# US 10,946,058 B2 · Food additives and methods of making and using same

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- Number: US 10,946,058 B2
- Document ID: US10946058B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/028,457
- Filed: 2014-03-26
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-11
- Applicants: Uppala Rajakaruna
- Inventors: Uppala Rajakaruna
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10946058B2

## CPC

- A61K 36/88: Liliopsida (monocotyledons)
- A23L 19/00: Products from fruits or vegetables; Preparation or treatment thereof (marmalades, jams, jellies or the like A23L21/10; treating harvested fruit or vegetables in bulk A23N)
- A23L 33/10: using additives (addition of substantially indigestible substances A23L33/21)
- A23L 33/21: Addition of substantially indigestible substances, e.g. dietary fibres
- A23L 33/22: Comminuted fibrous parts of plants, e.g. bagasse or pulp
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

Described herein are food additives prepared from the inner core of a banana plant stem, along with methods of making and using same.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive prepared by:
removing outer layers of a banana plant stem to provide its inner core devoid of removed outer layers;
soaking the inner core in an aqueous medium with a controlled pH between 2 and 6;
boiling the inner core for up to 8 hours in an aqueous medium with a controlled pH between 2 and 6 to produce a boiled inner core; and
drying the boiled inner core to an extent sufficient to provide a water content that is from about 0.01% by weight to about 95% by weight to produce the wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous medium in which the inner core is soaked is maintained at a temperature of from about 40° F. to about 90° F. while the inner core is soaked.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein an amount of an enzyme deactivation agent is added to the boiled inner core, wherein the enzyme deactivating agent comprises: calcium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination of two or more thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the processed inner core has a water content (moisture content) of greater than or equal to 50% by weight.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the inner core is cut, crushed, squeezed, ground, or granulated.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the inner core is mixed with a preservative.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the inner core is washed prior to soaking the inner core.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the inner core is soaked in the aqueous medium for from about 2 to about 8 hours.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, further comprising an orally acceptable carrier comprising an ingredient selected from a colorant, a preservative, a sweetener, an emulsifier, a processing aid, and a combination of two or more thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein a pH modifying amount of peroxide, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination thereof is added after the step of boiling the inner core.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, further comprising a processing aid including a starch, a colorant, a preservative, a softener, a spice, a salt, a sugar, a sugar syrup, a homogenizer, an emulsifier, or an enzyme.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive is adapted for use in a food product containing from about 5% to about 75% by weight of banana plant stem inner core.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A food product made from the wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive according to claim 1, wherein the food product is selected from a pastry, pasta, a bakery product, bread product, a sweet or savory filling, a sweet product, a sweet or savory topping, a potato product, a granola bar, a cereal bar, chili paste, soup, juice, a sauce, a pickle, a chutney, a dairy product, a gravy, a pet food, a laxative, a stool softener, a batter, a coating, and a meat product.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The food product according to claim 13, wherein:
the bakery product is selected from: a muffin, a cupcake, a biscuit, a bagel, a cake, and a donut;
the sweet product is selected from a chocolate, a brownie;
the pastry is selected from a shortcrust pastry, a flake pastry, a puff pastry, a choux pastry, and a phyllo pastry;
the bread product is selected from a baguette, a roll, a bun, naan, pita bread, and a tortilla;
the potato product is selected from French fries, tater tots, hash browns, potato chips, and potato sticks; or
the meat product is selected from a fresh processed meat product, a cured meat product, a raw-cooked meat product, a precooked-cooked meat product, a raw fermented sausage product, and a dried meat product.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The food product according to claim 14, wherein:
the fresh processed meat product is selected from hamburger, fried sausage, kebab, and chicken nuggets;
the cured meat product is selected from raw-cured beef, cooked ham, reconstituted products, bacon, and raw ham;
the raw cooked meat product is selected from liver sausage, blood sausage, and corned beef; or
the dried meat product is selected from biltong, beef jerky, and meat floss.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the aqueous medium for soaking or boiling comprises one of acetic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or a combination of two or more thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the aqueous medium for soaking comprises one of acetic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or a combination of two or more thereof and wherein the aqueous medium for boiling comprises one of acetic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, or a combination of two or more thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive has a water content from about 2% by weight to about 50% by weight.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive has a water content from about 3% by weight to about 25% by weight.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive has a water content from about 5% by weight to about 10% by weight.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive has a water content from about 5% by weight to about 95% by weight.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive is employed to prepare a food product having 0.1 to 50% by weight of the banana plant stem fiber food additive.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1 wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive is employed to prepare a food product having 10% to 25% by weight of the banana plant stem fiber food additive.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 1, wherein after drying the boiled inner core, the inner core is reduced in size or is subjected to wet grinding.

### Claim 25

A wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive prepared by:
removing outer layers of a banana plant stem to provide its inner core devoid of removed outer layers;
soaking the inner core for 2 to 8 hours in an aqueous medium with a controlled pH between 2 and 6 at a maintained temperature of from about 40° F. to about 90° F.;
boiling the inner core for up to 8 hours in an aqueous medium with a controlled pH between 2 and 6 to produce a boiled inner core; and
drying the boiled inner core from about 2 minutes to 72 hours to an extent sufficient to provide a water content that is from about 2% to about 50% by weight to produce the wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The wet banana plant stem inner core fiber food additive of claim 25, wherein the banana plant stem fiber food additive is employed to prepare a food product having about 5% to 50% by weight of the banana plant stem fiber food additive.