Food Or Dairy Products Patents (Class 436/20)
  • Patent number: 5385830
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring the amount of free sulfurous acid and bound sulfurous acid in a sample using a bacterium belonging to Thiobacillus thiooxidans or Thiobacillus ferrooxidans of in which the sample is treated with acid and/or alkali to give free sulfurous acid alone in the sample. Then, the total amount of free sulfurous acid in the sample is measured by an oxidation reaction of free sulfurous acid to sulfuric acid using a bacterium belonging to Thiobacillus thiooxidans or Thiobacillus ferrooxidans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Nakano Vinegar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Amano, Kazuo Nakamura, Hiroshi Kurosawa, Takeshi Sato, Hirofumi Akano, Yoshiya Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5350855
    Abstract: O-acylated pyridinium compounds in which the 3-hydroxy moiety derivatized specifically at its aliphatic hydroxyl group by a selected acyl group is disclosed. In various embodiments, the composition may be used as a standard for HPLC or immunoassay of pyridinoline, a pyridinoline immunogen for producing anti-pyridinoline antibodies, and a solid-phase reagent for use in an immunoassay kit. Also disclosed are methods for making and using the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Metra Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuri Daniloff, Simon P. Robins, Brian J. Evans, David A. Pratt, Robert Lungard
  • Patent number: 5344780
    Abstract: A sample of lard or fat is taken from a carcass of a pig or part thereof and heated until the fat is liquid, whereupon the sample is extracted by a polar solvent, and the contents of the indole compounds associated with boar taint in the extract are determined. A sample container useable when carrying out the method includes a container divided into an open first chamber and a closed second chamber, where the two chambers are separated from each other by a partition wall breakable by a slight physical load. A closing device associated with the open container includes a third chamber provided at the top with an area penetrable by an injection needle and at the bottom includes a filter which may be lowered into the container. The method is simple and economically advantageous, especially for use in relatively small slaughterhouses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Inventor: Ulf Nonboe
  • Patent number: 5318078
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for controlling and/ or distinguishing liquids used in the brewing industry. To distinguish water, rinse water, different kinds of beer, and various non-alcoholic drinks with the help of technical measuring devices, a measuring instrument for monitoring or distinguishing the conductivity of the liquid concerned by inductive measurement is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Lang Apparatebau GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Hantmann
  • Patent number: 5239258
    Abstract: A method for analysis of freshness of fuels, food products, and oils, lubricants and other fluids, and other organic materials, is disclosed which quickly analyzes oxidative degradation of a sample off-line by measuring the oxidation products of the material. A sample of the material is dissolved and subjected to single sweep voltammetric analysis to measure the current through the sample as a function of the potential applied. The resulting current-voltage plot reflects the level of oxidation products present in the material sampled. The method results in data which can be used to evaluate the freshness of unused materials which degrade during storage, as well as to monitor deterioration of materials during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: University of Dayton
    Inventor: Robert E. Kauffman
  • Patent number: 5232837
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of altering the metabolism of sphingolipids in a cell comprising contacting the cell with a fumonisin, or an analog thereof. The invention also provides a method of detecting the consumption of a fumonisin or a fumonisin analog in a subject comprising (A) detecting, in a sample from the subject, the state of the metabolic pathway of sphingolipids and (B) comparing the state of the metabolic pathway to that of a normal subject, the presence of a change in the state of the metabolic pathway indicating the consumption of a fumonisin or a fumonisin analog. Also provided is a method of detecting the presence of a fumonisin or fumonisin analog contamination in a sample from a food or feed comprising detecting a reaction of the metabolic pathway of sphingolipids, the presence of the reaction indicating the presence of a fumonisin or fumonisin analog contamination. Furthermore, novel fumonisin analogs and compositions comprising fumonisins and fumonisin analogs are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignees: Emory University, The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Alfred H. Merrill, Jr., Elaine W. Wang, Dennis C. Liotta, Ronald T. Riley
  • Patent number: 5192690
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the analytical determination of acetylcyanamide in urine. It involves (a) the separating of acetylcyanamide at from a urine matrix and/or an extract which is obtained from a urine matrix by ion exchange chromatography or reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and (b) detecting the acetylcyanamide at a wavelength of 220 nm. The matrix or the extract of it is cleaned by treatment with activated carbon at pH 7 to 13, and the acetylcyanamide may be extracted from the cleaned matrix or its extract at pH 0.5 to 3.5, e.g. by liquid-liquid extraction of the acetylcyanamide. This is carried out by means of water-insoluble, organic solvent such as ethyl acetate or diethyl ether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: SKW Trostberg Aktiegesellschaft
    Inventor: Ulrich Rust
  • Patent number: 5173430
    Abstract: In a method for determining the dry matter content and nutritional value of moist vegetable material, such as silage, liquor is expressed from a sample of known quantity by applying thereto a reproducible pressure regime, the quantity of expressed liquor is measured, and the expressed liquor is analyzed for parameters, such as pH, ammonia, lactic acid, free sugar and alpha-amino nitrogen, from which the nutritional value can be estimated by regression. The nutritional value of silage can be expressed in terms of its fermentability in the rumen. The invention includes a portable facility for use in `on farm` analysis of silage to determine its nutritional value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Inventors: David J. Edwards, Philip J. Evans, Christopher P. Freeman, Geoffrey P. Gray, Robert E. Matthews, Clifford A. Smith, Richard S. Thom
  • Patent number: 5055410
    Abstract: A method and diagnostic test unit for the determination of one or more non-triglycerides in an oil using an oil-miscible test solution prepared from an oil-miscible vehicle of monoglycerides, diglycerides or mixtures thereof and an indicator deliverable in admixture with the vehicle for assaying the non-triglycerides, wherein the indicator in combination with the non-triglycerides forms a reaction product characteristic of the amount of the non-triglycerides, and the indicator and vehicle are present in quantities and at a pH effective to provide detectable quantities of reaction product. The reaction product development is compared to a known standard to determine the presence or amount of the non-triglycerides in the oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Libra Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Blumenthal, Jerry R. Stockler, Harry M. Van Tassell
  • Patent number: 4987083
    Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for making carbonated beverages in which water is mixed with a syrup and the resulting mixture is carbonated and filled into containers in a filling line, the improvement is the following:a sample of beverage is continuously removed before the beverage is filled into containers and then the sample is passed into a cell of a photometric analyzer and the concentration of syrup is photometrically measured which generates a signal; the signal is fed to a process controller which compares the signal to a signal stored in the controller having been generated by the photometric analyzer of an analysis of a sample of a standard beverage containing a predetermined level of syrup concentration and precisely determines the deviation of syrup concentration of the sample from the standard; a trim amount of water is added to the beverage to control the syrup concentration of the beverage to the concentration level of the standard; and the beverage is passed through a static-in-line mixer t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Inventors: Glenn D. Apple, Robert S. Saltzman, Stewart W. Sennet
  • Patent number: 4981610
    Abstract: The reagent of the invention consists of a combination of an aliphatic ketone, a detergent, a base and a denaturating agent for rendering transparent a protein and lipid containing mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Universite De Nancy I
    Inventors: Guy Linden, Gerard M. Humbert, Rosalie Kouomegne, Marie F. Guingamp
  • Patent number: 4970146
    Abstract: A method of determining the amount of nutriment absorbed in living organisms comprising animals, fish and plants comprises adding to the animal, fish or plant food one or more elements from the lanthanide series as tracers. After the nutriment has been absorbed, a sample is taken from a localized part of the living organism, for example a fish scale, and the sample is analyzed by ICP (inductively coupled plasma) to determine the amount of tracer and thus the amount of absorbed nutriment in the living organism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Havbrukskjemi A/S
    Inventor: Harald Skjervold
  • Patent number: 4952513
    Abstract: The present invention provides a general assay methodology suitable for the detection of organic analytes which are neither aldehydes nor ketones and for inorganic substances. The methodology utilizes prepared sensitized films of derivatizing agents and specific developer solutions for the selective and controlled formation of light scattering crystals whose presence serves as a qualitative and/or quantitative measure of the individual analyte of interest in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Crystal Diagnostics, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Koocher
  • Patent number: 4920063
    Abstract: Methods and associated devices for detecting the presence of a particular motile organism within a sample are disclosed. The sample may be derived from dry milk, raw meat, poultry or a clinical specimen. A preferred method includes inoculating a selective enrichment medium containing a chemotactic attractant with the sample and contacting the selective enrichment medium with a nonselective motility medium containing a chemotatic attractant in a concentration less than the attractant concentration in the selective enrichment medium. Upon incubation, the motile organism metabolizes the chemotactic attractant, allowing the organism to move into the motility medium where it interacts with antibodies specific for the organism, thereby causing the formation of a persistent immobilization band. The methods are particularly useful in detecting Salmonella.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: BioControl Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: N. Robert Ward, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4865991
    Abstract: Methods for partitioning and analysis of flavor volatile and other organic components in a food or bioculture composition utilizing acetonitrile-water blends which are cooled to provide a phase and component separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Kraft, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy J. Mathers
  • Patent number: 4847066
    Abstract: A method is described for treating consumable products, such as foods, drugs or dietary supplements, for example drugs enclosed in capsules, to detect contamination. A colorimetric indicator, which can react with a contaminating substance such as cyanide, is incorporated into the consumable product or the packaging for the product. When the indicator comes in contact with the contaminating substance, a readily detectable color signal is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Washington
    Inventors: David E. Honigs, Jonathan H. Perkins, Bradley J. Tenge
  • Patent number: 4840909
    Abstract: A method of preparing a sulfonamide-food color additive for detecting the presence of a compound such as a sulfonamide in animal feeds and pharmaceutical preparations for human or veterinary use involves admixing a minor amount of an approved food color additive with the compound in the presence of water and drying the resulting mixture to the desired form so as to incorporate the food color additive into the water of crystallization or other molecular structure of the compound. Upon being wetted, the resulting compound-food color additive produces a readily detectable color indicative of the presence of the compound. The method is particularly useful for detecting unacceptable levels of sulfonamides in animal feeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Inventor: Irving S. Rossoff
  • Patent number: 4837157
    Abstract: A plurality of analytes are analyzed by liquid chromatography in a liquid biological sample containing many components which can interfere with analysis by liquid chromatography. The sample, containing the analytes of interest, are passed to a first passage of a dialyzer which removes molecules in the sample which interfere with analysis. A diluent is passed through a second passage of the dialyzer in which the two liquids are separated from each other by a semipermeable membrane having holes large enough to permit the analytes of interest to pass into the diluent but holes small enough to prevent passage of sample components which interfere with analysis. The analyte-containing diluent is passed to a retaining element for temporarily retaining the analytes of interest by adsorption and/or partition. The analytes of interest are removed from the retaining element by a second diluent which is then passed through a chromatography column with a detector and the analytes are analyzed chromatographically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Coventry Health Authority
    Inventors: David C. Turnell, John D. H. Cooper
  • Patent number: 4780417
    Abstract: A process for the rapid extraction, separation, and detection of free and total sulfites in food is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of (a) extracting sulfites from a sample in the presence of a medium having a selected pH to produce an extractant; (b) filtering the extractant; (c) subjecting the filtered extractant to anion exclusion chromatography to produce a sulfite-containing effluent; and (d) detecting the proportion of sulfites in the effluent. The process may be used either to determine free sulfites (by performing extraction in the presence of an acid medium), or to determine total sulfites (by performing extraction in the presence of an alkaline medium). The process of the present invention may be used to determine sulfite levels of 1.0 ppm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Hie-Joon Kim, Young-Kyung Kim
  • Patent number: 4753889
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring volatiles, solids and solvent extractables is described which provides rapid and accurate determinations using microwave heating, electronic balance weighing and solvent extracting of solubles. The method involves subjecting a weighed sample to microwave drying for a preselected time, reweighing to obtain the dry weight and determine volatile loss, solvent extracting the dried sample to determine fats, oils and other extractables followed by final measurement of residual solids. The apparatus is preferably automated to sequentially actuate the required weighing, microwave heating, solvent extraction, redrying, reweighing and calculation of the percentages of volatiles, solvent solubles and solids. The apparatus and method are particularly suited for analytical uses in the food and dairy industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: CEM Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Collins
  • Patent number: 4746616
    Abstract: A method is described for treating consumable products, such as foods, drugs or dietary supplements, for example drugs enclosed in capsules, to detect contamination. A colorimetric indicator, which can react with a contaminating substance such as cyanide, is incorporated into the consumable product or the packaging for the product. When the indicator comes in contact with the contaminating substance, a readily detectable color signal is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Washington
    Inventors: David E. Honigs, Jonathan H. Perkins, Bradley J. Tenge
  • Patent number: 4743557
    Abstract: A composition having regulated occurrence of opacity and clarity at selected temperatures; method of making and using such a composition to create a temperature-indicating device by filling the composition in a suitable container of transparent material and having a background in the form of a color, a letter or a number i.e., in order to be able to visually interpret the difference between opacity and clarity. A reversible indicating device is made which can show if the upper or lower limits of a pre-set temperature interval has been exceeded or fallen below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Inventors: Maj-Britt I. Tiru, Mandayam O. Tiru
  • Patent number: 4692415
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the determination of cyanamide in plants or plant parts, wherein(a) the cyanamide is extracted from the plants,(b) it is subsequently reacted in aqueous alkaline medium with 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate to give 4-cyanimido-1,2-naphthoquinone,(c) this reaction product is separated by high performance liquid chromatography on a reverse phase and(d) it is determined spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 485 nm or 272 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: SKW Trostberg Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ulrich Rust
  • Patent number: 4654309
    Abstract: An article for testing liquid for free fatty acid comprises a substantially nonreactive, neutral and non-buffering, porous, absorbant support material having at least one portion thereof which contains a composition comprising an effective amount of acid-base indicator capable of changing color, when the predetermined amount of base has reacted with the known amount of free fatty acid, in a pH range on the order of 6-10, a predetermined amount of base compound reactive with free fatty acid and being present in an amount equivalent to a known concentration of free fatty acid, and about 30-99.5 parts by weight of non-volatile material of a substantially colorless, substantially neutral, humectant polyalkylene glycol organic solvent which is substantially non-volatile under ambient conditions. An organic liquid to be tested is contacted with the article and any color change in the article after the passage of sufficient time is observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Jerry W. Mlinar, John Neumayer
  • Patent number: 4617276
    Abstract: A novel method of determining the portion of a given dairy cow feedstuff which is attributable to non-structural carbohydrates is disclosed. The method includes the steps of analytically determining the percentages of crude protein, lipid and ash in the dry matter concentration of a first feed sample, and in the neutral detergent fiber which has been separated from the soluble matter of a second sample of the same feed, and subtracting the amounts of crude protein, lipid and ash in the neutral detergent fiber from the respective amounts of the same substances in the original sample. The three difference figures are totaled and subtracted from the percentage of the second sample represented by neutral detergent solubles, i.e., 100 minus neutral detergent fiber, thereby providing an accurate indication of the percentage of non-structural carbohydrate in the feedstuff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Assignee: Agway Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Nocek
  • Patent number: 4421858
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method where, by using gentian violet as a tracer substance, the concentration of one or more selected components or factors of a complete animal feedstuff may be monitored throughout the life of the feed whether at the mill, in transit or at the place of its end use. In one embodiment, the method may be used to determine quickly whether any separation of components has occurred thereby destroying the homogeneity of the feedstuff and potentially endangering the animals to which the feedstuff is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Cambridge Products, Ltd.
    Inventor: Dennis E. Jackson
  • Patent number: 4410632
    Abstract: A sensing apparatus and method for qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing small amounts of selected oxidizable gases in a carrier gas including the associated electronic circuitry is described. The apparatus preferably includes two semi-conductor type sensing elements in electrical parallel so that the difference in resistance of the two sensors can be detected, which can be of the N or P type and which decrease or increase in electrical resistance as a function of the concentration of an oxidizable gas. Also, a method for determining fruit maturity and ripeness by the detection of ethylene in the internal atmosphere of a fruit is described which preferably uses the apparatus with the semi-conductor type sensing elements, but can use other variable resistance type gas sensing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University
    Inventors: David R. Dilley, Julian J. L. Lee, Mikal E. Saltveit, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4377641
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuous extraction of an ingredient from a sample employs a container having a solvent therein selected for its ability to extract the ingredient. The sample is held against a porous substrate having a lower portion which is located below the sample and placed in the solvent, and an upper portion which is located above the sample and exposed to a selected atmosphere. In a continuous supply from the container, solvent is caused to ascend the substrate by capillary action, penetrate the sample, extract the ingredient therefrom, and continue to ascend the upper portion of the substrate where it evaporates, depositing the extracted ingredient thereon. The upper portion of the substrate containing the ingredient may then be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Louis A. Dee, Mary E. Fiske