Food products with biocontrol preservation and method
AssigneeGeneral Mills Cereals, LLC
InventorsDavid J. Domingues, John H. Hanlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Food products can include dried microorganisms as a biocontrol agent. The dried cultures resist inactivation during pasteurization of the food product. The microorganisms are selected to be nontoxic and to inhibit growth of pathogenic microorganisms. For example, the biocontrol microorganisms can produce acid to lower the pH of the product thereby inhibiting the growth of pathogens.
Claims28
A food product comprising a pasteurized hydrated, edible food item, said food product being at a temperature state of less than 10° C., wherein said stored food product comprises encapsulated, dormant, hydrated nontoxic microorganisms that are effectively dormant up to temperatures of about 10° C., and wherein, if the food product reaches a temperature above 10° C., said nontoxic microorganisms release by-products into said food product that inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.