Kraft Foods has been awarded US patent # 6149962 for a new method of producing a high-bulk, low calorie ingredient for foods.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
This field has been active, with over 25 Patents issued over the last decade finding mentioned in this patent : Most active are Kraft, FMC Corp., Hercules, Alco, Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, Van Den Bergh and Thomas Lipton Divisions of Conopco Inc., Petrella, Arco Chemical, Jacobs Suchard , Danisco AS, and Procter & Gamble.
Abstract
A gel composition of water, substantially linear polymeric monosaccharide and insoluble material exhibiting exceptional gel strength, thermal stability and organoleptic properties that may be utilized as a fat mimetic in food products. A preferred manufacturing method includes microparticulating the composition at elevated temperatures.
Main Claim (of six).

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData1. A method for the manufacture of a gel composition, said method (1) comprising preparing an aqueous mixture consisting essentially of about 30% to about 35% by weight of a substantially linear polysaccharide, up to about 3 to about 4% by weight of an insoluble material, and water and (2) co-microparticulating said aqueous mixture to provide a particle size distribution of from about 0.1 µm to about 50 µm, wherein said polysaccharide is inulin and said insoluble material is wheat fiber, wherein said co-microparticulating is carried out by micromilling said aqueous mixture at a temperature of from about 115 C. to about 125 C.
By Navroz Havewala, just-food.com correspondent