formed as a groove within the lateral insulator panels. The upper strand of the conveyor belt is guided through the guides above the housing floor within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Deutsches Institut für Lebenasmitteltechnik e.V.
    Inventors: Stefan TÖPFL, Volker HEINZ, Johann ISAAK, Martin STUTE
  • Patent number: 10165785
    Abstract: A process for producing a composition from a biological source, which composition is preserved and, especially pathogen free and is storage stable, preferably at room temperature. Embodiments of the invention provide a process for producing a composition from eggs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: MYOS RENS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Waldemar Buxmann, Volker Heinz, Stefan Toepfl
  • Publication number: 20180368425
    Abstract: A process for producing a composition from a biological source, which composition is preserved and, especially pathogen free and is storage stable, preferably at room temperature. Embodiments of the invention provide a process for producing a composition from eggs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Waldemar BUXMANN, Volker HEINZ, Stefan TOEPFL
  • Publication number: 20170215442
    Abstract: A process for producing a composition from a biological source, which composition is preserved and, especially pathogen free and is storage stable, preferably at room temperature. Embodiments of the invention provide a process for producing a composition from eggs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Waldemar Buxmann, Volker Heinz, Stefan Toepfl
  • Patent number: 9545122
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feed tank for use in a high-pressure system, said feed tank having a hollow space (3) for accommodating food items, a wall (1) and a temperature-control device (5). The invention further relates to a method for the simultaneous high-pressure and temperature treatment in a high-pressure tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e.V., Triton GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Hukelmann, Stefan Töpfl, Volker Heinz, Fritz Kortschack
  • Publication number: 20150141334
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related to a method for producing a composition containing biologically active follistatin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Waldemar Buxmann, Volker Heinz, Stefan Toepfl
  • Patent number: 8815320
    Abstract: A process for producing a composition containing biologically active follistatin from a biological source, which composition is preserved and, especially pathogen free and is storage stable, preferably at room temperature. Further, the invention relates to the composition containing biologically active follistatin, which composition is available by the production process. The invention provides a process for producing a composition containing biologically active follistatin from avian eggs, or from raw animal blood serum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Myos Corporation
    Inventors: Waldemar Buxmann, Volker Heinz, Stefan Toepfl
  • Publication number: 20140186499
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feed tank for use in a high-pressure system, said feed tank having a hollow space (3) for accommodating food items, a wall (1) and a temperature-control device (5). The invention further relates to a method for the simultaneous high-pressure and temperature treatment in a high-pressure tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicants: TRITON GMBH, DEUTSCHES INSTITUT FÜR LEBENSMITTELTECHNIK E.V.
    Inventors: Bernhard Hukelmann, Stefan Töpfl, Volker Heinz, Fritz Kortschack
  • Publication number: 20140154371
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of inactivation of bioactive components in milk during pasteurization for preservation. The invention discloses a method of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment of whole milk, skimmed milk, semi-skimmed milk or whey, or other liquid compositions comprising milk components or fractions. The invention is based on the finding that by selecting one or more specific process parameters, such as the PEF treatment chamber design, the specific energy applied, the field strength, pulse type, start temperature, it is possible to effectively eliminate microorganisms from the composition while conserving the activity of bioactive components in the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: NESTEC S.A.
    Inventors: Alexander Mathys, Stefan Toepfl, Claudia Siemer, Laurent Favre, Jalil Benyacoub, Carl Erik Hansen
  • Publication number: 20130133294
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preferably continuous packaging of products, in particular foods, with or without an already stabilized inherent shape such as fresh meat, meat products and sausage products, sausage meat emulsion or similar products by encasing them on all sides with single-layer or multilayer films that can be fed from the web. According to the invention flexible films that can be deformed without the action of heating and are self-resetting, are used as bottom web films, wherein the bottom web films are temporarily deformed by the action of pressure in order to form troughs for receiving product. The respective product is introduced as portions into the trough and fixed there, wherein it is fixed by a top web film or covering film, optionally supported by a restrainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicants: TRITON GMBH, NORDENIA TECHNOLOGIES GMBH, DEUTSCHES INSTITUT FÜR LEBENSMITTELTECHNIK E.V.
    Inventors: Fritz Kortschack, Volker Heinz, Stefan Töpfl, Bernhard Hukelmann, Herbert Bader, Ralf Niepelt
  • Publication number: 20130059037
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the product features during the production of foodstuffs attributable to the product groups raw sausage and cooked sausage, pies, cooked meat products or similar products, in particular to obtain spreading properties or cutting properties. According to the invention, for the production of raw sausage the usual starting materials are salted, mixed and coarsely pre-chopped, not in a deep-frozen state, however. This mixture is subjected to fermentation and acidification, followed by a high-pressure treatment for the coagulation of protein, which simultaneously leads to an inactivation of microorganisms, with the mechanically separated raw meat materials remaining separated. This is followed by a fine comminution and filling. Similarly, for the production of cooked sausage usual starting materials are used, but are processed in the non-heated state, i.e. initially salted, mixed and coarsely pre-chopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicants: Deutsches Institut fur Lebensmitteltechnik e.V., Triton GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Heinz, Fritz Kortschack, Stefan Töpfl, Christian Hertel