General Mills has been granted a patent for dried cranberries with reduced sugar content. The patent describes a method of making these cranberries by using erythritol and a sweetener that interferes with erythritol crystallization. The process involves applying a solution containing erythritol, soluble fiber, glycerol, and a compound such as allulose or xylitol to the cranberries, and incubating them to produce infused cranberries. GlobalData’s report on General Mills gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on General Mills, Filled confectionary manufacturing was a key innovation area identified from patents. General Mills's grant share as of September 2023 was 72%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11758932B2) describes a method for making a food composition using cranberries. The method involves applying a solution to the cranberries, which includes erythritol, soluble fiber, glycerol, and a compound selected from allulose, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, or any combination thereof. The solution is heated to a temperature of 200 to 250°F to improve the solubility of the erythritol. The cranberries are then incubated in the mixture to infuse them with the solution, resulting in infused cranberries.
The solution used in the method typically contains 30% to 45% erythritol, 5% to 50% soluble fiber, 5% to 50% glycerol, and 5% to 20% of the compound selected from allulose, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, or any combination thereof. The pH of the mixture following the incubation step is around 3.0 to 3.3. Additionally, an alkalizing agent may be included in the solution.
The cranberries should be at a temperature of at least 40°F when the solution is applied to them. After incubation, the infused cranberries can be dried or drained. The method also allows for variations in the ratio of erythritol to allulose, ranging from 6:1 to 1:4.
The patent also claims the infused cranberries made using this method. The incubation step typically involves holding the mixture at room temperature for about 10 to 30 hours.
In summary, this patent describes a method for making infused cranberries using a solution containing erythritol, soluble fiber, glycerol, and a compound selected from allulose, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, or any combination thereof. The solution is applied to the cranberries and heated to improve solubility. The cranberries are then incubated in the mixture to infuse them, and the resulting infused cranberries can be dried or drained. The patent also covers variations in the composition of the solution and the incubation time.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
