The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 31, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 02, 1999
Ahmad Akashe, Mundelein, IL (US);
Miranda Miller, Arlington Heights, IL (US);
Kraft Foods, Inc., Northfield, IL (US);
Abstract
Plant sterols have been shown to be cholesterol-reducing agents in human serum. In the present invention, plant sterols, plant stanols, plant sterol esters and other non-toxic sterols are co-crystallized with emulsifiers to form a plant sterol/emulsifier complex or plant stanol/emulsifier complex which can be incorporated into full-fat, reduced-fat, low-fat, fat-free and triglyceride-free food products. Plant sterols and plant stanols can be co-crystallized with emulsifiers to produce a blend which has a melting temperature significantly lower than the melting temperature of the plant sterol or plant stanol. Such complexes can be used to incorporate relatively high levels of such sterols/stanols in food products without the adverse organoleptic effect normally associated with the use of such plant sterols and plant stanols.