Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution... – Containing or obtained from a fruit – including berry
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-17
2004-05-18
Tate, Christopher R. (Department: 1651)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution...
Containing or obtained from a fruit , including berry
C424S765000, C424S442000, C426S002000, C426S053000, C426S615000, C426S489000, C426S495000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06737089
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to animal food products, and particularly to animal food products for domestic and companion animals. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved animal food product and composition enhanced with
Morinda citrifolia
or Tahitian Noni dietary fiber.
2. Background
Animal Food Products
Animal food products designed for domestic animals, livestock, or pets, but particularly companion animals, such as dogs and cats, are generally and preferably prepared as full-feeding foods, which means that the particular composition contains all the necessary nutrients and supplements needed to maintain the health and vigor of the pet. The food composition is balanced in nutrition so that a diet limited to that particular feed will fulfill all of the pet's nutritional needs. Such food products are achievable in two ways. First, industry guidelines, as set and monitored by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), are provided in order to ensure a proper balance of nutrients; and second, each animal food product is actually tested in its specific formulations in appropriate feeding studies.
The typical ingredients contained within a pet food formulation are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. Each of these is present in varying percentages by weight of the specific formulation or composition, sufficient to meet the complete nutritional requirements of the pet. In addition, other ingredients may be added depending upon the specific needs of the animal for which the food is intended.
A wide variety of different animal food formulations are commercially available. Most include either wet or dry type products. The definition of wet or dry is derived from the percentage of water existing in the formulation by weight. Typically, such animal food formulations are designed to be consumed by any breed. In the past, the nutrients or ingredients in these formulations are not typically designed to provide specific advantages to a pet if desired or needed. Recently however, animal food formulations have been designed with a specific goal in mind. Many animal food formulations available on the market today are specialized in that they may cater to animals of different ages, different breeds, or those with certain needs, such as obesity, bone loss, etc. Other formulations address different energy requirements among animals. An additional segment of the animal food market incorporates differences in ingredient usage or product form, which tend to lend themselves to more attractive tastes or varieties.
Morinda citrifolia
The Indian Mulberry plant, known scientifically as
Morinda citrifolia
L., is a shrub, or small or medium-sized tree 3 to 10 meters high. It grows in tropical coastal regions around the world. The plant grows randomly in the wild, and is also cultivated in plantations and small individual growing plots.
Morinda citrifolia
has somewhat rounded branches and evergreen, opposite (or spuriously alternate), dark, glossy, wavy, prominently-veined leaves. The leaves are broadly elliptic to oblong, pointed at both ends, 10-30 cm in length and 5-15 cm wide.
Morinda citrifolia
flowers are small, white, 3 to 5 lobed, tubular, fragrant, and about 1.25 cm long. The flowers develop into compound fruits composed of many small drupes fused into an ovoid, ellipsoid or roundish, lumpy body, 5-10 cm long, 5-7 cm thick, with waxy, white or greenish-white or yellowish, semi-translucent skin. The fruit contains “eyes” on its surface, similar to a potato. The fruit is juicy, bitter, dull-yellow or yellowish-white, and contains numerous red-brown, hard, oblong-triangular, winged, 2-celled stones, each containing about 4 seeds.
When fully ripe, the fruit has a pronounced odor like rancid cheese. Although the fruit has been eaten by several nationalities as food, the most common use of the Indian mulberry plant was as a red and yellow dye source. Recently, there has been an interest in the nutritional and health benefits of the Indian mulberry plant.
Morinda citrifolia
has been discovered to contain health enhancing enzymes that aid in easing inflammation, calming feelings of anxiety, supporting weight management, and promoting circulatory health in humans. Moreover,
Morinda citrifolia
is considered to be an adaptogenic herb, a herb which supports balanced body systems by responding to the body's need for stimulation or relaxation.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method of implementing
Morinda citrifolia
, into various compositions and formulas of animal food products. In one currently preferred embodiment, a quantity of
Morinda citrifolia
fruit juice and pulp is obtained, using the process as described below. Subsequently the resulting fruit juice and dietary fiber is added to an animal food product for providing significant health advantages over prior art animal food products.
The
Morinda citrifolia
fruit juice is obtained from the puree of the fruit of the Indian Mulberry plant and is further processed into fruit juice, wherein it may be added or mixed with other ingredients.
To produce the dietary fiber, the wet pulp is filtered from the juice, wherein the wet pulp has a fiber content of from about 10 to 40 percent, by weight. The wet pulp is preferably pasteurized at a temperature of at least 181° F. (83° C.). The wet pulp can be dried or used wet. Drying is preferably accomplished using conventional drying techniques, such as freeze drying, drum drying, tray drying, sun drying, and spray drying. The dried
Morinda citrifolia
pulp preferably has a moisture content in the range from 0.1 to 15 percent by weight and a fiber content in the range from 0.1 to 30 percent by weight.
The
Morinda citrifolia
pulp can be further processed into a high fiber dietary product containing additional ingredients, such as a supplemental dietary fiber, a sweetener, a flavoring agent, coloring agent, and/or a nutritional ingredient.
In another embodiment, a quantity of
Morinda citrifolia
juice and pulp is obtained and pasteurized or enzymatically treated. The juice and pulp mixture is then dried to a moisture content less than about 20%, by weight. The dried juice and pulp contains protein from the
Morinda citrifolia
plant at a concentration typically from 0.1 to 15 percent by weight, and fiber at a concentration from 0.1 to 20 percent by weight. Additional ingredients are preferably mixed to the dried juice and pulp, such as a supplemental nutritional ingredient with the juice and pulp.
Therefore, it is an object of the preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an animal food product comprising
Morinda Citrifolia.
It is another object of the preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an animal food product having significant health benefits.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention features an animal food product comprising protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and carbohydrates, wherein the carbohydrates comprise
Morinda citrifolia
present in an amount by weight from about 3 to 7 percent of the total dietary fiber contained within the animal food product.
The present invention also features a process for enhancing the health and vigor of an animal comprising the step of feeding the animal a diet of an animal food product containing an effective amount of
Morinda citrifolia
dietary fiber comprising 3 to 7 percent by weight of the total dietary fiber composition contained therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of the present
Jensen Claude Jarkae
Story Stephen P.
Wadsworth John J.
Kirton & McConkie
Krieger Michael F.
Morinda, Inc.
Tate Christopher R.
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