111 results about "Serving size" patented technology

A method and system for interactively shopping for groceries, especially on an Internet web site, where the user may create a shopping list, shop for items from the list at a selected Grocery Storey store, arrange for pick up or delivery of the selected items and payment, or to download the list to a PDA or for printing with the store's layout for use in the store. Users are required to register and provide specific demographic information (useful to Manufacturers and stores) to be eligible to receive the benefits of use of the web site, such as menu creation, coupon downloads, menu planning, and recipe input. Shopping lists may be created from a single input screen using standard language text; and products may be automatically suggested to the user based on best regular price or retailer's specials. Recipes may be altered to meet numbers of servings or dietary requirements and changes stored for future use.

A method and system for interactively shopping for groceries, especially on an Internet web site, where the user may create a shopping list, shop for items from the list at a selected Grocery Storey store, arrange for pick up or delivery of the selected items and payment, or to download the list to a PDA or for printing with the store's layout for use in the store. Users are required to register and provide specific demographic information (useful to Manufacturers and stores) to be eligible to receive the benefits of use of the web site, such as menu creation, coupon downloads, menu planning, and recipe input. Shopping lists may be created from a single input screen using standard language text; and products may be automatically suggested to the user based on best regular price or retailer's specials. Recipes may be altered to meet numbers of servings or dietary requirements and changes stored for future use.

The disclosure relates to a process for controlling body weight in which selection of food servings is based on a calculated point value and a range of allotted daily points which is adjusted for weight change. The calculated point value is a function of measured calories, total fat and dietary fiber for serving sizes specified in readily estimatable units. A range or maximum number of points allotted per day may be calculated based on current body weight, caloric reduction to be achieved, physical activity level, and physical activity duration.

The disclosure relates to a process for controlling body weight in which selection of food servings is based on a calculated point value and a range of allotted daily POINTS which is adjusted for weight change. The calculated POINT value is a function of measured calories, total fat and dietary fiber for serving sizes specified in readily estimatable units.

A portable, autonomous electronic device consisting of a barcode scanner, an updatable nutrition facts database, user memory to store product records of products eaten, and an integral readout display is disclosed that will allow a user to scan barcodes on food items consumed and keep a cumulative total of calories and other nutrients. Prepared packaged foods may have their barcodes read directly, while foods that are used in cooking or preparing other foods may be referenced by scanning from a printed generic foods barcode list provided with the device. Serving sizes can be adjusted to accurately reflect the intake of given food items. Daily cumulative totals of calories and several other nutrients can be displayed as bar graphs, and the incremental increase that would result from consuring a scanned item can be displayed with reference to what has already been consumed. Weekly calorie totals broken down by day can be displayed in order to give an estimation of how successfully the user has adhered to diet goals over a dietarily significant span of time. Barcode numbers of food items input into the device along with date and serving size consumed can be stored in user memory and downloaded to another device, for example a computer or printer, via an interface. Diet strategies can be personalized with respect to any one of or combination of several nutritional categories, such as calories, fat, etc.

The disclosure relates to a process for controlling body weight in which selection of food servings is based on a calculated point value and a range of allotted daily points which is adjusted for weight change. The calculated point value is a function of measured calories, total fat and dietary fiber for serving sizes specified in readily estimatable units. A range or maximum number of points allotted per day may be calculated based on current body weight, caloric reduction to be achieved, physical activity level, and physical activity duration.

The present system and method provides a more precise way to record food and beverage intake than traditional methods. The present disclosure provides custom software for use in mobile computing devices that include a digital camera. Photos captured by mobile digital devices are analyzed with image processing and comparisons to certain databases to allow a user to discretely record foods eaten. Specifically, the user captures images of the meal or snack before and after eating. The foods pictured are identified. Image processing software may identify the food or provide choices for the user. Once a food is identified and volume of the food is estimated, nutrient databases are used for calculating final portion sizes and nutrient totals.

An electronic nutrition journal that can include one or more portable units capable of reading barcodes and serving sizes on consumed food items either on menus or on items purchased. Portable units can communicate with either an intermediate computer or directly with a server computer that contains a master nutritional database relating nutritional data with bar codes. This master nutritional database can be updated by either user input such as user preferred menus or by visiting websites that contain this data. An external barcode generator can be operated to produce barcodes for commercial operations that sell food such as restaurants, food trucks, vending machines or others so that barcodes can be established for their menus or selections. The intermediate computer or the server can track food intake and provide computations of nutritional values, bench marks, etc. a particular user or for many users. The server and master nutritional database, as well as coding of restaurant menus, etc., can be run as a service that a user could subscribe to.

The invention discloses an ordering method based on a two-dimensional code. The method is characterized by including the steps that a corresponding two-dimensional code is generated according to access point information of a wireless fidelity (WIFI) network, server information and dining table identification information, a mobile terminal acquires the two-dimensional code and analyzes the two-dimensional code to acquire the access point information, the server information and the dining table identification information, the mobile terminal is connected onto the WIFI network according to the access point information and connected with a server according to the server information, the mobile terminal is identified according to the dining table identification information, ordering operation is conducted, the number of identical dishes is counted, and the quantity of the dishes made by a cook is determined according to the number of the identical dishes. By means of the method and system, the quantity of dishes fried through one time can be reasonably arranged by counting and combining a plurality of menus, kitchen efficiency is improved, and waste caused by multiple times of frying of identical dishes is avoided. In addition, an ordering system based on the two-dimensional code is further disclosed.

The invention relates to a food product dispenser that includes a food delivery mechanism and a cleansing mechanism. The food delivery mechanism includes a food source, a food conduit associated with the food source for receiving a food component therefrom, and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense servings of the food component from the conduit. The cleansing mechanism includes a cleansing conduit associated with the food delivery mechanism to direct a cleansing fluid along a fluid path in cleansing association with the food delivery mechanism under conditions for performing a cleansing operation on the food delivery mechanism. A controller can be provided for automatically conducting cleansing operations based on predetermined conditions. The controller, delivery mechanism and cleansing mechanism can be configured to switch between the dispensing of the servings and the cleansing operation at a plurality of intervals during a day without substantial intervention from an operator.

A container ensemble for food packaging comprising a substantially planar lid member formed of a polymeric material which has a plurality of substantially planar lids which are integrally formed and separably joined to each other, each of the lids including a sealing channel around its perimeter and a skirt extending outwardly therefrom. The lid member is provided with tearable portions to facilitate separation. The other component of the ensemble is a cup member formed of a polymeric material defining a plurality of cups which are integrally formed and also separably joined to each other, the cups including a bottom, a sidewall, and a brim about an upper opening of each cup. Each cup has a skirt extending outwardly from its brim provided with tearable portions to facilitate separation. The sealing channels of the lids of the lid member are adapted to mate with the brims of the cups to provide a plurality of separably joined sealed containers when the lid member and cup member are joined in sealing engagement; the ensemble being thereby adapted for sequentially: (i) receiving serving portions of food in a plurality of cups; (ii) lidding the cups to provide sealed containers containing individual portions; (iii) separating the sealed containers; and (iv) distributing the portions.

An apparatus and method are provided for steam injection heating of a bulk food product. When cooking scrambled eggs, the method includes providing a predetermined amount of liquid uncooked egg. A predetermined amount of water is injected into a heated cavity to form a quantity of steam that is sufficient to cook the predetermined quantity of liquid uncooked egg when injected therein. The liquid egg may be liquid pasteurized whole egg. The predetermined amount of the food product may be a single serving, or integer multiples thereof. When heating a serving amount that is an integer multiple of at least two times the amount of a single serving, the predetermined quantity of water is injected in pulses. The number of pulses is the same as the integer multiple of servings being heated, and each pulse contains substantially equal amounts of liquid water.

A reduced sucrose cookie dough is provided comprising a Saccharide System. The Saccharide System comprises a crystalline sugar alcohol comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of crystalline maltitol, -crystalline lactitol, and crystalline isomalt and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a liquid sugar alcohol and a long chain sugar complex. The Saccharide System has a Collective Solubility that is within about 20% of the solubility of sucrose in the dough. The cookie dough has a sucrose content of less than 0.5 grams per serving size. Methods of making the cookie dough are also provided.

Method for determining a personalized nutrition score for a given meal for a particular user. Traditionally, users choose meals in an ad-hoc fashion, based on dimly remembered guidance aimed at an average person. However, dietary needs vary greatly from person-to-person, based on age, sex, weight, activity level, weight-loss goals, genetics, and many other factors. Furthermore, published nutritional information for meals or individual foods are also based on average portion and serving sizes, and may not accurately reflect the amount consumed by a user. Thus, embodiments of the invention evaluate a potential meal for a user and determine a score representing the nutritional benefits of that meal for the particular user.

A beverage cup lid and a system and method incorporating such a lid is provided. The lid holds an individual serving dose of a beverage to be brewed. Hot water is poured into a chamber of the lid to brew the beverage. The brewed beverage is fed into an underlying cup through an outlet in the lid. The beverage can be consumed through an opening in the lid without removing the spent grounds contained in the lid, from which the beverage was brewed.

The invention discloses a novel online food purchasing mode. Different kinds of food and seasonings can be classified and combined by using all kinds of commonly-used recipes, and thus a user just needs to care for dishes which are about to be eaten by the user in the day without thinking which kinds of food and seasonings can be used for making the dishes; the user needs not to find the food and the seasonings needed by one dish one by one any more, all kinds of food and seasonings needed for finishing the dish can be found out by a system, and the typical reference quantity of the food and the seasonings can be given out; the user just needs to correct, replace and accept or reject listed commodities; through the novel shopping mode, a person who cannot cook can also easily take part in the shopping activity of food purchasing, and the consumer group is enlarged; for the person who purchases the food frequently, the time for selecting and purchasing the food can be greatly reduced, and meanwhile, the situation of food missing during the food purchasing can be avoided.

The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser configured to dispense variable serving sizes of cold beverages. The dispenser can dispense both carbonated and non-carbonated beverages. The dispenser includes a mechanism to carbonate water and can be used with a variety of different syrup flavors.

A bread bowl or boule comprises a spherical edible shell. The volume of the shell provides a space, volume, or container of at least one individual serving size portion of a food material. The bowl typically comprises a spherical shell with an opening resulting from a section removed. The bowl can be manufactured by forming a bakable shell surrounding a fugitive space filling composition. Upon baking, the heat of baking results in a change of state such that the fugitive space filling material exits the interior of the bowl leaving a volume suitable for a single serving portion. The structure adapted for baking comprises an exterior dough shell and an interior fugitive section. Extruding the dough with a fugitive composition in the interior and sealing the extruded ends into a substantially rounded or spherical structure can make the production unit. In preparation, the unbaked bowl is baked leaving a spherical hollow structure. A section of the sphere is removed, exposing the interior volume and the consumable food is then introduced into the interior of the bowl.

The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser configured to dispense variable serving sizes of cold beverages. The present invention uses the Venturi effect in order to mix the syrup and water at a constant ratio.

A device and method for creating fruit juice utilizing a flexible bag having an upper fruit receiving portion for receiving a piece of fruit therein and a lower juice receiving portion, such portions separated by a mesh screen. There is a resealable closure member at the top of the fruit receiving portion. The flexible bag with fruit therein is then frozen and later thawed. The fruit receiving portion with fruit therein is squeezed to release juice from the fruit which passes through the mesh screen into the juice receiving portion which is accessible through a channel defined in the fruit receiving portion and mesh screen through which a straw can be passed into the juice receiving portion for drinking the juice.

An electronic nutrition journal that can include one or more portable units capable of reading barcodes and serving sizes on consumed food items either on menus or on items purchased. Portable units can communicate with either an intermediate computer or directly with a server computer that contains a master nutritional database relating nutritional data with bar codes. This master nutritional database can be updated by either user input such as user preferred menus or by visiting websites that contain this data. An external barcode generator can be operated to produce barcodes for commercial operations that sell food such as restaurants, food trucks, vending machines or others so that barcodes can be established for their menus or selections. The intermediate computer or the server can track food intake and provide computations of nutritional values, bench marks, etc. a particular user or for many users. The server and master nutritional database, as well as coding of restaurant menus, etc., can be run as a service that a user could subscribe to.

The invention discloses an intelligent animal feeding system which comprises an electronic mark on the body of an ingestion animal, an identity recognition unit, a feeding trough, a control unit, a fodder preparing unit, a triggering unit, a biosensor and an environment collector. The fodder preparing unit, the triggering unit, the biosensor and the environment collector are respectively connected with the control unit. The identity recognition unit is used for reading information of the electronic mark and transmitting the information to the control unit. The control unit is used for analyzing behavioral habits of the ingestion animal within corresponding time according to data collected by the triggering unit, the biosensor and the environment collector, a free eating time quantum and a limited eating time quantum of the ingestion animal are set according to the behavioral habits, and the speed and the volume of edible fodder conveyed by the fodder preparing unit to the fodder trough are automatically adjusted in the set free eating time quantum. According to the intelligent animal feeding system, the behavioral habits of the ingestion animal are conformed, the stress response of the animal is reduced, and the maximization of the economic benefit of animal breeding is achieved. In addition, the invention provides a feeding method of the intelligent animal feeding system.

A system and method of generating a recipe player. The recipe player includes a recipe module that receives a recipe as input data and generates an ingredients file and a cooking instructions file therefrom. The recipe module also generates a graphical user interface for presenting cooking instructions and recipe information to a user. The recipe module includes an ingredients quantity engine configured to calculate an amount of each ingredient needed to cook a selected recipe based on serving size.

Legumes having a raw moisture content of between about 19% to about 45% are pressure cooked to a moisture content of between about 42% to about 49%. The legumes may also be subjected to a low thermal stress dewatering at less than about 160° F. After grinding, additional ingredients such as starches, fibers, protein, and / or vitamin and mineral fortification can be added prior to forming a legume-based dough. Kneaded or shaped dough can be cooked and seasoned to make a nutritious snack food comprising between about 5 and about 6 grams of protein per one ounce serving, or between about 10%-30% protein.

The present invention relates to a system for dispensing a customized serving. The system includes an ingredient storage module 12, an ingredient processing module 18, a serving dispenser 20, a user interface 24, and a formulation database containing an inventory of ingredients stored in the storage module 12 from which potential servings will be formulated. The system also includes a controller 22 that is operatively linked to the storage module 12, the processing module 18, the dispenser 20, the interface 24 and the database. The controller 22 is programmed: (a) to receive a serving selection from the user; (b) to determine, using the database, a serving recipe that best approximates the user's serving selection; (c) to present the serving recipe to the user via the interface 24, and (d) upon a command from the user, to actuate the processing module 18 to prepare, and the serving dispenser 20 to dispense, a serving prepared from the serving recipe.

A food product and method including a portion of cheese configured in a single serving size. The portion of cheese is configured to melt at a temperature of less than about 110° F. A batter and bread coating encases the portion of cheese and the coating further includes a wheat flour which has been heat treated. The coating comprises less than 25%, by weight, of the food product. In one embodiment, the coating further comprises a plurality of ingredients suitable for heating longer than five minutes without a cheese blowout.

The automatic coffee bean distributing method includes setting several coffee bean boxes for holding coffee bean of different kinds, determining the kinds and weights of coffee bean, and opening corresponding coffee beans to take coffee bean in the required kinds and weights. The automatic coffee making machine operating on the said method is provided with several coffee bean boxes for holding coffee bean of different kinds and with outlet in the bottom, and one rotating coffee bean amount regulating box with opening. When the opening is communicated to the outlet of some coffee bean box, coffee bean may fall into the coffee bean amount regulating box; and when the opening is turned to the bottom, the coffee bean falls out. The amount of coffee bean may be regulated through controlling the rotation speed and / or rotation number of the coffee bean amount regulating box.

A dishware item adapted to provide serving size guidance and tabulate portion size is described. The dishware item is optimized for use by young children, having functional and graphic design elements that provide stimulation, form a positive association with mealtime, and help instill a lifetime of healthy eating habits. The dishware item includes multiple food item compartments, each compartment associated with a type of food item. The dishware item also includes multiple tabulation counters, each counter associated with a food item compartment. In addition, the dishware item includes a non-skid base coupled to the food item compartments and the tabulation counters. The non-skid base is adapted to prevent movement of the dishware during use.