Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for enhancing the gastrointestinal health of a companion animal, comprising orally administering to the companion animal a composition comprising at least about 0.25% of fermentable fiber by weight of the composition. Further disclosed herein are methods of improving the fecal odor of the feces of a companion animal, comprising orally administering to the companion animal a composition comprising at least about 0.25% of fermentable fiber by weight of the composition. In some embodiments of these methods, the fermentable fiber comprises a fiber selected from beet pulp, gum Arabic, gum talha, psyllium, rice bran, carob bean gum, citrus pulp, pectin, fructooligosaccharide, mannanoligofructose, soy fiber, arabinogalactan, galactooligosaccharide, arabinoxylan, a short chain oligofructose, and a mixture thereof.

Abstract: The viscosity of aqueous dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides may be advantageously lowered through the use of surfactants which are polyglyceryl esters of C6-C12 fatty acids. The reduction in viscosity facilitates milling the peroxides to reduce particle size and also provides dispersions of small particle size peroxides which may be readily poured or pumped. The aqueous dispersions are useful as components of pharmaceutical, personal care, and cleaning products and the like and are effective decolorizing agents for food products, industrial products and the like.

Abstract: Bran treatment methods are described, comprising acidifying bran with a acid to pH's ranging from 4-6 forming acidified bran and thereafter treating with low levels of ozone to oxidize native bitter constituent, ferulic acid, preferably to vanillin to provide better flavored bran. The treated bran is useful as an ingredient for use in products such as flour based food products such as flours, pastas, dry mixes, refrigerated uncooked doughs, pet foods, ready-to-eat cereals, breads, tortilla, and grain based snacks.

Abstract: An improved composition for bleaching and washing animal tissue is disclosed. More particularly, organic acids and surfactants are employed along with hydrogen peroxide to achieve higher washing and bleaching efficiency on tripe and other animal tissue. This higher efficiency also results in higher overall yields of the bleached product.

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.

Abstract: A method of producing a reduced color dairy product that includes separating a dairy material into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including at least about 30 weight percent, as determined by high pressure liquid chromatography at a detection wavelength of 280 nanometers, of the native and soluble protein from the dairy material and the second portion including at least about 50 weight percent of the coloring agent from the dairy material, and partially or fully deactivating at least some of the coloring agent present in the second portion.

Abstract: High dietary fiber from sources that have had minimal use in food products, for example bakery goods, extruded items and pasta, for humans because of their green coloration and inherent flavors. The fibrous material is immersed in an aqueous dispersion of chlorine for a period of time with a concentration of chlorine that is effective for removing substantially all of the coloration from the material with a minimal effect on the fiber matrix, for example three to thirty minutes with one part fiber to five parts water and about 13,500 to 62,400 ppm chlorine. Advantageously the thus bleached material is then water rinsed and immersed in a 4-50% aqueous solution of peroxide at a temperature of about room temperature to boiling for up to about 15 minutes or until the fiber flavor and chlorine backnotes are rendered blander.

Abstract: A variety of plant materials adopted for processing into, e.g., low-calorie vegetable fibers and dietary flours, are bleached by (1) prebleaching such plant material in a first aqueous solution containing an alkaline agent and hydrogen peroxide, the alkaline agent being present in solution in such amount that the final pH of the resulting suspension is no greater than 9, (2) filtering and washing the suspension produced in step (1) with water, to an effectiveness of at least 50%, (3) bleaching the material obtained after step (2) in a second aqueous solution containing an alkaline agent and hydrogen peroxide, the alkaline agent being present in solution in such amount that the final pH of the resulting suspension is no greater than 8.5, and, characteristically, (4) filtering and washing the suspension produced in step (3) with water.

Abstract: Extracted vegetable pulps are bleached to a high degree of whiteness, thus rendering them more attractive as food supplements, by (a) treating such pulp in an acid medium at a pH of up to 2.5 and for a period of time of at least 10 minutes, (b) next washing the pulp thus treated to an efficiency of at least 80%, and (c) then reacting the washed pulp with an aqueous alkaline solution of hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of an H.sub.2 O.sub.2 stabilizer.

Abstract: Preparation of bleached and dried vegetable pulps, wherein the bleaching by means of hydrogen peroxide is carried out simultaneously by the vaporization of the water of the pulp by means of a dry gaseous atmosphere circulating in contact with said pulp.

Abstract: A synergistic combination of high-shear mechanical disruption and alkali pretreatment in a high solids reaction mixture constitutes a significant improvement in the alkaline peroxide treatment of lignocellulosic materials. The simultaneous application of these conditions greatly reduces the amounts of reagents otherwise required, and also eliminates the waste stream of liquid byproducts. Suitable sources of substrate treatable by this process include nonwoody plant parts, crop residues, and agricultural byproducts. The products of this treatment are nontoxic and characterized by high cellulose availability. These products are thereby useful as carbohydrate sources in ruminant feeds, as microbial feedstocks, and as sources of dietary fiber for humans and other monogastrics.

Abstract: A process for purifying polydextrose to remove contaminants remaining from manufacturing sufficient to provide an organoleptically-acceptable polydextrose ingredient for foodstuffs which includes intimately contacting an aqueous solution of polydextrose having a concentration of from about 10% to about 50% with a polar organic solvent in a ratio of polydextgrose solvent of from about 5-15 of polydextrose to about 45-75 by weight of solvent. Furthermore, the mixture is allowed to equilibrate to form a substantially contaminant-containing fraction and a substantially polydextrose-containing fraction, followed by separating the fractions for use of the polydextrose-containing fraction. The present invention further includes compositions of foodstuffs including the purified polydextrose.

Abstract: The invention provides a process of decolorising annatto-containing whey or products produced therefrom, by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, characterised in that the oxidation is carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of an active peroxidase, in that the amount of hydrogen peroxide used is sufficient to effect the oxidation of the annatto and in that the time for which the peroxidase is exposed to a deactivating concentration of hydrogen peroxide is insufficient to permanently deactivate the peroxidase. The process is generally applicable to inter alia whey, demineralised whey, reconstituted whey powders, whey protein concentrates and reconstituted whey protein concentrate powders. It may be applied as a batch, semicontinuous or a continuous in line process.

Abstract: A dietary fiber material, e.g. corn bran, having improved color stability is provided. The material is esterified prior to bleaching to decrease the color of the material. Typical dietary fiber materials are the fiber materials produced by the milling of plant seeds such as cereal grains and oilseeds. The esterification of the dietary fiber material corn bran prior to bleaching results in a lighter colored dietary fiber product having enhanced acceptance as a dietary fiber supplement in a variety of food products.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a fibrous natural product comprising agitating an aqueous slurry of ground material from the outer seed coat of a legume, especially yellow or green field peas, to dissolve only water-soluble protein and sugar products, filtering the slurry and drying the solid product thus obtained to provide a novel fibrous natural product. The latter is useful as an additive for edible food products such as bread, muffins and pasta to increase the fibrous content thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a non-caloric citrus albedo bulking agent comprising obtaining albedo from citrus peels to produce albedo particles substantially free of flavedo, water-washing to reduce soluble carbohydrates, constituents, removing alcohol and water, and bitter constituents, removing alcohol and water, and finally milling to the consistency of flour. The citrus albedo bulking agent obtained from this process is especially useful as a partial replacement for high-caloric ingredients such as flour, fat and/or sugar in a food product with at least a one-third reduction in caloric density, more preferably from 50% to 75% or higher. The citrus albedo bulking agent has a water binding capacity of from 10 to 20 grams of water per one gram of the albedo bulking agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a non-caloric sugar beet pulp bulking agent comprising placing sugar beet pulp slices, particles or spent cossettes into a stabilizing solution to prevent darkening, water-washing to remove a majority of soluble carbohydrates, contacting with an alcoholic solution to remove color and bitter constituents, removing water and alcohol and milling to a flour consistency. The sugar beet pulp bulking agent is especially useful as a partial replacement for high-caloric ingredients such as flour, fat and/or sugar in a food product with at least a one-third reduction in caloric density, more preferably from 50% to 75% or higher. The sugar beet pulp bulking agent has a high water binding capacity of from 15 to 25 grams of water per 1 gram of bulking agent.

Abstract: A bland food supplement which can be used as a filler, extender, or protein binder in a variety of food products is made from water-extracted vegetable pulp such as sugar beet pulp. The pulp is contacted with an aqueous bleaching solution selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, an alkali metal peroxide, ammonium persulfate, sulfur dioxide, sodium hydrosulfite, sodium chlorite, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, chlorine dioxide and combinations thereof. The bleached pulp is separated from the bleaching solution, and is then dried to obtain a stable, free-flowing, food supplement comprising about 4% to 8% by weight water, about 7% to 9% crude protein, about 15% to 25% crude fiber, about 60% to 70% nitrogen-free extracts, and about 2.5% to 5% ash.