Patent US4910031A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4910031A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Topped savory snack foods
Assignee: Frito Lay North America Inc
•
Filing: 1988-12-19
•
Granted: 1990-03-20
•
Expires: 2008-12-19
Abstract
Abstract Improved savory snack food items include a nonsweet, sugar-based binder composition which adheres one or more toppings to a base portion of the snack. The binder does not undesirably alter the taste of snack food items and substantially reduces separation of toppings from the snack food items during production, packaging, shipping and, most importantly, during handling by the consumer. The binder also reduces transfer of oil and fat and powders to the hands of the consumer.
Inventors
- 👤 David L. Budd
- 👤 David L. Curtis
- 👤 O. George Dowdie
- 👤 Rajen S. Mehta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:46
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23L; A23L19/00; A23L19/10; A23L19/12; A23L19/18; A23L7/00; A23L7/10; A23L7/161; A23L7/191; A23P; A23P20/00; A23P20/10; A23P20/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S426/00; Y10S426/808
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
An improved savory snack food item comprising a base portion, a topping and a binder means for binding the topping to the base portion, said binder means comprising sugar and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means wherein said binder means exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
An improved savory snack food item comprising a base portion, a topping and a binder means for binding the topping to the base portion, said binder means comprising sugar and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means wherein said binder means exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said sugar is selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, high fructose syrup and corn syrup solids.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said binder means further comprises an emulsifying agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said sweetness suppressor comprises oak extract and chicory extract.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said sweetness suppressor is selected from the group consisting of hexylsulfate salt, heptylsulfate salt, heptylsulfonate salt and octylsulfonate salt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said sweetness suppressor comprises 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said binder comprises sucrose, polysorbate 60 emulsifier and an amount of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said topping comprises an oil or fat-containing composition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A snack food item of claim 8 wherein said topping comprises cheese powder or cheese granules.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said base portion comprises a vegetable slice.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A snack food item of claim 10 wherein said vegetable slice is a potato slice.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A snack food item of claim 1 wherein said base portion comprises a corn collet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A snack food item of claim 1 comprising about 0.005 to 0.5 percent, on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sugar, of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propionic acid sweetness suppressor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A snack food item of claim 1 comprising about 0.08 to 0.12 percent, on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sugar, of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propionic acid sweetness suppressor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A snack food item of claim 7 wherein said amount is about 0.08 to 0.12 percent, on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sucrose.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
An improved savory snack food item comprising a base portion, a topping and a binder means for binding the topping to the base portion, said binder means comprising at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, high fructose syrup and corn syrup solids, an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means, and an amount of emulsifier effective to promote compatibility between said topping and said binder means wherein said binder means exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
99 words
An improved savory snack food item comprising a base portion, a topping and a binder means for binding the topping to the base portion, said binder means comprising at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, high fructose syrup and corn syrup solids, an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means, and an amount of emulsifier effective to promote compatibility between said topping and said binder means wherein said binder means exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improved snack food item of claim 16 comprising about 2 to 50% of said binder composition on a dry weight basis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improved snack food item of claim 16 comprising about 3 to 15% of said binder composition on a dry weight basis.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
An improved snack food item of claim 16 wherein said sweetness suppressor comprises 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
An improved snack food item of claim 16 wherein said amount is about 0.08 to 0.12 percent on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sugar.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
103 words
An improved savory snack food item comprising a base portion, a topping and a binder means for binding the topping to the base portion, said binder means comprising at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, high fructose syrup and corn syrup solids, an amount of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid sweetness suppressor effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means, and an amount of polysorbate 60 emulsifier effective to promote compatibility between said topping and said binder means wherein said binder means exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
103 words
An improved savory snack food item comprising a base portion, a topping and a binder means for binding the topping to the base portion, said binder means comprising at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, maltodextrin, fructose, glucose, high fructose syrup and corn syrup solids, an amount of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid sweetness suppressor effective to suppress up to about all of the sweetness of said binder means, and an amount of polysorbate 60 emulsifier effective to promote compatibility between said topping and said binder means wherein said binder means exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
An improved snack food product of claim 21 wherein said binder composition comprises by weight, about 20 to 80% of sugar, about 20 to 80% of water and about 0.02 to 2% of emulsifier.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
An improved snack food product of claim 21 wherein said binder comprises, by weight, about 50 to 75% of sugar, 25 to 50% of water, 0.1 to 1 of emulsifier and about 0.01 to 0.2% of sweetness suppressor.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of binding a topping to a savory snack food item comprising the steps of: (a) providing a snack food item base; (b) applying to said base a non-sweet, sugar-based binder composition comprising a sugar and a sweetness suppressor wherein said binder composition exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9; and (c) adhering a topping to said binder composition on said base.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of binding a topping to a savory snack food item comprising the steps of: (a) providing a snack food item base; (b) applying to said base a non-sweet, sugar-based binder composition comprising a sugar and a sweetness suppressor wherein said binder composition exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9; and (c) adhering a topping to said binder composition on said base.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of claim 24 wherein said binder composition comprise, by weight, about 50 to 75% of sugar, about 25 to 50% of water and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 25 wherein said binder composition further comprises about 0.1 to 1% of emulsifier.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method of claim 25 wherein said sweetness suppressor comprises 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 27 wherein said binder comprises about 0.08 to 0.12 percent, on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sugar of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method of claim 28 wherein said sugar comprise sucrose.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of binding a topping to a base portion of a snack food item, comprising: (a) providing a mixture of a topping and a binder composition, the binder composition wherein said binder composition exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9 comprising sugar and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder composition, and (b) applying said mixture to a base portion of a snack food item.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of binding a topping to a base portion of a snack food item, comprising: (a) providing a mixture of a topping and a binder composition, the binder composition wherein said binder composition exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9 comprising sugar and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder composition, and (b) applying said mixture to a base portion of a snack food item.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of claim 30 wherein said binder composition comprises, by weight, about 50 to 75% of sugar, about 25 to 50% of water and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 31 wherein said binder composition further comprises about 0.1 to 1% of emulsifier.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method of claim 31 wherein said sweetness suppressor comprises 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 33 wherein said binder comprises about 0.005 to 0.5 percent, on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sugar of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method of claim 33 wherein said sugar comprises sucrose.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of binding a topping to a snack food item base comprising: (a) providing a topped base portion comprising a base portion and a topping thereon, and (b) applying to said topped base portion a binder composition comprising sugar and an amount of a sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder composition wherein said binder composition exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of binding a topping to a snack food item base comprising: (a) providing a topped base portion comprising a base portion and a topping thereon, and (b) applying to said topped base portion a binder composition comprising sugar and an amount of a sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder composition wherein said binder composition exhibits a water activity of about 0.65 to about 0.9.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of claim 36 wherein said binder composition comprises, by weight, about 50 to 75% of sugar, about 25 to 50% of water and an amount of sweetness suppressor effective to suppress any sweet taste of said binder.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 37 wherein said binder composition further comprises about 0.1 to 1% of emulsifier.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method of claim 37 wherein said sweetness suppressor comprises 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 39 wherein said binder comprises about 0.005 to 0.5 percent, on a dry weight basis based on the weight of sugar, of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoic acid.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
10 words
A method of claim 39 wherein said sugar comprises sucrose.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2333442A
Cited
US2824009A
Cited
US3868466A
Cited
US4293572A
Cited
US4642240A
Cited
GB2139470A
Cited
US4501758A
Cited
US4544565A
Cited
GB2157148A
Cited
US4645674A
Cited
US4738865A
Cited
EP0207516A1
Cited
EP0207515A1
Cited
US4710228A
Cited
US4769248A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-19 | 1993-09-18 | 1994-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-19 | 1997-09-18 | 1998-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-19 | 2001-09-18 | 2002-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |