Separating A Starting Material Into Plural Different Constituents Patents (Class 426/478)
  • Publication number: 20100255167
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for reducing the level of acrylamide in a thermally processed food. In one aspect, acrylamide is first formed in a thermally processed food or food ingredient and is subsequently removed from the food or food ingredeint. The acrylamide can be removed by polymerizing the acrylamide, dissolving the acrylamide, and/or causing vaporization of the acrylamide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: FRITO-LAY NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Wilfred Marcellien Bourg, JR., Pravin Maganlal Desai, Bradley Scott Shepard, Michael Grant Topor, Gerald James Vogel
  • Patent number: 7807209
    Abstract: A composition comprising a watermelon juice includes the following colorimeter values, an L value of about 19 or greater, an A value of about 32 or greater, a B value of about 24 or greater. Watermelon juice extract is typically free of any added, artificial colorants or sweeteners. The present invention also generally includes a food composition that utilizes a clarified watermelon juice or a cloudy watermelon juice, where the cloudy watermelon juice has the following colorimeter values, an L value of about 19 or greater, an A value of about 32 or greater, a B value of about 24 or greater, and the clarified watermelon juice is derived from the cloudy watermelon juice. The food compositions incorporating the watermelon juice are usually a beverage, a sorbet, a yogurt, a sauce, a salad dressing, a fruit salad, a dessert, a bakery filling, a candy, or a bar mix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Milne Fruit Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. DeJong, Eric A. Johnson, David L. Luther, Gordon R. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7775157
    Abstract: An apparatus for easily removing excess moisture from blocks of tofu. The apparatus comprises a container which holds the tofu. A first substantially flat plate member is disposed within such container and placed on top of the tofu. A second substantially flat plate member which has a spring attached thereon engages a pair of arm like projections disposed on upper surfaces and on opposite sides of the container member. The other end of the spring engages the upper surface of the first flat plate member that sits on the top of the tofu so that as the spring exerts pressure on the first flat plate member water is removed from the tofu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventor: Marie B. Kraft
  • Patent number: 7763302
    Abstract: The present invention includes methods and devices for mass producing cooked, cooled egg products having a grill fried egg appearance. One device includes a portion for positioning whole, intact, shelled eggs positioned laterally across and above a cooking mold conveyor, and a portion for cracking the eggshells and depositing the eggs into cooking molds on the conveyor. Some devices and methods include an egg yolk splitter for rupturing the egg yolk sac to deposit a whole egg having a ruptured egg yolk into each mold. Other devices and methods include irregularly shaped egg molds for providing a mass produced cooked egg having a natural, irregularly shaped outlines and/or surfaces. Devices and methods according to the present invention can be used to produce irregularly, outlined shaped cooked egg products including whole eggs, formulated eggs, or eggs made from scrambled egg mixes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Michael Foods of Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan E. Hairsine, Jason W. Matthews, Ted A. Kurpgeweit, Dale E. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20100173053
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for extracting a cap (16) comprising a first part (2), a second part (3) which is movable with respect to the second part (2) which is provided with a space for the cap and defines the cap extracting position in a closed position thereof, an introduction and positioning part comprising the cap guiding elements (6, 7) which are arranged in such a way that it is possible to insert the cap by gravity force and position it in an intermediate position and a beverage pouring system (19) in which the second movable part (3) displaces the cap from the intermediate position to the extraction position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: Antoine Ryser, Christophe Boussemart, Jean-Luc Denisart, Antoine Cahen
  • Patent number: 7740895
    Abstract: The present invention provides a nixtamalization process wherein corn endosperm fractions, subfractions, or combinations thereof are individually nixtamalized to produce food products. The invention also comprises food products, including masa, instant masa, tortillas, and tortilla-related food products produced by the present invention's methods, including food products that have controllable fat and/or fiber levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Steven Eckhoff, Edith Oliva Cuevas Rodriguez, Jorge Milan Carrillo
  • Patent number: 7709040
    Abstract: A process for treating tomato concentrates obtainable by concentration by evaporation, having a dry residue in percentage by weight higher than 15%, generally at least of about 18%, comprising the following steps: I) mixing of the tomato concentrate (component a)) with water (component b)); II) liquid separation by a separation solid-liquid apparatus, wherein the mass to be filtered is maintained under a slow stirring; III) addition of water and/or serum to the solid mass obtained in II).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Zanichelli Ricerche S.R.L.
    Inventor: Aurelio Romeo
  • Patent number: 7695748
    Abstract: A process of reducing the cholesterol content in cholesterol-containing organic oils or fats, particularly animal oils or fats. The process comprises the steps of: adding at least one of demineralized water and distilled water having a set pH-value to the oil cholesterol containing oils or fats, thereby forming a mixture; and separating the mixture into a cholesterol-containing aqueous phase and a cholesterol-reduced oil or fat phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Westfalia Separator AG
    Inventors: Steffen Hruschka, Klemens Geissen, Wladislawa Boszulak
  • Publication number: 20100086667
    Abstract: The present invention describes a mannoprotein solution which has a turbidity, when measured by nephelometry at a concentration of 200 g/l of mannoprotein and at a pH in the range of pH 4 to pH 8 lower than 70 NTU, preferably lower than 60 NTU, more preferably lower than 50 NTU, most preferably lower than 40 NTU. This solution can be advantageously used in the stabilisation of wine against tartrate salt precipitation because it is very clear and can be added directly to the wine without causing any turbidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventors: Peter Philip Lankhorst, Hendrik Louis Bijl, Ibrahim Özkan
  • Patent number: 7691270
    Abstract: A method of removing at least one polar component from a fluid stream. The method comprises providing a fluid stream comprising at least one nonpolar component and at least one polar component. The fluid stream is contacted with a supercritical solvent to remove the at least one polar component. The at least one nonpolar component may be a fat or oil and the at least one polar component may be water, dirt, detergents, or mixtures thereof. The supercritical solvent may decrease solubility of the at least one polar component in the fluid stream. The supercritical solvent may function as a solvent or as a gas antisolvent. The supercritical solvent may dissolve the nonpolar components of the fluid stream, such as fats or oils, while the polar components may be substantially insoluble. Alternatively, the supercritical solvent may be used to increase the nonpolarity of the fluid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ginosar, Robert V. Fox
  • Patent number: 7666455
    Abstract: Methods for increasing the amount of resveratrol in a peanut material are provided, comprising the steps of providing a peanut kernel, size-reducing the peanut kernel, abiotically stressing the size-reduced peanut kernel, and incubating the abiotically stressed size-reduced peanut kernel under conditions capable of increasing the amount of resveratrol in the size-reduced peanut kernel. Resveratrol-enhanced peanut compositions prepared according to these methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc.
    Inventors: Anna V. A. Resurreccion, Jaime L. Rudolf, Robert Dixon Phillips, Manjeet Chinnan
  • Publication number: 20100009032
    Abstract: A method for reducing oral cavity stimulating substance of a sprouted grain such as malt, in which oral cavity stimulating substance contained in a sprouted grain is hydrolyzed, removed by adsorption, degraded by an enzyme, or removed by separation, whereby the content thereof is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Suntory Limited
    Inventors: Norihiko Kageyama, Koichi Nakahara
  • Patent number: 7645472
    Abstract: A return liquid containing particles resulting from treating food is treated to reduce the size of the particles and recycled for further food treatment. Embodiments include injecting a solution into a body of meat, recovering a return solution containing particulate material resulting from injecting the body of meat, optionally reducing the temperature of the return solution, mechanically reducing the particle size of the particulate material in the return solution to form a reduced return solution, conveying the reduced return solution to a holding tank and recycling the reduced return solution for injection into a body of meat. Embodiments also include a system for recycling a food treating liquid including a mechanical milling device, an optional chilling device, and a holding tank including first, second and third sections, a first weir separating the first and second sections, and a second weir separating the second and third sections, wherein the second weir extends higher than the first weir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Wolf-Tec, Inc.
    Inventors: Mathew Edward Walker, Ralf Ludwig, Paul Lawrence Wilson
  • Patent number: 7641931
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tomato pulp composition wherein the particle size is not greater than 2.5 which does not contain seeds or peels from the tomato and has a lycopene concentration which is 5 to 15 folds higher than the lycopene concentration in the tomatoes from which said pulp is obtained. The invention further provides an industrial process for obtaining tomato pulp and tomato concentrate from tomato juice. The invention further provides a method for controlling the viscosity and lycopene concentration of tomato products, tomato concentrate or modified tomato juice, by separating a part of the pulp from the tomato juice from which said tomato products are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Lycored Natural Products Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morris Zelkha, Dov Hartal, Zvi Albert
  • Patent number: 7641928
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of dewatering whole stillage comprising subjecting whole stillage to one or more enzymes capable of degrading a whole stillage component and separating the material obtained in step i) into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Novozymes North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Jump, Gregory DeLozier, Jiyin Liu
  • Publication number: 20090324800
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems for producing engineered oleaginous yeast or fungi that express quinone derived compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Richard B. Bailey, Kevin T. Madden, Joshua Trueheart
  • Patent number: 7597920
    Abstract: Fruit items are positioned between vertical pins located in the calyx and stem hole of said fruit item, thereby securing the fruit item by a compressive force through its core. A core tube surrounding the upper pin descends to meet the lower pin, thereby completely piercing the fruit item and isolating its core inside the tube. A cushioned ram pushes the edible portion of the fruit item down over the core tube, through a cassette of radial knives, creating a plurality of wedges that fall immediately into an enzyme bath. The bath seals freshness into the fruit item's cell structure by preventing contact with oxygen. The solid core is ejected and the edible outside portion of the fruit item is not touched or bruised by mechanical handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Apples-To-Go, Inc.
    Inventors: John Scott Berglin, Kevin Alan Cyrus
  • Patent number: 7595070
    Abstract: Method for removing a contaminant from an essential oil comprising contacting the essential oil including the contaminant with a strong acid cation exchange resin or a strong base anion exchange resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Ad Sidney Olansky, Terence Radford, Stephen G. Carlson, Esteban Arnoldo Bertera
  • Patent number: 7595078
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the amount of hull portions recovered from flaxseeds. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes providing a plurality of harvested flaxseeds, tempering the harvested flaxseeds by sufficiently increasing the moisture content for at least about one-half hour to increase the amount of hulls recovered from the flaxseeds, and recovering a portion of the hulls from the moisture-increased flaxseeds. The claimed invention also relates to a flaxseed hull isolate that includes at least 7 up to 17 weight percent of flaxseed hull based on the total weight of flaxseeds. Additionally, the claimed invention relates to a harvested flaxseed, whose moisture content is increased by at least about 1 weight percent, and a flax product having a lignan concentration of at least 10 percent by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Glanbia Nutritionals Ireland Limited
    Inventor: Glenn Roy Pizzey
  • Patent number: 7588791
    Abstract: A process for increasing the concentration of PUFA triglycerides present in natural PUFA oils, in which a natural PUFA oil having a triglyceride content of more than 85% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture, and having a total PUFA content of more than 39% by weight of total fatty acids is dissolved in an organic solvent or an organic solvent mixture, the mixture is allowed to stand at a temperature of from ?35° C. to ?100° C. for a period of more than five minutes, the mixture is separated into a supernatant comprising PUFA-triglyceride mixture and a sediment phase, the separation preferably taking place by filtration or centrifugation, and the solvent or solvent mixture, after the removal of the sediment phase, is separated from the supernatant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Nutrinova Nutrition Specialties & Food Ingredients GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk Fabritius
  • Patent number: 7588790
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the removal of undesirable flavours and odours from potassium lactate, wherein the potassium lactate is treated with active carbon. According to this method a potassium lactate is obtained which does not have the bitter aftertaste of the potassium lactate according to the state of the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Purac Biochem B.V.
    Inventors: Symone Kok, Robert Patrick Lobbes, Arielle Regine De Jong, Bert Theo De Vegt
  • Patent number: 7585534
    Abstract: An improved processing method and system for producing tomato paste and other food products affected by viscosity. Tomatoes are processed into tomato juice. The juice is provided to a decanter that separates or fractionates the juice into two portions—a thicker, more viscous cake portion and a thinner, less viscous serum portion. The serum portion is concentrated by removing a portion of water using an evaporator such as a thin film or juice evaporator. The cake portion can be concentrated if necessary with a drier. The serum and cake portions are recombined to produce a tomato paste having improved color, texture, flavor and nutrition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: ConAgra Foods RDM, Inc.
    Inventors: Jorge K. Succar, Theodore G. Tishinski
  • Patent number: 7582325
    Abstract: A process for the extraction of lycopene from whole tomatoes, in which process tomatoes are heat concentrated and extracted with water-saturated ethyl acetate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Indena S.p.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Giori
  • Patent number: 7575772
    Abstract: The present invention provides a Luo Han Guo whole fruit extract prepared by a process that includes extracting the peel and pulp of Luo Han Guo fruits by boiling water. The resulting whole fruit extract can be formulated into a sugar-free, low calorie, low glycemic index syrup or jam comprising the Luo Han Guo whole fruit extract and sugar alcohols (polyols).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Frisun, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan Shi, Yvonne H. Zhang, Michael Peng
  • Publication number: 20090202689
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the separation of gluten and starch from wheat flower, wherein in a first step the wheat flour is converted into a dough having a moisture content of less than 50 wt %, based on dry weight of the flour. The dough is in a subsequent step subjected to an essential simple shear flow with a shear stress of at least 1 kPa and a specific mechanical energy input of at least 5 kJ/kg per minute processing time to obtain a processed dough. It is preferred that the apparatus used for performing this step comprises a reactor of the cone-and-plate type or the cone-cone-type wherein an absolute velocity profile across the conical gap is present. In a final step, the processed dough is separated into a gluten enriched fraction and a starch enriched fraction. The gluten enriched fraction is very suitable for bakery applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Seyed Hadi Peighambardoust, Atze Jan van der Goot, Robert Jan Hamer, Remko Marcel Boom
  • Patent number: 7563473
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new source of high quality plant protein, termed, “quinoa protein concentrate (QPC)”, which contains at least about 50 wt % protein which is food-grade and/or pharmaceutical-grade and methods of preparing such protein concentrates as well as starch, oil, and fiber from quinoa grain. The quinoa protein concentrate of the invention is useful as food ingredients, infant formula ingredients, cosmetic ingredients, pet food ingredients, and animal feed supplements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Colorado State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Laurie Scanlin, Martha Stone
  • Patent number: 7560132
    Abstract: Crushed and de-fatted oilseed is extracted with water at neutral, mildly basic or mildly acidic pH; and is filtered. The filter media allows passage of small fragments of solid cell meat into the filtrate. The filtrate is treated with a base to increase pH to over pH 9, and solids are separated out. Protein is separated from other constituents of the liquid and concentrated, for example by heat-induced or isoelectric precipitation and/or ultrafiltration. The remaining liquid is rich in sugars. The process results in one or more protein products suited for human or animal food ingredients or for production of cosmetics, a sugar rich product suitable for fermentation or use as a feed ingredient, and a fiber-protein animal feed ingredient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: MCN Bioproducts Inc.
    Inventors: Rex W. Newkirk, David D. Maenz, Henry L. Classen
  • Patent number: 7524522
    Abstract: Specifically, a dry corn fractionation system which operates to produce an endosperm fraction which can be concurrently of greater purity at greater yield than obtainable from corn milling or dry corn milling processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: MOR Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth E. DeLine, Daniel L. Claycamp, Daniel Fetherston
  • Patent number: 7494683
    Abstract: Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of ?-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated ?-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high ?-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low ?-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The methods are low cost and commercially practical. Preferably, the high ?-glucan content oat bran and oat flour fractions can have a syringic acid to ferulic acid ratio of at least 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: General Mills IP Holdings II, LLC
    Inventors: John H. Hellweg, John D. McKeehen, Michael Dietsch
  • Patent number: 7487719
    Abstract: This application discloses a method for separating banana clusters into individual fruits. In this method, the banana cluster is hung on a carrier (such as a cable) in such a way that the hanging point is the place where the banana fruit stalks converge (at the crown). The cluster and/or the cutter are moved toward each other and the cutter is positioned such that the cutter cuts the fruit stalks at a point lower than the cluster hanging point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Chiquita Brands International, Inc.
    Inventors: Raul Fernandez, Gonzalo Marquez, Kevin Forsyth, Julio Vasquez, Mark Bakhakh, Yury Buch, Sergey Klimin, Vladimir Vasiliev, Oleg Feigenson, Illya Ilyin, Yuriy Yaess
  • Patent number: 7485332
    Abstract: Byproduct from extracting citrus juice from whole fruit is made into a slurry and extracted to provide a rudimentary peel juice. This is processed into a raw peel juice and microfiltered to prepare a clarified raw peel juice. The peel juice is processed to remove naturally occurring components which detract from the quality of the fruit juice. Such components are removed by contacting the peel juice with an adsorptive rein in order to provide an enhanced peel citrus juice, which can be blended with other juices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Tropicana Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Osvaldo A. Chu, Yongsoo Chung, Thomas Sanders
  • Publication number: 20090017179
    Abstract: An apparatus for easily removing excess moisture from blocks of tofu. The apparatus comprises a container which holds the tofu. A first substantially flat plate member is disposed within such container and placed on top of the tofu. A second substantially flat plate member which has a spring attached thereon engages a pair of arm like projections disposed on upper surfaces and on opposite sides of the container member. The other end of the spring engages the upper surface of the first flat plate member that sits on the top of the tofu so that as the spring exerts pressure on the first flat plate member water is removed from the tofu.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Marie B. Kraft
  • Patent number: 7449209
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for modifying materials that have low soluble fiber content and high insoluble fiber content so as to enhance bile acid binding capacity by increasing the level of available soluble fiber that can be obtained from such starting materials in order to create ingredients that are useable in food intermediates that are suitable for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels. More particularly, the present invention relates to controlling the moisture content, mechanical pretreatment and alkali treatment of such starting materials as wheat bran or shorts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills IP Holdings II, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick C. Dreese, Alicia A. Perdon, Daniel J. Lewandowski, David W. Plank, Fred Hemker, Richard H. Fanning
  • Patent number: 7407680
    Abstract: A carrot is sliced in the longitudinal direction in such a way that the slice surface passes through the core portion, the sliced carrot fragment is blanched and the blanched carrot fragment is extracted to obtain a vegetable extract, so as to manufacture a vegetable extract. By slicing the carrot in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through the core portion, a larger area of the core portion towards which the presence of nitrate ions is biased can be exposed, the contact area between the core portion and the blanching water can be increased and more nitrate ions can be eluted and removed at blanching time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: ITO EN, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sato, Yasuhiko Ikegawa, Takanobu Takihara
  • Publication number: 20080160144
    Abstract: A novel low-carbohydrate digestible hydrocolloidal composition is separated from a cereal-based substrate by means of a specific sequence of steps for treating an aqueous slurry of the substrate. These all-natural compositions are low in digestible carbohydrates, principally starches, and rich in soluble fiber, principally ?-glucan, as well as proteins. The hydrocolloidal products are recovered in high yields, are smooth in texture, have unexpected thickening properties, have a bland flavor, and are useful for texturizing food, especially bakery products. These hydrocolloidal products can also be used as food ingredients for increasing the nutritional level of foods and supplements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventor: George E. Inglett
  • Publication number: 20080131568
    Abstract: An apparatus for easily removing excess moisture from blocks of tofu. The apparatus is constructed of a sturdy plastic material and is substantially box or rectangular shaped. It is designed to be approximately the size of a block of commercially available tofu. The container which holds the tofu has perforations on the bottom which permits the extracted moisture to drain out and away from the unit. The container with the tofu features four feet on the corners with a drain tray to capture the extracted moisture. There is a flat member that sits on the top of the tofu and an inner top lid that has a spring attached to it. The inner top lid engages a pair of arm like projections and the spring engages another tray that sits on the top of the tofu so that as the spring exerts pressure on the flat member on the tofu water is removed from the tofu.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventor: Marie B. Kraft
  • Patent number: 7378117
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of potato juice based products by means of food technology, characterized by the following steps; preparing the squeezed potato juice, filtering off the fibers or starch residues by means of a microfilter, preferably ultrafiltration the filtrate, electrodialysis of the microfiltrate or the ultrafiltrate and optionally, drying the electrodialysate by adding carrier substances containing silicates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Vis-Vitalis Lizenz-und Handels GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Kössler, Norbert Fuchs
  • Patent number: 7368140
    Abstract: Raw material nuts may be quenched using an extremely low temperature liquefied gas to produce cracks in the raw material nuts. The cracked raw material nuts may then be crumbled along the cracks to separate the nuts into small nut fragments. After returning the temperature of the nuts to the ambient temperature, additional cracks can be further produced in the nut fragments by quenching the nut fragments. Smaller nut fragments can then be obtained by crumbling along the cracks. Small nut fragments in desired sizes may be obtained by repeating the process of cracking and crumbling as many times as desired. The astringent skin of the nuts may also be peeled off while the small nut fragments are produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Tabata Inc.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tabata
  • Patent number: 7320810
    Abstract: The present invention relates to food products comprising in percent by weight of dry matter, 0.5-5% of a viscous soluble fibre, 2-20% oat bran concentrate, and 7-35% cereal bran. The specific amount of these constituents provide for a high viscosity and are suitable to delay glucose absorption or appearance in blood and/or to maintain raised glucose levels while avoiding high glucose peaks. The high viscosity of a food product was shown to be a key factor in the appearance of glucose in the blood stream. Hence, the food products according to the present invention are also suitable for diabetic patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Piere Wuersch, Olivier Ballevre, Hubert Milon, Birgit Sievert
  • Patent number: 7235515
    Abstract: A process of making a lubrication additive from an egg having a yolk and egg white includes the step of separating the egg yolk from the egg white. The yolk is heated and a paste is formed from the heated yolk for use as a lubricant or an additive. A lubricating oil may also be formed from the heated yolk for use as a lubricant or an additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Inventor: Ibnsina Karkenny
  • Patent number: 7226633
    Abstract: A method for fractionating a soybean protein into highly pure 7S globulin and 11S globulin efficiently in an industrial scale is provided, said method comprising warming a solution containing a soybean protein under a weakly acidic condition followed by fractionating at pH 5.6 to 6.6 into a soluble fraction and an insoluble fraction. If necessary, a treatment with a phytase may also be employed in the production method to fractionate into a 7S globulin and a 11S globulin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Oil Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishikawa, Mitsutaka Kohno, Yasue Nagao, Motohiko Hirotsuka
  • Patent number: 7217435
    Abstract: A concentrated cherry nutraceutical is prepared by extracting cherry juice from cherries and repeatedly freezing the cherry juice and separating cherry juice of increased concentration while maintaining the juice at freezing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Inventor: Mary A. Smith
  • Patent number: 7189544
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to enzymatic modification of lecithin and to hydrolyzed lecithin products obtained by such modification. One particular implementation provides methods for producing a hydrolyzed lecithin product containing hydrolyzed phospholipids, monoglycerides, and diglycerides. For example, such a method may include the steps of: (a) contacting a lecithin material, which includes a phospholipid component and a triglyceride component, in an aqueous or organic solvent medium, with a first enzyme effective to hydrolyze the phospholipid; and (b) subsequently contacting the product of step (a) with a second enzyme, effective to hydrolyze the triglyceride; under reaction conditions effective to inhibit esterification of the hydrolyzed phospholipid with released fatty acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Cargill, Incorporated
    Inventors: Heidi Schmitt, Marc Heirman
  • Patent number: 7169428
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of separating components from milk, and the apparatus used therefor. The invention also relates to compositions prepared from the separated components. The present invention relates to nutritional milk compositions and products which are designed to include per serving size a specified percentage range of one or more components separated from milk. The compositions of the present invention can optionally include non-essential but nutritionally functional components. The complete nutritional milk compositions of the present invention can be provided as unflavored milks, flavored milks, ice creams and yogurts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Select Milk Producers Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Dunker, Michael J. McCloskey, Timothy J. Gomez
  • Patent number: 7166315
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composition comprising dietary fibers with high water holding capacity (WHC) wherein said composition is obtained from tomato pulp which is substantially free of see, peels, carotenoids and lipids and exhibits WHC, in weight ratio, in the range of about 1:13 to 1:60. The present invention further provides the use of the composition of the present invention as a texturing, bulking, viscosity controlling or syneresis-preventing agent for food. The present invention further provides a process for preparing said composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Lycored Natural Products Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Dov Hartal, Tanya Sedlov, Morris Zelkha
  • Patent number: 7157109
    Abstract: A natural re-hydrating and energizing beverage based on coconut water, fruit juices and incorporated nutritive components, to produce a natural isotonic beverage with a striking or gasified aspect in a mixture of coconut water, concentrated fruit juices (pineapple, passion fruit and lemon) and components that confer and/or incorporate energetic and vitamin characteristics as well being gasified by means of direct injection of CO2 into a basic syrup of the product itself that is already formulated, as well as the addition of mineral salts, vitamins and stimulant extracts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: Marc Kipfer
  • Patent number: 7147882
    Abstract: Common allergenic foods are made hypoallergenic by treatment with super critical fluid or critical liquid gas such as super critical carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen. The treatment of foods with liquid nitrogen or super critical carbon dioxide also enhances the functionality of fat, so that the total fat in the food can be reduced while retaining the good taste of the food. Compositions and methods for the oral delivery of a medicament or vitamin are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Immunopath Profile, Inc.
    Inventor: Leonard S. Girsh
  • Patent number: 7122218
    Abstract: A taste enhancer comprising a high-boiling fraction of cold-pressed citrus oil as an active ingredient. The taste enhancer is environment- and human-friendly and, when added to a food, enhances the tastes inherent to the food, such as volume, juiciness, body, and mildness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Takasago International Corporation
    Inventors: Taichi Yamamoto, Tadahiro Hiramoto, Toshinori Saima
  • Patent number: 7108883
    Abstract: A procedure which comprises a second step of pressing of the Salvia Hispanica L. seeds with temperature control modifying the ratio between the polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants contained as well as obtaining an expeller. The procedure comprises a third step in which the expeller obtained is let to cool until it reaches room temperature and a fourth step in which the expeller, at room temperature, is entered into a disc-driven mill to obtain different particle sizes of a partially low-fat flour with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially ?3 type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Inventors: Mariano Gustavo Lauria, Daniel Alfonso Nuñez
  • Patent number: RE41537
    Abstract: Byproduct from extracting citrus juice from whole fruit is made into a slurry and extracted to provide a rudimentary peel juice. This is processed into a raw peel juice and microfiltered to prepare a clarified raw peel juice. The peel juice is processed to remove naturally occurring components which detract from the quality of the fruit juice. Such components are removed by contacting the peel juice with an adsorptive rein resin in order to provide an enhanced peel citrus juice, which can be blended with other juices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Tropicana Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Osvaldo A. Chu, Yongsoo Chung, Thomas Sanders, D. Scott Lineback