Battle Creek-based cereals giant Kellogg Co has donated two sets of patents to Michigan State to aid research in food science and packaging, the university said yesterday [Tuesday].
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The donation, approved Tuesday by Michigan State’s Board of Trustees, consists of eleven patents and patent applications along with technical information. A Kellogg spokeswoman explained that the patents would be worth US$49.4m if they were sold at market value.
Michigan State can make money from the patents by licensing them to companies. The university takes in more than US$20m in patent royalties each year.
The food patents concern new methods of processing and using psylium, a plant husk that contains soluble fibers. Psylium, which is used in cereals as well as laxatives, has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.
Michigan State’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition plans to use royalties from the sale of those patents to further psylium research. Kellogg is retaining some psylium patents for cereals.
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By GlobalDataThe packaging patents cover a new pour-spout technology for paper-lined and unlined containers. The School of Packaging will use the money generated by those patents.
Donna Banks, a senior VP for Kellogg, said the patents being donated are no longer necessary to Kellogg’s core products. Kellogg wanted to let Michigan State advance those technologies, Banks said.
