Patents by Inventor Takeharu Nakahara

Takeharu Nakahara 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: 20230345982
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seasoning from malted rice used as a raw material containing 0.3 ppm or more of maltol and/or 0.25 ppm or more of methional, and 10% (w/v) or more of glucose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Yusuke Ito, Taichi Koizumi, Takeharu Nakahara, Izumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11766061
    Abstract: Provided herein is a salt-free or low-salt soy sauce-like liquid seasoning having a desirable flavor and desirable functionality with no contamination by microorganisms. A method for producing such a sauce-like liquid seasoning is also provided. The salt-free or low-salt soy sauce-like liquid seasoning having a desirable flavor and desirable functionality is obtained by inoculating raw material grains of primarily soybean or wheat with a koji mold to prepare a solid koji, adding salt-free or low-salt water for brewing to the solid koji to prepare a moromi, pasteurizing the moromi, and fermenting the moromi with yeast in a container adapted to reduce entry of harmful microorganisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junya Takeichi, Akitoshi Komura, Takeharu Nakahara
  • Patent number: 11122827
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented seasoning containing 5?-nucleotides derived from fermentation at a high concentration without externally adding 5?-nucleotides and a method of producing the same. In a case where the nucleic acids are externally added, display of additives is indispensable on an ingredients description, and thus it cannot be said that the fermented seasoning have no chemical seasoning additive or made by natural brewing; however, with the fermented seasoning relating to the present invention, it is unnecessary to display additives on the ingredients description, and thus it is possible to appeal an added value to nature oriented or natural oriented consumers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu Nakahara, Hiroki Wada, Junya Takeichi, Kona Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20210084952
    Abstract: Provided herein is a salt-free or low-salt soy sauce-like liquid seasoning having a desirable flavor and desirable functionality with no contamination by microorganisms. A method for producing such a sauce-like liquid seasoning is also provided. The salt-free or low-salt soy sauce-like liquid seasoning having a desirable flavor and desirable functionality is obtained by inoculating raw material grains of primarily soybean or wheat with a koji mold to prepare a solid koji, adding salt-free or low-salt water for brewing to the solid koji to prepare a moromi, pasteurizing the moromi, and fermenting the moromi with yeast in a container adapted to reduce entry of harmful microorganisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Junya TAKEICHI, Akitoshi KOMURA, Takeharu NAKAHARA
  • Publication number: 20200221743
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented seasoning containing 5?-nucleotides derived from fermentation at a high concentration without externally adding 5?-nucleotides and a method of producing the same. In a case where the nucleic acids are externally added, display of additives is indispensable on an ingredients description, and thus it cannot be said that the fermented seasoning have no chemical seasoning additive or made by natural brewing; however, with the fermented seasoning relating to the present invention, it is unnecessary to display additives on the ingredients description, and thus it is possible to appeal an added value to nature oriented or natural oriented consumers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Takeharu NAKAHARA, Hiroki WADA, Junya TAKEICHI, Kona YAMASHITA
  • Patent number: 10609943
    Abstract: A seed koji (Aspergillus starter) for brewing is provided. The seed koji is obtained by inoculating koji mold(s) belonging to an Aspergillus genus into a seed koji raw material, where the seed koji raw material is a pea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu Nakahara, Yohei Shinozaki, Kazuki Shiga, Tatsuya Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20190008194
    Abstract: Provided herein is a salt-free or low-salt soy sauce-like liquid seasoning having a desirable flavor and desirable functionality with no contamination by microorganisms. A method for producing such a sauce-like liquid seasoning is also provided. The salt-free or low-salt soy sauce-like liquid seasoning having a desirable flavor and desirable functionality is obtained by inoculating raw material grains of primarily soybean or wheat with a koji mold to prepare a solid koji, adding salt-free or low-salt water for brewing to the solid koji to prepare a moromi, pasteurizing the moromi, and fermenting the moromi with yeast in a container adapted to reduce entry of harmful microorganisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Junya TAKEICHI, Akitoshi KOMURA, Takeharu NAKAHARA
  • Publication number: 20180325153
    Abstract: Provided herein is a soy sauce-like seasoning containing at least 0.3 mM ?-ketoglutaric acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Junya TAKEICHI, Hiroki WADA, Takeharu NAKAHARA
  • Patent number: 9795161
    Abstract: Provided is a taste-improving agent that suppresses the unpleasant taste of potassium, such as harshness, irritativeness, and bitterness without reducing the salty taste of a potassium-containing food or drink. The taste-improving agent for a potassium-containing food or drink comprises a lactic acid-fermented yeast extract that is obtainable by fermenting a yeast extract with a lactic acid bacterium and contains 7.5 (w/w) % or more of lactic acid relative to the solid content of the yeast extract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: RIKEN VITAMIN CO., LTD., KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kobayashi, Takehiko Watanabe, Takeharu Nakahara, Yoshikazu Endo
  • Publication number: 20170119035
    Abstract: A seed koji (Aspergillus starter) for brewing is provided. The seed koji is obtained by inoculating koji mold(s) belonging to an Aspergillus genus into a seed koji raw material, where the seed koji raw material is a pea.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu NAKAHARA, Yohei SHINOZAKI, Kazuki SHIGA, Tatsuya YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 9060538
    Abstract: The present invention provides soy sauce that comprises significant amounts of peptides, and, in particular, hypotensive peptide Gly-Tyr and hypotensive peptide Ser-Tyr, exhibiting a high degree of angiotensin-I-converting enzyme-inhibitory activity and has hypotensive effects while containing no hypotensive agent. Target soy sauce is obtained by mixing soy sauce koji having protease activity of 20 to 300 U/g koji with an aqueous common salt solution and subjecting the mixture to heated digestion, followed by compression filtration. Target soy sauce with a good flavor is obtained by adding soy sauce lactic acid bacteria and soy sauce yeast cells to the moromi mash after heated digestion, and subjecting the resultant to fermentation and maturation, followed by compression filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Endo, Shigeki Tanizawa, Takeharu Nakahara, Hitomi Aota, Hiroki Ono, Yoichi Hanada, Riichiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 9006171
    Abstract: To provide ACE inhibitory peptides which can effectively inhibit ACE by a small amount of ingestion and have no fear of causing side effects and which can be orally ingested easily during daily life by persons having high blood pressure, and compositions comprising the peptides. The peptides represented by the following structural formulae (1) to (9), and salts thereof are provided. (1) Asp-Arg-Pro, (2) Asn-Trp, (3) Val-Gly-Leu, (4) Ile-Gly-Val, (5) Gly-Val-Pro, (6) Ile-Pro-Tyr, (7) pyroGlu-Pro, (8) Tyr-Thr, (9) Pro-Trp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Takeharu Nakahara, Riichiro Uchida, Hitomi Aota, Katsutoshi Sugimoto, Takuya Sato
  • Publication number: 20140328991
    Abstract: Provided is a taste-improving agent that suppresses the unpleasant taste of potassium, such as harshness, irritativeness, and bitterness without reducing the salty taste of a potassium-containing food or drink. The taste-improving agent for a potassium-containing food or drink comprises a lactic acid-fermented yeast extract that is obtainable by fermenting a yeast extract with a lactic acid bacterium and contains 7.5 (w/w) % or more of lactic acid relative to the solid content of the yeast extract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicants: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION, RIKEN VITAMIN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kobayashi, Takehiko Watanabe, Takeharu Nakahara, Yoshikazu Endo
  • Patent number: 8691302
    Abstract: A fermented seasoning which does not have the bitterness specific to peptides and can be easily ingested orally, in spite of containing large amount of peptides is provided. Namely, a fermented seasoning obtained by adding salt water to an Aspergillus culture or a mixture of the Aspergillus culture with a plant-derived protein material and by controlling the leucine aminopeptidase-I activity in the moromi to be 1.0 U/ml or less, and also controlling the leucine aminopeptidase-II activity in the moromi to be 0.5 U/ml or less, within 10 days after the preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Takeharu Nakahara, Riichiro Uchida, Yoichi Hanada, Yoshikazu Endo, Shigeki Tanizawa, Hitomi Aota, Seiichi Hara
  • Publication number: 20130345396
    Abstract: To provide ACE inhibitory peptides which can effectively inhibit ACE by a small amount of ingestion and have no fear of causing side effects and which can be orally ingested easily during daily life by persons having high blood pressure, and compositions comprising the peptides. The peptides represented by the following structural formulae (1) to (9), and salts thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu NAKAHARA, Riichiro UCHIDA, Hitomi AOTA, Katsutoshi SUGIMOTO, Takuya SATO
  • Publication number: 20120282243
    Abstract: The present invention provides soy sauce that comprises significant amounts of peptides, and, in particular, hypotensive peptide Gly-Tyr and hypotensive peptide Ser-Tyr, exhibiting a high degree of angiotensin-I-converting enzyme-inhibitory activity and has hypotensive effects while containing no hypotensive agent. Target soy sauce is obtained by mixing soy sauce koji having protease activity of 20 to 300 U/g koji with an aqueous common salt solution and subjecting the mixture to heated digestion, followed by compression filtration. Target soy sauce with a good flavor is obtained by adding soy sauce lactic acid bacteria and soy sauce yeast cells to the moromi mash after heated digestion, and subjecting the resultant to fermentation and maturation, followed by compression filtration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Endo, Shigeki Tanizawa, Takeharu Nakahara, Hitomi Aota, Hiroki Ono, Yoichi Hanada, Riichiro Uchida
  • Publication number: 20110171690
    Abstract: To provide ACE inhibitory peptides which can effectively inhibit ACE by a small amount of ingestion and have no fear of causing side effects and which can be orally ingested easily during daily life by persons having high blood pressure, and compositions comprising the peptides. The peptides represented by the following structural formulae (1) to (9), and salts thereof are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu Nakahara, Riichiro Uchida, Hitomi Aota, Katsutoshi Sugimoto, Takuya Sato
  • Publication number: 20110104334
    Abstract: A fermented seasoning which does not have the bitterness specific to peptides and can be easily ingested orally, in spite of containing large amount of peptides is provided. Namely, a fermented seasoning obtained by adding salt water to an Aspergillus culture or a mixture of the Aspergillus culture with a plant-derived protein material and by controlling the leucine aminopeptidase-I activity in the moromi to be 1.0 U/ml or less, and also controlling the leucine aminopeptidase-II activity to be 0.5 U/ml or less, within 10 days after the preparation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu Nakahara, Riichiro Uchida, Yoichi Hanada, Yoshikazu Endo, Shigeki Tanizawa, Hitomi Aota, Seiichi Hara
  • Patent number: 7718209
    Abstract: A low common salt soy sauce, which has good flavor, significantly suppresses elevation of blood pressure, prevents cardiac hypertrophy, and is also available as special nutritious food, is obtained. 1.0% to 10.0% by weight of potassium chloride and 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of ?-aminobutyric acid are added to a reduced common salt soy sauce, so as to obtain a low common salt soy sauce of issue. Otherwise, a KCl-containing low common slat soy sauce is obtained by: (1) a common production method of soy sauce, in which a mixed solution consisting of KCl and common salt is used as mother water; (2) a method of subjecting a soy sauce obtained using saline solution as mother water to electrodialysis, a membrane treatment, or the like, so as to eliminate common salt from the above soy sauce, and then adding KCl thereto; or other methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Yamakoshi, Kohsuke Matsumoto, Makoto Saito, Hitomi Aota, Takeharu Nakahara, Satoshi Fukuda, Tetsuya Oguma, Norikazu Fujii
  • Publication number: 20080057174
    Abstract: A low common salt soy sauce, which has good flavor, significantly suppresses elevation of blood pressure, prevents cardiac hypertrophy, and is also available as special nutritious food, is obtained. 1.0% to 10.0% by weight of potassium chloride and 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of ?-aminobutyric acid are added to a reduced common salt soy sauce, so as to obtain a low common salt soy sauce of issue. Otherwise, a KCl-containing low common salt soy sauce is obtained by: (1) a common production method of soy sauce, in which a mixed solution consisting of KCl and common salt is used as mother water; (2) a method of subjecting a soy sauce obtained using saline solution as mother water to electrodialysis, a membrane treatment, or the like, so as to eliminate common salt from the above soy sauce, and then adding KCl thereto; or other methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Kikkoman Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Yamakoshi, Kohsuke Matsumoto, Makoto Saito, Hitomi Aota, Takeharu Nakahara, Satoshi Fukuda, Tetsuya Oguma, Norikazu Fujii