U.S. patent application number 13/750804 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-17 for system for managing the nutritional content for nutritional substances.
The applicant listed for this patent is Eugenio Minvielle. Invention is credited to Eugenio Minvielle.
Application Number | 20130275477 13/750804 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49262390 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130275477 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Minvielle; Eugenio |
October 17, 2013 |
SYSTEM FOR MANAGING THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT FOR NUTRITIONAL
SUBSTANCES
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an information encoding, marking, tracking,
and transmission system for information related to nutritional
substances, including nutritional content. Upon the creation of a
nutritional substance, whether grown, raised, caught, collected or
synthesized, information regarding the nutritional substance is
accumulated, encoded and referenced to the particular nutritional
substance. This information can be marked directly on the
nutritional substance, but can instead be stored elsewhere, and
referenced to the nutritional substance by means of a marking,
unique identifier, a unique inherent property, unique genetic
attribute, or an induced genetic attribute. A consumer of the
nutritional substance can use this reference to retrieve the
information regarding the creation of the particular nutritional
substance.
Inventors: |
Minvielle; Eugenio; (Rye,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Minvielle; Eugenio |
Rye |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49262390 |
Appl. No.: |
13/750804 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13485850 |
May 31, 2012 |
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13750804 |
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61624993 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61624999 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61625009 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
707/825 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09B 19/0092 20130101;
G06Q 10/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/825 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A dynamic information identification system for nutritional
substances, comprising: encoded information relating to the origin
of a nutritional substance, the encoded information being encoded
on or as part of the nutritional substance at least electronically,
molecularly, chemically, genetically, or a combination thereof; and
dynamic information relating to a change in the nutritional content
of the nutritional substance, wherein the dynamic information
relating to the change in the nutritional content comprises at
least two values correlated to the encoded information and obtained
under different conditions to determine .DELTA.N, where .DELTA.N is
at least one of a change in caloric, nutritional, organoleptic or
aesthetic value of the nutritional substance; and a storage system
for storing the origin information and the dynamic information,
including .DELTA.N values relating to the change in the nutritional
content of the nutritional substance.
2. The dynamic information identification system of claim 1,
further comprising a unique information identifier, wherein the
unique information identifier is used to relate the origin
information with the dynamic information relating to the change in
the nutritional content of the nutritional substance stored in the
storage system.
3. The dynamic information identification system of claim 1,
wherein the information relating to the origin is encoded on or as
part of the nutritional substance in any one or more of a
mechanical tag, an electronic tag, a molecular tag, a chemical tag
or a combination thereof; and the encoded information is indicative
of the origin of the nutritional substance; and the encoded
information is unique to a plurality of nutritional substances.
4. The dynamic information identification system of claim 1,
wherein the change in caloric, nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value occurs during any one or more of creation of the
nutritional substance, preservation of the nutritional substance,
transformation of the nutritional substance, conditioning of the
nutritional substance, consumption of the nutritional substance or
a combination thereof.
5. The dynamic information identification system of claim 3,
further comprising a reader to read the encoded information,
wherein the reader is any one or more of an optical reader, a
mechanical reader, an electronic reader, a radio frequency reader,
an electronic nose, or an assay to read molecular tags.
6. The dynamic information identification system of claim 1,
wherein the origin is any one or more of a specific farm, fishery,
ranch, city, state, zip code, latitude and longitudinal positions
or a combination thereof.
7. The dynamic information identification system of claim 3,
wherein the mechanical tag is any one or more of a label, a
barcode, a QR code or a combination thereof.
8. The dynamic information identification system of claim 3,
wherein the electronic tag is a radio frequency identification
tag.
9. The dynamic information identification system of claim 3,
wherein the molecular tag is any one or more of a genetic markers,
protein expression profile, microorganism biome, types and amounts
of micronutrients, nanotechnology tags, ratios of carbon isotopes,
gasses, aromas or a combination thereof.
10. The dynamic information identification system of claim 1,
wherein the storage system is a computer, a database, the cloud or
a combination thereof.
11. A dynamic information identification system for nutritional
substances comprising: origin information about a nutritional
substance, wherein the origin information is encoded in or about
the nutritional substance in any one or more of a mechanical tag,
an electronic tag, a molecular tag, a chemical tag or a combination
thereof, and the encoded information is unique to a plurality of
nutritional substances, and the encoded information is indicative
of the origin of the nutritional substance; and dynamic nutritional
content information relating to a change in the nutritional content
of the nutritional substance, wherein the dynamic nutritional
content information provides an initial source value to determine a
.DELTA.N, wherein .DELTA.N is a change in caloric, nutritional,
organoleptic or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance, and
the change in caloric, nutritional, organoleptic or aesthetic value
occurs during any one or more of creation of the nutritional
substance, preservation of the nutritional substance,
transformation of the nutritional substance, conditioning of the
nutritional substance, consumption of the nutritional substance or
a combination thereof; and a reader to read the encoded
information; and an information storage system for storing the
dynamic nutritional content information.
12. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
further comprising a unique information identifier, wherein the
unique information identifier is used to relate the encoded
information with the dynamic nutritional content information stored
in the storage system.
13. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
wherein the reader is any one or more of an optical reader, a
mechanical reader, an electronic reader, a radio frequency reader,
an electronic nose, or an assay to read the molecular tags.
14. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
wherein the origin information is related to any one or more of a
specific farm, fishery, ranch, city, state, zip code, latitude and
longitudinal positions or a combination thereof.
15. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
wherein the mechanical tag is any one or more of a label, a
barcode, a QR code or a combination thereof.
16. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
wherein the electronic tag is a radio frequency identification
tag.
17. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
wherein the molecular tag is any one or more of a genetic markers,
protein expression profile, microorganism biome, types and amounts
of micronutrients, nanotechnology tags, ratios of carbon isotopes,
gasses, aromas or a combination thereof.
18. The dynamic information identification system of claim 11,
wherein the storage system is a computer, a database, the cloud or
a combination thereof.
19. A method for generating a dynamic nutritional value table for a
nutritional substance, comprising: obtaining origin information
about the nutritional substance; wherein the origin information is
encoded in or about the nutritional substance in any one or more of
a mechanical tag, an electronic tag, a molecular tag, a chemical
tag or a combination thereof, and the encoded information is unique
to a plurality of nutritional substances, and the encoded
information is indicative of the origin of the nutritional
substance; and obtaining dynamic information relating to changes in
the nutritional content of the nutritional substance; wherein the
dynamic information relating to changes in the nutritional content
provides an initial source value to determine a .DELTA.N, wherein
.DELTA.N is a change in caloric, nutritional, organoleptic or
aesthetic value of the nutritional substance; and assigning a
unique information identifier, wherein the unique information
identifier is used to relate the encoded information with the
information relating to changes in the nutritional content; and
storing the information relating to changes in the nutritional
content in a storage system, so as to generate a dynamic
nutritional value table for the nutritional substance.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the origin information is
related to any one or more of a specific farm, fishery, ranch,
city, state, zip code, latitude and longitudinal positions or a
combination thereof.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the mechanical tag is any one
or more of the label, a barcode, a QR code or a combination
thereof.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the electronic tag is a radio
frequency identification tag.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein the molecular tag is any one or
more of a genetic markers, protein expression profile,
microorganism biome, types and amounts of micronutrients,
nanotechnology tags, ratios of carbon isotopes, gasses, aromas or a
combination thereof.
24. The method of claim 19, wherein the storage system is a
computer, a database, the cloud or a combination thereof.
25. The method of claim 19, wherein the change in caloric,
nutritional, organoleptic or aesthetic value of the nutritional
substance occurs during any one or more of creation of the
nutritional substance, preservation of the nutritional substance,
transformation of the nutritional substance, conditioning of the
nutritional substance, consumption of the nutritional substance or
a combination thereof.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS OR PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/485,850, filed May 31, 2012, which claims
priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/624,993
filed Apr. 16, 2012; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/624,999, filed Apr. 16, 2012; and U.S. Provisional Patent
Application, 61/625,009, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an integrated system for
collecting, transmitting and acting upon information regarding the
nutritional content of nutritional substances. The invention
provides methods and systems for correlating nutritional substances
to their origins. The origin information may be further correlated
to the nutritional value of said nutritional substance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Nutritional substances are traditionally grown (plants),
raised (animals) or synthesized (synthetic compounds).
Additionally, nutritional substances can be found in a wild,
non-cultivated form, which can be caught or collected. While the
collectors and creators of nutritional substances generally obtain
and/or generate information about the source, history, caloric
content and/or nutritional content of their products, they
generally do not pass such information along to the users of their
products. One reason is that the nutritional substance industries
have tended to act like "silo" industries. Each group in the food
and beverage industry: growers, packagers, processors,
distributors, retailers, and preparers work separately, and either
shares no information, or very little information, between
themselves. There is generally no consumer access to, and little
traceability of, information regarding the creation and/or origin,
preservation, processing, preparation, or consumption of
nutritional substances. It would be desirable for such information
be available to the consumers of nutritional substances, as well as
all participants in the food and beverage industry--the nutritional
substance supply system.
[0004] While the nutritional substance supply system has endeavored
over the last 50 years to increase the caloric content of
nutritional substances produced (which has helped reduce starvation
in developing countries, but has led to obesity problems in
developed countries), maintaining, or increasing, the nutritional
content of nutritional substances has been a lower priority.
Caloric content refers to the energy in nutritional substances,
commonly measured in calories. The caloric content could be
represented as sugars and/or carbohydrates in the nutritional
substances. The nutritional content of foods and beverages, as used
herein, refers to the non-caloric content of these nutritional
substances which are beneficial to the organisms which consume
these nutritional substances. For example, the nutritional content
of a nutritional substance could include vitamins, minerals,
proteins, and other non-caloric components which are necessary, or
at least beneficial, to the organism consuming the nutritional
substances.
[0005] While there has recently been greater attention by consumer
organizations, health organizations and the public to the
nutritional content of foods and beverages, the food and beverage
industry has been slow in responding to this attention. One reason
for this may be that since the food and beverage industry operates
as silos of those who create nutritional substances, those who
preserve and transport nutritional substances, those who transform
nutritional substances, and those who finally prepare the
nutritional substances for consumption by the consumer, there has
been no coordination of management of nutritional content. While
each of these silo industries may be able to maintain or increase
the nutritional content of the foods and beverages they handle,
each silo industry has only limited information and control of the
nutritional substances they receive, and the nutritional substances
they pass along.
[0006] As consumers better understand their need for nutritional
substances with higher nutritional content, they will start
demanding that the food and beverage industry offer products which
include higher nutritional content, and/or at least information
regarding nutritional content of such products. In fact, consumers
are already willing to pay higher prices for higher nutritional
content. This can be seen at high-end grocery stores which offer
organic, minimally processed, fresh, non-adulterated nutritional
substances. Further, as societies and governments seek to improve
their constituents' health and lower healthcare costs, incentives
and/or mandates will be given to the food and beverage industry to
track, maintain, and/or increase the nutritional content of
nutritional substances they handle. There will be a need, not only
within each food and beverage industry silo to maintain or improve
the nutritional content of their products, but an industry-wide
solution to allow the management of nutritional content across the
entire cycle from creation to consumption. In order to manage the
nutritional content of nutritional substances across the entire
cycle from creation to consumption, the nutritional substance
industry will need to identify, track, measure, estimate, preserve,
transform, condition, and record nutritional content for
nutritional substances. Of particular importance is the
measurement, estimation, and tracking of changes to the nutritional
content of a nutritional substance from creation to consumption.
This information could be used, not only by the consumer in
selecting particular nutritional substances to consume, but could
be used by the other food and beverage industry silos, including
creation, preservation, transformation, and conditioning, to make
decisions on how to create, handle and process nutritional
substances. Additionally, those who sell nutritional substances to
consumers, such as restaurants and grocery stores, could
communicate perceived qualitative values of the nutritional
substance in their efforts to market and position their nutritional
substance products. Further, a determinant of price of the
nutritional substance could be particular nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values, and if changes to those values
are perceived as desirable. For example, if a desirable value has
been maintained, improved, or minimally degraded, it could be
marketed as a premium product.
[0007] For example, the grower of sweet corn generally only
provides basic information as the variety and grade of its corn to
the packager, who preserves and ships the corn to a producer for
use in a ready-to-eat dinner. The packager may only tell the
producer that the corn has been frozen as loose kernels of sweet
corn. The producer may only provide the consumer with rudimentary
instructions how to cook or reheat the ready-to-eat dinner in a
microwave oven, toaster oven or conventional oven, and only tell
the consumer that the dinner contains whole kernel corn among the
various items in the dinner. Finally, the consumer of the dinner
will likely not express opinions on the quality of the dinner,
unless it was an especially bad experience, where the consumer
might contact the producer's customer support program to complain.
Very minimal, or no, information on the nutritional content of the
ready-to-eat dinner is passed along to the consumer. The consumer
knows essentially nothing about changes (generally degradation) to
the nutritional content of the sweet corn from creation,
processing, packaging, cooking, preservation, preparation by
consumer, and finally consumption by the consumer.
[0008] Consumers' needs are changing as consumers are demanding
healthier foods, such as "organic foods." Customers are also asking
for more information about the nutritional substances they consume,
such as specific characteristics relating not only to nutritional
content, but to allergens or digestive intolerances. For example,
nutritional substances which contain lactose, gluten, nuts, dyes,
etc. need to be avoided by certain consumers. However, the producer
of the ready-to-eat dinner, in the prior example, has very little
information to share other than possibly the source of the elements
of the ready-to-eat dinner and its processing steps in preparing
the dinner. Generally, the producer of the ready-to-eat dinner does
not know the nutritional content and organoleptic state and
aesthetic condition of the product after it has been reheated or
cooked by the consumer, cannot predict changes to these properties,
and cannot inform a consumer of this information to enable the
consumer to better meet their needs. For example, the consumer may
want to know what proportion of desired organoleptic properties or
values, desired nutritional content or values, or desired aesthetic
properties or values of the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner remain
after cooking or reheating, and the change in the desired
nutritional content or values, the desired organoleptic properties
or values, or the desired aesthetic properties or values (usually a
degradation, but could be a maintenance or even improvement). There
is a need to preserve, measure, estimate, store and/or transmit
information regarding such nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
values, including changes to these values, throughout the
nutritional substance supply system.
[0009] The caloric and nutritional content information for a
prepared food that is provided to the consumer is often minimal.
For example, when sugar is listed in the ingredient list, the
consumer generally does receive any information about the source of
the sugar, which can come from a variety of plants, such as
sugarcane, beets, or corn, which will affect its nutritional
content. Conversely, some nutritional information that is provided
to consumers is so detailed, the consumer can do little with it.
For example, this list of ingredients is from a nutritional label
on a consumer product: Vitamins--A 355 IU 7%, E 0.8 mg 4%, K 0.5
mcg, 1%, Thiamin 0.6 mg 43%, Riboflavin 0.3 mg 20%, Niacin 6.0 mg
30%, B6 1.0 mg 52%, Foliate 31.5 mcg 8%, Pantothenic 7%; Minerals
Calcium 11.6 1%, Iron 4.5 mg 25%, 211 mg 53%, Phosphorus 349 mg
35%, Potassium 476 mg 14%, Sodium 58.1 mg 2%, Zinc 3.7 mg 24%,
Copper 0.5 mg 26%, Manganese 0.8 mg 40%, Selenium 25.7 mcg 37%;
Carbohydrate 123 g, Dietary fiber 12.1 g, Saturated fat 7.9 g,
Monosaturated Fat 2.1 g, Polysaturated Fat 3.6 g, Omega 3 fatty
acids 108 g, Omega 6 fatty acids 3481, Ash 2.0 g and Water 17.2 g.
(%=Daily Value). There is a need to provide information about
nutritional substances in a meaningful manner. Such information
needs to be presented in a manner that meets the specific needs of
a particular consumer. For example, consumers with a medical
condition, such as diabetes, would want to track specific
information regarding nutritional values associated with sugar and
other nutrients in the foods and beverages they consume, and would
benefit further from knowing changes in these values or having
tools to quickly indicate or estimate these changes in a
retrospective, current, or prospective fashion.
[0010] If fact, each silo in the food and beverage industry already
creates and tracks some information, including caloric and
nutritional information, about their product internally. For
example, the farmer who grew the corn knows the variety of the
seed, condition of the soil, the source of the water, the
fertilizers and pesticides used, and can measure the caloric and
nutritional content at creation. The packager of the corn knows
when it was picked, how it was transported to the packaging plant,
how the corn was preserved and packaged before being sent to the
ready-to-eat dinner producer, when it was delivered to the
producer, and what degradation to caloric and nutritional content
has occurred. The producer knows the source of each element of the
ready-to-eat dinner, how it was processed, including the recipe
followed, and how it was preserved and packaged for the consumer.
Not only does such a producer know what degradation to caloric and
nutritional content occurred, the producer can modify its
processing and post-processing preservation to minimally affect
nutritional content. The preparation of the nutritional substance
for consumption can also degrade the nutritional content of
nutritional substances. Finally, the consumer knows how she
prepared the dinner, what condiments were added, and whether she
did or did not enjoy it.
[0011] If there was a mechanism to share this information, the
quality of the nutritional substances, including caloric and
nutritional content, could be preserved and improved. Consumers
could be better informed about nutritional substances they select
and consume, including the state of the nutritional substance
throughout its lifecycle from creation to consumption. The
efficiency and cost effectiveness of nutritional substances could
also be improved. Feedback within the entire chain from creator to
consumer could provide a closed-loop system that could improve
quality (taste, appearance, and caloric and nutritional content),
efficiency, value and profit. For example, in the milk supply
chain, at least 10% of the milk produced is wasted due to safety
margins included in product expiration dates. The use of more
accurate tracking information, measured quality (including
nutritional content) information, and historical environmental
information could substantially reduce such waste. Collecting,
preserving, measuring and/or tracking information about a
nutritional substance in the nutritional substance supply system,
would allow needed accountability. There would be nothing to
hide.
[0012] As consumers are demanding more information about what they
consume, they are asking for products that have higher nutritional
content and more closely match good nutritional requirements, and
would like nutritional products to actually meet their specific
nutritional requirements. While grocery stores, restaurants, and
all those who process and sell food and beverages may obtain some
information from current nutritional substance tracking systems,
such as labels, these current systems can provide only limited
information.
[0013] Nutritional substances collectors and/or producers, such as
growers (plants), ranchers (animals) or synthesizer (synthetic
compounds), routinely create and collect information about their
products, however, that information is generally not accessible by
their customers. Even if such producers wished to provide such
information to their customers, there is no current method of
labeling, encoding or identifying each particular product to
provide such information (even though all plants, animals and in
general, nutritional substances have a natural fingerprint). While
there are limited methods and systems available, they are
excessively costly, time consuming, and do not trace, or provide
access to, the nutritional substance organoleptic and/or
nutritional state across the product's lifecycle. Current labels
for such products include package labels, sticker labels and food
color ink labels. These labels generally are applied to all similar
products and cannot identify each particular product, only variety
of products, such as apple banana, but not a particular banana.
[0014] An important issue in the creation, preservation,
transformation, conditioning, and consumption of nutritional
substances are the changes that occur in nutritional substances due
to a variety of internal and external factors. Because nutritional
substances are composed of biological, organic, and/or chemical
compounds, they are generally subject to degradation. This
degradation generally reduces the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values of nutritional substances. While not always true,
nutritional substances are best consumed at their point of
creation. However, being able to consume nutritional substances at
the farm, at the slaughterhouse, at the fishery, or at the food
processing plant is at least inconvenient, if not impossible.
Currently, the food and beverage industry attempts to minimize the
loss of nutritional value (often through the use of additives or
preservatives), and/or attempts to hide this loss of nutritional
value from consumers.
[0015] Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related
systems and their associated limitations are intended to be
illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or
prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art
upon reading the following Detailed Description.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0016] It is an object of the present invention to obtain
information as to the creation/origin of a nutritional substance,
whether it is grown, caught, raised, or synthesized, location from
where the nutritional substance originated and the like. Such
information could be accessed by users or consumers of the
nutritional substances by means of identification of specific
nutritional substances. The means for identification can take the
form of a tag, wherein such a tag can be attached to the
nutritional substance. Such a tag may be a mechanical tag, an
electronic tag, a molecular tag, a chemical tag or a combination
thereof. Such a tag can be made up of a material attached to the
nutritional substance or could be encoded directly on or in the
nutritional substance.
[0017] It is an object of the present invention to obtain
information as to the creation/origin of a nutritional substance,
whether it is grown, raised, caught, recollected or synthesized,
location from where the nutritional substance originated and the
like. Such information could be accessed by users or consumers of
the nutritional substances by means of identification of specific
nutritional substances. The means for identification of a
nutritional substance is done by identifying a unique attribute of
the nutritional substance that can be used to reference the
creation/origin information. Alternately, identification can be
done by modifying the nutritional substance in a fashion which does
not affect the nutritional quality or taste of the nutritional
substance and allows the nutritional substance to be uniquely
identified to reference the creation information.
[0018] It is an object of the present invention to obtain
information as to the creation/origin of a nutritional substance,
whether it is grown, raised, caught, collected, or synthesized.
Such information could be accessed by users or consumers of the
nutritional substances by means of identification of specific
nutritional substances. The means for identification of a
nutritional substance is done by identifying a unique genetic
attribute of the nutritional substance that can be used to
reference the creation information. Alternately, identification can
be done by modifying the genetic attributes of the nutritional
substance in a fashion which does not affect the nutritional
quality or taste of the nutritional substance and allows the
nutritional substance to be uniquely identified to reference the
creation information.
[0019] It is an object of the present invention to minimize and/or
track degradation of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value of nutritional substances, and/or collect, store, and/or
transmit information regarding this degradation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, information as to
the creation/origin of a nutritional substance, whether it is
grown, caught, raised, or synthesized is obtained and stored. The
means for identification can take the form tag of a label, wherein
such a label can be attached to the nutritional substance. Such a
label can be made up of a material attached to the nutritional
substance or could be encoded directly on the nutritional
substance.
[0021] In another embodiment of the present invention, information
as to the creation/origin of a nutritional substance, whether it is
grown, raised, caught, recollected or synthesized is referenced by
means of identification of specific nutritional substances. The
means for identification of a nutritional substance is done by
identifying a unique attribute of the nutritional substance that
can be used to reference the creation/origin information.
Alternately, identification can be done by modifying the
nutritional substance in a fashion which does not affect the
nutritional quality or taste of the nutritional substance that
allows the nutritional substance to be uniquely identified to
reference the creation information.
[0022] In another embodiment of the present invention, information
as to the creation/origin of a nutritional substance, whether it is
grown, raised, caught, collected, or synthesized is referenced by
identification of a nutritional substance by a unique genetic
attribute of the nutritional substance that can be used to
reference the creation information. Alternately, identification can
be done by modifying the genetic attributes of the nutritional
substance in a fashion which does not affect the nutritional
quality or taste of the nutritional substance and allows the
nutritional substance to be uniquely identified to reference the
creation information.
[0023] In another embodiment of the present invention information
regarding a change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value of nutritional substances, collectively and individually
referred to herein as .DELTA.N, is: measured or collected or
calculated or created or estimated or indicated or determined in
any suitable manner; stored and/or tracked and/or transmitted
and/or processed prior to transformation and/or following
transformation, such that the degradation of specific nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values can be minimized and specific
residual nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value can be
optimized. A change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value may not occur, in which case .DELTA.N would be zero. The
change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may be
a degradation, in which case .DELTA.N would be negative. The change
of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may be an
improvement, in which case .DELTA.N would be positive.
[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention provides a system
for the creation, collection, storage, transmission, and/or
processing of information regarding nutritional substances so as to
improve, maintain, or minimize degradation of nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances.
Additionally, the present invention provides such information for
use by the creators, preservers, transformers, conditioners, and
consumers of nutritional substances. The nutritional information
creation, preservation, and transmission system of the present
invention should allow the nutritional substance supply system to
improve its ability to minimize degradation of nutritional,
organoleptic and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance,
and/or inform the consumer about such degradation. The ultimate
goal of the nutritional substance supply system is to minimize
degradation of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values,
or as it relates to .DELTA.N, minimize the negative magnitude of
.DELTA.N. However, an interim goal should be providing consumers
with significant information regarding any change, particularly
degradation, of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values
of nutritional substances consumers select and consume, the
.DELTA.N, such that desired information regarding specific residual
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values can be
ascertained using the .DELTA.N. Entities within the nutritional
substance supply system that provide such .DELTA.N information
regarding nutritional substances, particularly regarding
degradation, will be able to differentiate their products from
those who obscure and/or hide such information. Additionally, such
entities should be able to charge a premium for products which
either maintain their nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value, or supply more complete information about changes in their
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, the
.DELTA.N.
[0025] Other advantages and features will become apparent from the
following description and claims. It should be understood that the
description and specific examples are intended for purposes of
illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the
present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, exemplify the embodiments
of the present invention and, together with the description, serve
to explain and illustrate principles of the invention. The drawings
are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary
embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended
to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative
dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to
scale.
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
nutritional substance supply relating to the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional
substance which changes according to a change of condition for the
nutritional substance;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a schematic functional block diagram of the
creation module 200 according to the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a schematic functional block diagram of the
creation module 200 according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention;
[0031] FIG. 5 shows a schematic functional block diagram of the
creation module 200 according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention;
[0032] FIG. 6 shows a schematic functional block diagram of the
creation module 200 according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0033] FIG. 7 shows a schematic functional block diagram of the
creation module 200 according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention.
[0034] In the drawings, the same reference numbers and any acronyms
identify elements or acts with the same or similar structure or
functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily
identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most
significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the
Figure number in which that element is first introduced.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0035] All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in
their entirety as though fully set forth. One skilled in the art
will recognize many methods and materials similar or equivalent to
those described herein, which could be used in the practice of the
present invention. Indeed, the present invention is in no way
limited to the methods and materials described.
[0036] The various methods and techniques described below provide a
number of ways to carry out the application. Of course, it is to be
understood that not necessarily all objectives or advantages
described can be achieved in accordance with any particular
embodiment described herein. Thus, for example, those skilled in
the art will recognize that the methods can be performed in a
manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of
advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other
objectives or advantages as taught or suggested herein. A variety
of alternatives are mentioned herein. It is to be understood that
some preferred embodiments specifically include one, another, or
several features, while others specifically exclude one, another,
or several features, while still others mitigate a particular
feature by inclusion of one, another, or several advantageous
features.
[0037] Furthermore, the skilled artisan will recognize the
applicability of various features from different embodiments.
Similarly, the various elements, features and steps discussed
above, as well as other known equivalents for each such element,
feature or step, can be employed in various combinations by one of
ordinary skill in this art to perform methods in accordance with
the principles described herein. Among the various elements,
features, and steps some will be specifically included and others
specifically excluded in diverse embodiments.
[0038] Although the application has been disclosed in the context
of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that the embodiments of the application extend
beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative
embodiments and/or uses and modifications and equivalents
thereof.
[0039] Various examples of the invention will now be described. The
following description provides specific details for a thorough
understanding and enabling description of these examples. One
skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the
invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise,
one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the
invention can include many other obvious features not described in
detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or
functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to
avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description.
[0040] The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its
broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in
conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific
examples of the invention. Indeed, certain terms may even be
emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be
interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and
specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description
section.
[0041] The following discussion provides a brief, general
description of a representative environment in which the invention
can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the invention
may be described below in the general context of
computer-executable instructions, such as routines executed by a
general-purpose data processing device (e.g., a server computer or
a personal computer). Those skilled in the relevant art will
appreciate that the invention can be practiced with other
communications, data processing, or computer system configurations,
including: wireless devices, Internet appliances, hand-held devices
(including personal digital assistants (PDAs)), wearable computers,
all manner of cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems,
microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-top
boxes, network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the
like. Indeed, the terms "controller," "computer," "server," and the
like are used interchangeably herein, and may refer to any of the
above devices and systems.
[0042] While aspects of the invention, such as certain functions,
are described as being performed exclusively on a single device,
the invention can also be practiced in distributed environments
where functions or modules are shared among disparate processing
devices. The disparate processing devices are linked through a
communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide
Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing
environment, program modules may be located in both local and
remote memory storage devices.
[0043] Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on
tangible computer-readable media, including magnetically or
optically readable computer discs, hard-wired or preprogrammed
chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memory,
biological memory, or other data storage media. Alternatively,
computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen
displays, and other data related to the invention may be
distributed over the Internet or over other networks (including
wireless networks), on a propagated signal on a propagation medium
(e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a
period of time. In some implementations, the data may be provided
on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuit
switched, or other scheme).
[0044] In some instances, the interconnection between modules is
the internet, allowing the modules (with, for example, WiFi
capability) to access web content offered through various web
servers. The network may be any type of cellular, IP-based or
converged telecommunications network, including but not limited to
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division
Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA),
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM), General
Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE),
Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), Long Term Evolution
(LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), etc.
[0045] The modules in the systems can be understood to be
integrated in some instances and in particular embodiments, only
particular modules may be interconnected.
[0046] FIG. 1 shows the components of a nutritional substance
industry 10. It should be understood that this could be the food
and beverage and beverage ecosystem for human consumption, but
could also be the feed industry for animal consumption, such as the
pet food industry, or even the agricultural ecosystem for the
cultivation of plants. A goal of the present invention for
nutritional substance industry 10 is to create, preserve, transform
and trace the change in nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic
values of nutritional substances, collectively and individually
also referred to herein as .DELTA.N, through their creation,
preservation, transformation, conditioning and consumption. While
the nutritional substance industry 10 can be composed of many
companies or businesses, it can also be integrated into
combinations of businesses serving many roles, or can be one
business or even individual. Since .DELTA.N is a measure of the
change in a value of a nutritional substance, knowledge of a prior
value (or state) of a nutritional substance and the .DELTA.N value
will provide knowledge of the changed value (or state) of a
nutritional substance, and can further provide the ability to
estimate a change in value (or state).
[0047] Module 200 is the creation module. This can be a system,
organization, or individual which creates and/or originates
nutritional substances. Examples of this module include a farm
which grows produce; a ranch which raises cows for beef; an
aquaculture farm for growing shrimp; a factory that synthesizes
nutritional compounds; a collector of wild truffles; or a deep sea
crab trawler.
[0048] Preservation module 300 is a preservation system for
preserving and protecting the nutritional substances created by
creation module 200. Once the nutritional substance has been
created, generally, it will need to be packaged in some manner for
its transition to other modules in the nutritional substances
industry 10. While preservation module 300 is shown in a particular
position in the nutritional substance industry 10, following the
creation module 200, it should be understood that the preservation
module 300 actual can be placed anywhere nutritional substances
need to be preserved during their transition from creation to
consumption.
[0049] Transformation module 400 is a nutritional substance
processing system, such as a manufacturer who processes raw
materials such as grains into breakfast cereals. Transformation
module 400 could also be a ready-to-eat dinner manufacturer who
receives the components for a ready-to-eat dinner from preservation
module 300 and prepares them into a frozen dinner. While
transformation module 400 is depicted as one module, it will be
understood that nutritional substances may be transformed by a
number of transformation modules 400 on their path to
consumption.
[0050] Conditioning module 500 is a consumer preparation system for
preparing the nutritional substance immediately before consumption
by the consumer. Conditioning module 500 can be a microwave oven, a
blender, a toaster, a convection oven, a cook, etc. It can also be
systems used by commercial establishments to prepare nutritional
substance for consumers such as a restaurant, an espresso maker,
pizza oven, and other devices located at businesses which provide
nutritional substances to consumers. Such nutritional substances
could be for consumption at the business or for the consumer to
take out from the business. Conditioning module 500 can also be a
combination of any of these devices used to prepare nutritional
substances for consumption by consumers.
[0051] Consumer module 600 collects information from the living
entity which consumes the nutritional substance which has passed
through the various modules from creation to consumption. The
consumer can be a human being, but could also be an animal, such as
pets, zoo animals and livestock, which are they themselves
nutritional substances for other consumption chains. Consumers
could also be plant life which consumes nutritional substances to
grow.
[0052] Information module 100 receives and transmits information
regarding a nutritional substance between each of the modules in
the nutritional substance industry 10 including, the creation
module 200, the preservation module 300, the transformation module
400, the conditioning module 500, and the consumer module 600. The
nutritional substance information module 100 can be an
interconnecting information transmission system which allows the
transmission of information between various modules. Information
module 100 contains a database where the information regarding the
nutritional substance resides. Information module 100 can be
connected to the other modules by a variety of communication
systems, such as paper, computer networks, the internet and
telecommunication systems, such as wireless telecommunication
systems.
[0053] FIG. 2 is a graph showing the function of how a nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance varies
over the change in a condition of the nutritional substance.
Plotted on the vertical axis of this graph can be either the
nutritional value, organoleptic value, or even the aesthetic value
of a nutritional substance. Plotted on the horizontal axis can be
the change in condition of the nutritional substance over a
variable such as time, temperature, location, and/or exposure to
environmental conditions. This exposure to environmental conditions
can include: exposure to air, including the air pressure and
partial pressures of oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, or ozone;
airborne chemicals, pollutants, allergens, dust, smoke,
carcinogens, radioactive isotopes, or combustion byproducts;
exposure to moisture; exposure to energy such as mechanical impact,
mechanical vibration, irradiation, heat, or sunlight; or exposure
to materials such as packaging. The function plotted as nutritional
substance A could show a .DELTA.N for milk, such as the degradation
of a nutritional value of milk over time. Any point on this curve
can be compared to another point to measure and/or describe the
change in nutritional value, or the .DELTA.N of nutritional
substance A. The plot of the degradation in the same nutritional
value of nutritional substance B, also milk, describes the change
in nutritional value, or the .DELTA.N of nutritional substance B, a
nutritional substance which starts out with a higher nutritional
value than nutritional substance A, but degrades over time more
quickly than nutritional substance A.
[0054] If, in this example, where nutritional substance A and
nutritional substance B are milk, this .DELTA.N information
regarding the nutritional substance degradation profile of each
milk could be used by the consumer in the selection and/or
consumption of the milk. If the consumer has this information at
time zero when selecting a milk product for purchase, the consumer
could consider when the consumer plans to consume the milk, whether
that is on one occasion or multiple occasions. For example, if the
consumer planned to consume the milk prior to the point when the
curve represented by nutritional substance B crosses the curve
represented by nutritional substance A, then the consumer should
choose the milk represented by nutritional substance B because it
has a higher nutritional value until it crosses the curve
represented by nutritional substance A. However, if the consumer
expects to consume at least some of the milk at a point in time
after the time when the curve represented by nutritional substance
B crosses the curve represented by nutritional substance A, then
the consumer might choose to select the milk represented by the
nutritional substance A, even though milk represented by
nutritional substance A has a lower nutritional value than the milk
represented by nutritional substance B at an earlier time. This
change to a desired nutritional value in a nutritional substance
over a change in a condition of the nutritional substance described
in FIG. 2 can be measured and/or controlled throughout nutritional
substance supply system 10 in FIG. 1. This example demonstrates how
dynamically generated information regarding a .DELTA.N of a
nutritional substance, in this case a change in nutritional value
of milk, can be used to understand a rate at which that nutritional
value changes or degrades; when that nutritional value expires; and
a residual nutritional value of the nutritional substance over a
change in a condition of the nutritional substance, in this example
a change in time. This .DELTA.N information could further be used
to determine a best consumption date for nutritional substance A
and B, which could be different from each other depending upon the
dynamically generated information generated for each.
[0055] In FIG. 1, Creation module 200 can dynamically encode
nutritional substances to enable the tracking of changes in
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the
nutritional substance, or .DELTA.N. This dynamic encoding, also
referred to herein as a dynamic information identifier, can replace
and/or complement existing nutritional substance marking systems
such as barcodes, labels, and/or ink markings. This dynamic
encoding, or dynamic information identifier, can be used to make
nutritional substance information from creation module 200
available to information module 100 for use by preservation module
300, transformation module 400, conditioning module 500, and/or
consumption module 600, which includes the ultimate consumer of the
nutritional substance. One method of marking the nutritional
substance with a dynamic information identifier by creation module
200, or any other module in nutritional supply system 10, could
include an electronic tagging system, such as the tagging system
manufactured by Kovio of San Jose, Calif., USA. Such thin film
chips can be used not only for tracking nutritional substances, by
can include components to measure attributes of nutritional
substances, and record and transmit such information. Such
information may be readable by a reader including a satellite-based
system. Such a satellite-based nutritional substance information
tracking system could comprise a network of satellites with
coverage of some or all the surface of the earth, so as to allow
information module 100 real time, or near real time updates about a
.DELTA.N of a particular nutritional substance.
[0056] Preservation module 300 includes packers and shippers of
nutritional substances. The tracking of changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or a .DELTA.N, during the
preservation period within preservation module 300 allows for
dynamic expiration dates for nutritional substances. For example,
expiration dates for dairy products are currently based generally
only on time using assumptions regarding minimal conditions at
which dairy products are maintained. This extrapolated expiration
date is based on a worst-case scenario for when the product becomes
unsafe to consume during the preservation period. In reality, the
degradation of dairy products may be significantly less than this
worst-case. If preservation module 300 could measure or derive the
actual degradation information such as .DELTA.N, an actual
expiration date, referred to herein as a dynamic expiration date,
can be determined dynamically, and could be significantly later in
time than an extrapolated expiration date. This would allow the
nutritional substance supply system to dispose of fewer products
due to expiration dates. This ability to dynamically generate
expiration dates for nutritional substances is of particular
significance when nutritional substances contain few or no
preservatives. Such products are highly valued throughout
nutritional substance supply system 10, including consumers who are
willing to pay a premium for nutritional substances with few or no
preservatives.
[0057] It should be noted that a dynamic expiration date need not
be indicated numerically (i.e., as a numerical date) but could be
indicated symbolically as by the use of colors--such as green,
yellow and red employed on semaphores--or other designations. In
those instances, the dynamic expiration date would not be
interpreted literally but, rather, as a dynamically-determined
advisory date. In practice a dynamic expiration date will be
provided for at least one component of a single or multi-component
nutritional substance. For multi-component nutritional substances,
the dynamic expiration date could be interpreted as a "best` date
for consumption for particular components
[0058] By law, in many localities, food processors such as those in
transformation module 400 are required to provide nutritional
substance information regarding their products. Often, this
information takes the form of a nutritional table applied to the
packaging of the nutritional substance. Currently, the information
in this nutritional table is based on averages or minimums for
their typical product. Using the nutritional substance information
from information module 100 provided by creation module 200,
preservation module 300, and/or information from the transformation
of the nutritional substance by transformation module 400, the food
processor could include a dynamically generated nutritional value
table, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value
table, for the actual nutritional substance being supplied. The
information in such a dynamic nutritional value table could be used
by conditioning module 500 in the preparation of the nutritional
substance, and/or used by consumption module 600, so as to allow
the ultimate consumer the ability to select the most desirable
nutritional substance which meets their needs, and/or to track
information regarding nutritional substances consume.
[0059] The change in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value, or .DELTA.N, by conditioning module 500 is currently not
tracked or provided to the consumer. However, using information
provided by information module 100 from creation module 200,
preservation module 300, transformation module 400, and/or
information measured or generated by conditioning module 500,
conditioning module 500 could provide the consumer with the actual,
and/or estimated change in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, or .DELTA.N. Such
information regarding the change to nutritional, organoleptic
and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance, or .DELTA.N,
could be provided not only to the consumer, but could also be
provided to information module 100 for use by creation module 200,
preservation module 300, transformation module 400, so as to track,
and possibly improve nutritional substances throughout the entire
nutritional substance supply system 10.
[0060] The information regarding nutritional substances provided by
information module 100 to consumption module 600 can replace or
complement existing information sources such as recipe books, food
databases like www.epicurious.com, and Epicurious apps. Through the
use of specific information regarding a nutritional substance from
information module 100, consumers can use consumption module 600 to
select nutritional substances according to nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. This will allow consumers to
make informed decisions regarding nutritional substance additives,
preservatives, genetic modifications, origins, traceability, and
other nutritional substance attributes. This information can be
provided by consumption module 600 through personal computers,
laptop computers, tablet computers, and/or smartphones. Software
running on these devices can include dedicated computer programs,
modules within general programs, and/or smartphone apps. An example
of such a smartphone app regarding nutritional substances is the
iOS ShopNoGMO from the Institute for Responsible Technology. This
iPhone app allows consumers access to information regarding
non-genetically modified organisms they may select. Additionally,
consumption module 600 may provide information for the consumer to
operate conditioning module 500 in such a manner as to preserve or
optimize or minimize degradation of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic value.
[0061] Through the use of nutritional substance information
available from information module 100 nutritional substance supply
system 10 can track nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value. Using this information, nutritional substances travelling
through nutritional substance supply system 10 can be dynamically
valued and priced according to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values. For example, nutritional substances with longer
dynamic expiration dates (longer shelf life) may be more highly
valued than nutritional substances with shorter expiration dates.
Additionally, nutritional substances with higher nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values may be more highly valued,
not just by the consumer, but also by each entity within
nutritional substance supply system 10. This is because each entity
will want to start with a nutritional substance with higher
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value before it
performs its function and passes the nutritional substance along to
the next entity.
[0062] During the period of implementation of the present
inventions, there will be nutritional substances being marketed
which including the information, information-enabled nutritional
substances, and nutritional substances which are not information
enabled, dumb nutritional substances. Information-enabled
nutritional substances would be available in virtual internet
marketplaces, as well as traditional marketplaces. Because of
information provided by information-enabled nutritional substances,
entities within the nutritional substance supply system 10,
including consumers, would be able to review and select
information-enabled nutritional substances for purchase. It should
be expected that, initially, the information-enabled nutritional
substances would enjoy a higher market value and price than dumb
nutritional substances. However, as information-enabled nutritional
substances become more the norm, the cost savings from less waste
due to degradation of information-enabled nutritional substances
could lead to their price actually becoming less than dumb
nutritional substances.
[0063] For example, the producer of a ready-to-eat dinner would
prefer to use corn of a high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic value in the production of its product, the ready-to-eat
dinner, so as to produce a premium product of high nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value. Depending upon the levels of
the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, the
ready-to-eat dinner producer may be able to charge a premium price
and/or differentiate its product from that of other producers. When
selecting the corn to be used in the ready-to-eat dinner, the
producer will seek corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic value from preservation module 300 that meets its
requirements for nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value.
The packager/shipper of preservation module 300 would also be able
to charge a premium for corn which has high nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. And finally, the
packager/shipper of preservation module 300 will select corn of
high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from the
grower of creation module 200, who will also be able to charge a
premium for corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values.
[0064] The nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value for a
nutritional substance tracked through nutritional substance supply
system 10 through nutritional substance information from
information module 100 can be preferably measured information.
However, some or all such nutritional substance information may be
derived through measurements of environmental conditions of the
nutritional substance as it travelled through nutritional substance
supply system 10. Additionally, some or all of nutritional
substance information can be derived from data of other nutritional
substances which have travelled through nutritional substance
supply system 10. Finally, nutritional substance information can
also be derived from laboratory experiments performed on other
nutritional substances, which may approximate conditions and/or
processes to which the actual nutritional substance has been
exposed.
[0065] For example, laboratory experiments can be performed on
bananas to determine effect on nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic value for a variety of environmental conditions bananas
may be exposed to during packaging and shipment in preservation
module 300. Using this experimental data, tables and/or algorithms
could be developed which would predict the level of nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values for a particular banana based
upon information collected regarding the environmental conditions
to which the banana was exposed during its time in preservation
module 300. While the ultimate goal for nutritional substance
supply system 10 would be the actual measurement of nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, use of derived nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from experimental information
would allow more accurate tracking of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values while technology and systems are put in
place to allow actual measurement.
[0066] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the creation/origin module of
the present invention. During the creation/origin of the
nutritional substance, creation information regarding the origin
and creation of the nutritional substance can be accumulated by
accumulation module 210. This creation information is generally
known by the creator of the nutritional substance. For example, the
grower of sweet corn, knows the land and contacts the seed and
traits producer to decide on the seeds that need to be planted in
consequence knows the seeds that were planted, knows where the corn
seed is planted, when the corn seed was planted, the soil
conditions, the source of the water used to irrigate the corn, when
the corn is to be harvested or the truffles gathered. Additionally,
the grower knows what fertilizers, pesticides, and other substances
were used to nourish and protect during growing of the corn.
[0067] Accumulation module 210 receives and stores all such
creation information that is available from the grower.
Accumulation module 210 can take the form of a computer running a
data storage program, such as a database.
[0068] In another example from the meat industry, the rancher
raising a cow for beef knows the cows parental lineage, knows how
the cow was raised, whether in a controlled environment or on the
open range, and knows when the cow was slaughtered. Additionally,
the rancher knows the medical history of the cow, including its
general health, any diseases or injuries it suffered, and any
medical treatment it received. Additionally, the rancher knows of
the cow's immunization history and any medications, supplements and
vaccines the cow was given, such as hormones, antibiotics and
nutritional supplements. Also the rancher has all the information
of the cow's milk production cycle and of the rate of growth, if it
has been free range grass fed or in a confined environment and the
state and method used to have it slaughtered. This creation
information can be accumulated by accumulator module 210 and in the
same way we explained the process for the corn a database that
could be monitored on real time though a local or global access
network.
[0069] In another example, the creator of a synthetic nutritional
substance knows the source of the molecules used to create the
nutritional substance, such as a vitamin complex. A multi-vitamin
manufacturer knows the source of the ascorbic acid modules (vitamin
C), the source of magnesium and the source of iron, and knows how
they were processed into the multi-vitamin. Such creation
information would also be accumulated by accumulator module 210 and
a database that could be monitored on real time through a local or
global access network. In various embodiments, the accumulator
module 210 comprises information contained in the tags associated
with a nutritional substance as described below.
[0070] In various embodiments, methods and systems are provided to
tag the origin information in or about the nutritional substance.
As used herein, "origin" refers to, for example, location of a
specific farm where the nutritional substance is grown, location of
a ranch from where the meats and/or poultry originated, location of
a fishery from where the fish are caught or reared, location of a
seafood farms from where the seafood is cultivated, countries,
cities, states, zip codes, or latitude and longitudinal positions
of the origins of the nutritional substances, or a combination
thereof. In some embodiments, the origin information may originate
from the creator of the nutritional substance (such as from a
farmer, a rancher, a fishery etc.). In other embodiments, the
origin information may originate from facilities that read the
origin information contained in the nutritional substances, such as
labs that run assays to read the molecular tags contained in the
nutritional substance.
[0071] As used herein, a "unique information identifier" or an
"information identifier" refers to a code that correlates a
nutritional substance with information about the nutritional
substance including but not limited to its origin, its nutritional
value or combinations thereof. The information identifier may be
used to, for example, relate the encoded nutritional substance with
information stored in an information module, such as a storage
system. The storage system may be a computer, a computer database,
the cloud or a combination thereof.
[0072] Tags comprise information about the origin of the
nutritional substance. The tags do not affect taste, texture or
nutritional characteristics of the nutritional substance. The tags
may be any one or more of a mechanical tag, an electronic tag, a
molecular tag, a chemical tag or a combination thereof.
[0073] In some embodiments, the tag comprising the origin
information is a label that is human readable. In some embodiments,
the label is directly attached to the nutritional substance (for
example, stuck on to the nutritional substance). In other
embodiments, the label may be, indirectly attached to the
nutritional substance (for example, attached on a package
containing the nutritional substance). The label may further
include all or partial information about the nutritional content of
the nutritional substance. Such labels can be made of paper,
plastic, foil, cardboard, glass or other synthetic material and may
be removed before consumption of the nutritional substance. The
information on the label may also be stored in the Information
Module 100 such as a storage system. The label may further comprise
an information identifier that links/connects the information
contained on the label about a nutritional substance with the
information stored in a storage system (for example, a computer, a
database, on the cloud or a combination thereof) about the same
nutritional substance. The storage system may contain additional
information associated with the nutritional substance that is not
present on the label (for example, additional details of the
nutritional content of the nutritional substance). In some
embodiments, the nutritional information contained on the label
and/or in the storage system provides the starting value for
calculating the change in nutritional content (.DELTA.N) as the
nutritional substance is transported from the creator to the
consumer 600, either directly or indirectly, via anyone or more of
the preservation system 300, transformation system 400,
conditioning system 500, or a combination thereof. As the
nutritional substance moves through each of the aforementioned
systems, the nutritional content/value information is updated in
the Information Module 100 (storage system), thus providing a
.DELTA.N value and a more accurate representation of the
nutritional content in the nutritional substance.
[0074] In further embodiments, the tags comprising the origin
information may be computer readable, such as mechanical tags. Such
tags include but are not limited to Quick Response (QR) tags,
barcodes, infrared tags or magnetic tags. Such computer readable
tags may be on, for example, a sticker, that is directly (e.g. on
the skin of a pineapple) or indirectly (e.g. on a bushel of apples,
wherein each apple in the bushel has the same origin and same or
very similar nutrient content) associated with the nutritional
substance. These tags may further contain all or partial
information about the nutritional content of the nutritional
substance. These tags may further comprise an information
identifier that links/connects the information contained on the
mechanical tag about a nutritional substance with the information
stored in an Information Module 100 such as a storage system (for
example, a computer, a database, on the cloud or a combination
thereof) about the same nutritional substance. The storage system
may contain additional information associated with the nutritional
substance that is not present on the tags (for example, additional
details of the nutritional content of the nutritional substance).
The nutritional information contained in the mechanical tags and/or
in the storage system provides starting values for calculating the
change in nutritional content (.DELTA.N) as the nutritional
substance is transported from the creator to the consumer 600,
either directly or indirectly, via anyone or more of the
preservation system 300, transformation system 400, conditioning
system 500, or a combination thereof. As the nutritional substance
moves through each of the aforementioned systems, the nutritional
content information is updated in the Information Module 100
(storage system), thus providing a .DELTA.N value and a more
accurate representation of the nutritional content in the
nutritional substance.
[0075] The mechanical tags may further encode, for example, Uniform
Resource Locators (URLs) such that when scanned, the user is
directed to a storage system that includes information about the
nutritional substance. As described below, QR tags, barcodes,
infrared tags or magnetic tags require a reader module (240) to
retrieve the information stored in the tags. In some embodiments,
reading of the mechanical codes such as the barcode or QR codes
with a reader (for example visible light or infrared reader) may
trigger a website to be launched that has information including but
not limited to the nutritional content, caloric content, origin,
growth conditions and the precise locations of creation of the
nutritional substance. Alternately, reading of the QR codes with a
reader may trigger a file to be downloaded that comprises the
aforementioned information. The readers include but are not limited
to scanners or WAN devices (such as smartphones).
[0076] In additional embodiments, the tags comprising origin
information may be electronic tags such as radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags (U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,314,701; 6,671,698;
6,182,725; 6,888,458; 7,256,699; 7,403,855). Such electronic tags
may be on, for example, a sticker, that is directly (e.g. on the
skin of a pineapple) or indirectly (e.g. on a bushel of apples,
wherein each apple in the bushel has the same origin and same or
very similar nutrient content) associated with the nutritional
substance. These tags may further contain all or partial
information about the nutrient content and nutritional value in the
nutritional substance. These tags may further comprise an
information identifier that links/connects the information
contained on the mechanical tag about a nutritional substance with
the information stored in a storage system (for example, a
computer, a database, on the cloud or a combination thereof) about
the same nutritional substance. The storage system may contain
additional information associated with the nutritional substance
that is not present on the tags (for example, additional details of
the nutritional content of the nutritional substance). The
nutritional information contained in the electronic tags and/or in
the storage system provides starting values for calculating the
change in nutritional content (.DELTA.N) as the nutritional
substance is transported from the creator to the consumer 600,
either directly or indirectly, via anyone or more of the
preservation system 300, transformation system 400, conditioning
system 500, or a combination thereof. As the nutritional substance
moves through each of the aforementioned systems, the nutritional
content information is updated in the Information Module 100
(storage system), thus providing a .DELTA.N value and a more
accurate representation of the nutritional content in the
nutritional substance.
[0077] The electronic tags may further encode, for example, Uniform
Resource Locators (URLs) such that when scanned, the user is
directed to an Information Module (storage system) that includes
information about the nutritional substance. Electronic tags
require a reader module (240) to retrieve the information stored in
the tags. In some embodiments, reading of the electronic tags with
a reader may trigger a website to be launched that has information
including but not limited to the nutritional content, caloric
content, growth conditions and the precise locations of creation of
the nutritional substance. Alternately, reading of the electronic
tags with a reader may trigger a file to be downloaded that
comprises the aforementioned information. The readers include but
are not limited to scanners or WAN devices (such as
smartphones).
[0078] In various embodiments, molecular tags may be used to
correlate the origin of nutritional substances to their origin. For
example, a unique set of genetic and epigenetic fingerprints may be
used to trace the origins of nutritious substances. Such
fingerprints may be naturally occurring in the nutritious
substances or nutritious substances may be modified to express such
fingerprints. For example, if the genome of the apple seeds in
country 1 are modified to express long-term-repeat (LTR) sequence 1
and produce bushel-1 of apples and genome of apple seeds for apples
grown in country 2 are modified to express LTR2 and produce
bushel-2 of apples, sequencing the apples from each bushel can
provide information about the origin of the apple. The LTR sequence
is unique to each origin. The information about the LTR sequences
associated with each bushel of apples and the associated country
may be stored in a storage system such as a computer, a computer
database the cloud or a combination thereof.
[0079] In some embodiments, nutritional substances can be analyzed
for presence or absence of naturally occurring microorganisms that
live synergistically with the plant. The types and/or numbers of
microorganisms may form a unique molecular fingerprint allowing
correlation of a nutritional substance to its origin. Differences
in environmental queues may result in distinct varied microbial
presence in plants. For example, oranges from Florida may have a
different microbial biome compared to those from California. Such
differences may serve as signatures of origins of nutritional
substances. In some embodiments, cultivation-dependent methods to
detect micro-organisms include but not limited to PCR, RFLP, fatty
acid profiles (FAME), nutritional (Biolog) may been used to
characterize specific groups of plant-associated bacteria and
fungi. Cultivation-independent PCR-based microorganism
fingerprinting techniques to study small subunit (SSU) rRNA genes
(rDNA) in the prokaryote microbial fraction may be used to study
diversity, structural composition and dynamics of microbial
communities associated with plants. For example, using terminal
restriction length polymorphism, (T-RFLP) in a study of
corn-associated bacteria, signals related to
Cytophaga/Bacteroides/Flavobacterium phylum,
Holophaga/Acidobacterium phylum, .alpha.-proteobacteria,
.beta.-proteobacteria and .gamma.-proteobacteria were detected
(Montesinos, E. Int Microbiol 2003 Vol 6 221-223). Similarly,
microbial patterns (presence, absence, numbers and identities of
microorganisms) may be used a fingerprints to correlate nutritional
substances to their origins.
[0080] Expressions of various proteins in nutritional substances
may also be used to correlate nutritional substances to their
origins. In virtually all organisms, various stress conditions
result in various genes being up- or down-regulated, resulting in a
distinct protein profile (Sinclair, D. and Guarente, L., Scientific
American March 2006 pp 48-57; Diller, K., Annual Review of
Biomedical Engineering 2006 vol 8:403-424; Zerebecki R A, Sorte C J
B (2011) PLoS ONE 6(4): e14806). In some embodiments, fruits and
vegetables grown under drought conditions or nutrient-poor soil
conditions may have a different protein profile compared to the
same fruits and vegetables grown under drought-free and
nutrient-rich soil conditions (Fu-Tai, Ni, Current Genomics 2009
Vol 10 269-280). For example, a correlation between levels of
photosynthesis and transcription under stress was observed and
differences in the number, type and expression levels of
transcription factor families were also identified under drought
and recovery between the three maize landraces (Hayano-Kanashiro, C
et al., PLoS One 2009 Vol 4(10) e7531 1-19). Methods for analyzing
protein expression will be known to one skilled in the art and
include but are not limited to methods discussed in "Protein
Methods", 2nd Edition by Daniel M. Bollag, Michael D. Rozycki and
Stuart J. Edelstein (1996) Published by Wiley Publishers or in
Kingsmore, S., Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 5, 310-321 (April
2006).
[0081] The micronutrient content of a nutritional substance may
vary based on conditions including but not limited to any one or
more of environmental, soil, growth, water, light etc. In some
embodiments, the micronutrient content in nutritional substances
may be used to correlate a nutritional substance to its origin. For
example, the blackberry phenolic composition and concentrations are
influenced by genetics, growing conditions, and maturation and, for
example, changes in growing conditions may alter changes in
phenolic composition (Kaume, L. et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 2012,
60 (23), pp 5716-5727). This may serve as a marker for associating
various batches of blackberries with their origin. In another
example, aloe vera comprises three main components: glucose; malic
acid; and the polysaccharide acemannan, which is composed of a long
chain of mannose monomers. On average, each mannose monomer ring
has one acetate group attached to one of three available positions.
Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the profiles of different
acetate groups represent a fingerprint for aloe vera and its origin
(Perks, B., Chemistry World 2007 49-52). Pure varieties of coffee
beans may be distinguished according to profiles of analytes such
as sterols, fatty acids and total amino acids. Mixtures may be
characterized using, for example, Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIS). Since the beans contain different amounts of
the two main coffee compounds--chlorogenic acid and caffeine--which
have distinctive infrared spectra, FTIS may be used to trace coffee
beans to their origins (Perks, B., Chemistry World 2007 49-52).
Similarly, the micronutrient content of various nutritional
substances may be used to trace a nutritional substance to its
origin.
[0082] In additional embodiments, DNA markers may be used to
correlate nutritional substances with their origins. For example,
origins of varieties of olive oil may be determined using Random
Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Inter Simple Sequence
Repeats (ISSR), and Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) molecular markers
(Montealegre, C et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 2010, 58 (1), pp
28-38; Martin-Lopes, P., J. Agric. Food Chem., 2008, 56 (24), pp
11786-11791; Garcia-Gonzalez, D., J. Agric. Food Chem., 2010, 58
(24), pp 12569-12577). Methods including spectroscopy such as Raman
spectroscopy may also be used (Zou et al., J. Agric. Food Chem.,
2009, 57 (14), pp 6001-6006; Frankel, E. J. Agric. Food Chem.,
2010, 58 (10), pp 5991-6006). Additionally, any one or more of PCR
analysis, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) or
lab-on-a-chip capillary electrophoresis methods may also be used to
trace nutritional sources to their origins. In further embodiments,
mitochondrial DNA may be PCR amplified and sequenced to trace a
nutritional substance to its origin. For example, analyzing
mitochondrial DNA, 20 species of sardines (genera such as Sardina,
Sardinella, Clupea, Ophistonoma and Ilisha) and a similar number of
horse mackerel species (Trachurus, Caranx, Mullus, Rastrelliger and
others), originating from seas all over the world, were identified
(Fatima C. et al., European Food Research and Technology, 2011,
232(6):1077-1086; Fatima C. et al., Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry, 2011; 59 (6): 2223-2228).
[0083] In various embodiments, differences in biosynthetic pathways
may be used to trace nutritional substances to their origin or to
determine the purity and/or quality of nutritional substances. For
example, differences in biochemical pathways are used to identify
corn-fed chicken, which are more expensive. The analytical method
exploits the differences between the biosynthetic pathways that
exist between maize (C4 pathway) and temperate cereals such as
wheat and barley (C3 pathway). C3 and C4 plants provide markedly
different .sup.13C/.sup.12C ratios when measured using stable
isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Comparison with a database of
results from chickens fed differing maize diets provides a means of
confirming that a chicken was fed on corn (maize) (Perks, B.,
Chemistry World 2007 49-52).
[0084] In additional embodiments, arrays, including but not limited
to sensor-arrays may be used to trace nutritional substances to
their origins and/or to determine the origin of nutritional
substances from a mixture thereof. For example, colorimetric sensor
arrays may be used to distinguish between a variety of coffee beans
using their aromas (Suslick et al., Anal Chem 2010
82(5):2067-2073).
[0085] Various other technologies may be used to correlate
nutritional substances to their origins including but not limited
to nanotechnology (Rashidi L and Khosravi-Darani K. 2011 Crit Rev
Food Sci Nutr. 2011 51(8):723-30; Staggers et al., Nurs Outlook.
2008 September-October; 56(5):268-74; Chaudhry et al., 2008 Food
Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess
25(3):241-58; Srinivas et al., J Nutr. 2010 January;
140(1):119-24), chromatography (Lobinski, R. and Szpunar J.
Hyphenated techniques in speciation analysis, Royal Society of
Chemistr, Cambridge 2003), mass spectrometry (Brinkman, U A T.
Hyphenation: hype and fascination, Elsievier Science Ltd, Amsterdam
1999), electronic noses (Walt D R., Anal chem 2005 77:A-45; Gardner
J W et al., Electronic noses: principles an applications. Oxford
University press, New York, 1999; Aernecke M J, Walt D R. Sens
Actuators 2009; 142:464-469; Anslyn E V. J Org Chem 2007;
72:687-699; Lewis N S. Acc Chem Res 2004; 37:663-672; Rock F,
Barsan N, Weimar U. Chem Rev 2008; 108:705-725; Hierlemann A,
Gutierrez-Osuna R. Chem Rev 2008; 108:563-613; Hsieh M-D, Zellers E
T. Anal Chem 2004; 76:1885-1895; Grate J W. Chem Rev 2000;
100:2627-2647; Janata J, Josowicz M. Nat Mater 2003; 2:19-24;
Wolfbeis O S. J Mater Chem 2005; 15:2657-2669; 1James D, Scott S M,
Ali Z, O'Hare W T. Microchimica Acta 2005; 149:1-17.), determining
carbon isotope ratios (Primrose, S., Trends in Food Science and
Technology 2010 21(12):582-590), quantitative SNP genotyping
(Primrose, S., Trends in Food Science and Technology 2010
21(12):582-590). Additionally, nutritional substances may be
genetically modified with, for example, long terminal repeat (LTR)
sequences which would serve as unique fingerprints for the
nutritional substance. For example, bananas from Mexico may express
a LTR sequence that is different compared to the bananas from
India. Various genetic and DNA profiling processes may be used to
correlate nutritional substances to their origin and would be
apparent to a person of skill in the art. Such methods include but
are not limited to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)
analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, short tandem
repeats (STR) analysis, amplified fragment length polymorphism
(AmpFLP) analysis, mitochondrial DNA analysis or combinations
thereof.
[0086] A nutritional substance encoding a molecular tag may further
comprise an associated label, mechanical tag or and electronic tag.
The information about the nutritional substance and the encoded
molecular tag about the origin is stored in a storage system. The
nutritional content values may provide the starting values for
calculating the change in nutritional content (.DELTA.N) as the
nutritional substance is transported from the creator to the
consumer 600, either directly or indirectly, via anyone or more of
the preservation system 300, transformation system 400,
conditioning system 500, or a combination thereof. As the
nutritional substance moves through each of the aforementioned
systems, the nutritional content information is updated in the
Information Module 100, thus providing a .DELTA.N value and a more
accurate representation of the nutritional content in the
nutritional substance.
[0087] Optionally, the tags may also include information about the
nutritional content of the nutritional substance. In some
embodiments, information about the creation/origin and the
nutritional content of a nutritional substance is on the same tag.
Additionally, a single electronic or mechanical tag may encode a
unique information identifier that directs a user to a storage
system that includes information about the origin, nutritional
content and nutritional value of the nutritional substance. A
single electronic tag or a single mechanical tag may encode
information about the origin and the nutritional content of a
nutritional substance. Alternately, a single electronic tag or a
single mechanical tag may encode information about the origin and a
unique information identifier associated with the nutritional
substance. In some embodiments, a single electronic tag or a single
mechanical tag may encode information about the origin, the unique
information identifier and the nutritional content of a nutritional
substance.
[0088] Optionally, different tags comprise information about the
origin, nutritional content and a unique information identifier for
each nutritional substance. For example, a molecular tag (such as a
unique nucleic sequence identifier or a unique protein expression
pattern) may provide information about the origin of a nutritional
substance and a mechanical tag may provide information about the
nutritional content and/or a unique information identifier for the
nutritional substance.
[0089] Encoding module 220 takes the nutritional substance creation
information from the accumulation module 210 and transforms that
information into a form that can be marked on the nutritional
substance. The encoded information from encoding module 220 is
transmitted to the marking module 230. The encoding module 220 can
convert the creation information to the form needed for the marking
module, such as a compact, formatted human-readable form.
Alternately, encoding module 220 can convert the creation
information into a compact machine readable form for imprinting by
the marking module 230.
[0090] Encoding module 230 can create a label and/or code to be
attached, incorporated, or detected, to the nutritional substance
that contains the information which specifically pertains to that
nutritional substance. The marking module 230 can create a
standalone label which is attached to the nutritional substance,
which will later be removed before use of the nutritional
substance. Such labels can be made of paper, plastic, foil,
cardboard, glass or other synthetic material or be integrated with
and/or within the nutritional substance through irrigation,
fertilization, nourishing, genetics, etc.
[0091] Alternately, the marking module can create the label
directly on or detect the nutritional substance in a fashion that
does not degrade the nutritional substance. Examples include ink
made for edible food dye, laser etching of nutritional substance
surface, and branding by heat or chemicals or identification of the
particular molecules or particular organoleptic characteristics
contained or incrusted onto the nutritional substance itself.
[0092] Additionally, marking module 230 can generate a label to
apply to the nutritional substance which is consumable along with
the nutritional substance. Examples include rice paper, edible
substances and materials from other nutritional substances.
[0093] The label created by marking module 230 may contain the
information from accumulation module 210 encoded by encoding module
220 in consumer readable form. Such a label could list the various
creation information so that a consumer could read it, for example
variety of the banana, where it was grown, when it was planted and
harvested, and any non-natural substances that were added to the
banana during its cultivation. Such information may be compacted
using industry standards that consumers have learned to read and
through the combination or mix of ingredients and or sequence on
which the ingredients are grown/raised, processed/treated and-or
prepared for consumption.
[0094] In another example, a package of hamburger meat could
include a label containing creation information, such as the
lineage of the cow, where and when it was raised and slaughtered,
what it was fed, and any nutritional supplements it was given.
[0095] In FIG. 4, the information from accumulation module 210 is
encoded by encoding module 220 in a compact, machine readable form
which is used by the marking module 230 to create the label. Such a
label could be in the form of a barcode or QR Code. In this case,
the information is still stored directly on the nutritional
substance, but will require reader module 240 to retrieve the
information.
[0096] In the case of the package of hamburger meat, the user of
the hamburger meat would use label reader 240 to retrieve the
creation information from the label. If the user is a hamburger
patty manufacturer, it will utilize the creation information
obtained from label reader 240 to track the hamburger patty
products it produces and ships to its customers. It could use such
creation information in the preparation of the hamburger patty. For
example, such creation information could affect how the hamburger
meat is cooked. The user could also pass such creation information
along to its customers along with its manufacturing information
including in the way it was raised "grass fed" or slaughtered
"kosher".
[0097] FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention where the
creation information is stored in a database for eventual reference
by the user of the nutritional substance. Accumulation module 210
accumulates the creation information from the nutritional
substance's creation, this information is stored in database module
215 and could be monitored in real time though a local or global
access network.
[0098] Database module 215 stores the information in a persistent
format for later use by the users of the nutritional substance. In
its preferred embodiment, encoding module 220 generates a reference
code for the creation information stored in database module 215,
which it provides to marking module 230 creates a label for the
nutritional substance which includes the reference code. The
reference code on the label created by the marking module 230 can
be in human readable form, such as an alphanumeric code. In such a
case, the user of the nutritional substance could use the reference
code to obtain the creation information from database 215. Access
to database module 215 by a user of the nutritional substance, such
as a consumer, might be accomplished by means of a
telecommunication system, such as a wireless telecommunication
system accessed by means of a personal computing device, such as a
tablet computer running a nutritional substance app.
[0099] Alternatively, marking module 230 could create a label which
includes a machine readable version of the reference code. This
could take the form of a barcode or QR Code which could be used to
retrieve the creation information from database module 215. In this
embodiment, the label reader 240 would read the barcode or QR Code
on the label to obtain the reference code which would then be used
to retrieve the creation information from database 215.
[0100] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the creation/origin module of
the present invention. During the creation/origin of the
nutritional substance, creation information regarding the origin
and creation of the nutritional substance can be accumulated by
accumulation module 210. This creation information is generally
known by the creator of the nutritional substance. For example, the
grower of sweet corn, knows the land and contacts the seed and
traits producer to decide on the seeds that need to be planted in
consequence knows the seeds that were planted, knows where the corn
seed is planted, when the corn seed was planted, the soil
conditions, the source of the water used to irrigate the corn, when
the corn is to be harvested or the truffles gathered. Additionally,
the grower knows what fertilizers, pesticides, and other substances
were used to nourish and protect during growing of the corn.
[0101] Accumulation module 210 receives and stores all such
creation information that is available from the grower.
Accumulation module 210 can take the form of a computer running a
data storage program, such as a database.
[0102] The creation information is stored in a database module 215
for eventual reference by the user of the nutritional substance.
Accumulation module 210 accumulates the creation information from
the nutritional substance's creation, which is stored in database
module 215.
[0103] Database module 220 stores the information in a persistent
format for later use by the users of the nutritional substance. In
its preferred embodiment, encoding module 220 generates a reference
code for the creation information stored in database module 215,
which it provides to identification module 230. The identification
module 230 identifies a unique identifier of the nutritional
substance, which it provides back to the database module 215 for
storage with the related creation information from accumulator
module 210.
[0104] Identification module 230 creates unique identification
information for a nutritional substance. In one embodiment, the
identification module 230 analyzes the nutritional substance to
obtain a unique identifier for the nutritional substance that can
be used to reference creation information accumulated by
accumulation module 210 and stored in database 215. For example, a
particular variety of corn may have certain molecules in it that
are unique to where and/or how it was grown. The identification
module 230 would provide a link back to the creation information
database module 215.
[0105] Reader module 240 would be used by the user of the
nutritional substance to obtain the unique identifier necessary to
retrieve the creation information from database 215. For example,
the user of sweet corn received from a grower would use reader
module 240 to obtain the unique identifier of corn it has received
to retrieve the creation information from database module 215 for
that corn. That information could be used in the processing of the
corn, such as into canned sweet corn. Additionally, such creation
information could be passed along to the consumer of the sweet corn
with possibly the manufacturing information of the canned sweet
COM.
[0106] In another embodiment of the present invention, a unique
identifier could be added or formed within the nutritional
substance. Such a unique identifier would not harm or degrade or
affect the aesthetic value of the nutritional substance. It also
would not be dangerous to the consumer of the product. In short, it
should be transparent to the user of the nutritional substance.
Such unique identifiers can take the form of specific molecules or
chemicals not naturally found in the nutritional substance. It also
could take the form of nanoparticles specifically designed to form
a unique identifier.
[0107] Further, a unique identifier could be created in a product
by adding a substance which interacts with some known feature of a
specific nutritional substance to form a unique identifier. A
chemical compound which interacts with a compound naturally
occurring within a nutritional substance could create a unique
identifier for that product. For example, if cattle are raised on
different ranges which include food that has different amounts of a
certain chemical which is incorporated into their tissue, a
substance could be added during processing of the resulting meat
which would interact differently with the substances obtained in
the cow to produce differing unique identifiers. This would allow a
particular unique identifier in a particular piece of beef to be
traced back to its creation information.
[0108] Access to database module 215 by a user of the nutritional
substance, such as a consumer, might be accomplished by means of a
telecommunication system, such as a wireless telecommunication
system accessed by means of a personal computing device, such as a
tablet computer running a nutritional substance app.
[0109] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the creation/origin module of
the present invention. During the creation/origin of the
nutritional substance, creation information regarding the origin
and creation of the nutritional substance can be accumulated by
accumulation module 210. This creation information is generally
known by the creator of the nutritional substance. For example, the
grower of sweet corn, knows the land and contacts the seed and
traits producer to decide on the seeds that need to be planted in
consequence knows the seeds that were planted, knows where the corn
seed is planted, when the corn seed was planted, the soil
conditions, the source of the water used to irrigate the corn, when
the corn is to be harvested or the truffles gathered. Additionally,
the grower knows what fertilizers, pesticides, and other substances
were used to nourish and protect during growing of the corn.
[0110] Accumulation module 210 receives and stores all such
creation information that is available from the grower.
Accumulation module 210 can take the form of a computer running a
data storage program, such as a database.
[0111] The creation information is stored in a database module 215
for eventual reference by the user of the nutritional substance.
Accumulation module 210 accumulates the creation information from
the nutritional substance's creation, which is stored in database
module 215.
[0112] Database module 220 stores the information in a persistent
format for later use by the users of the nutritional substance. In
its preferred embodiment, encoding module 220 generates a reference
code for the creation information stored in database module 215,
which it provides to identification module 230. The identification
module 230 identifies a unique identifier of the nutritional
substance, which it provides back to the database module 215 for
storage with the related creation information from accumulator
module 210.
[0113] Identification module 230 creates unique identification
information for a nutritional substance. In one embodiment, the
identification module 230 analyzes the nutritional substance to
obtain a unique genetic identifier for the nutritional substance
that can be used to reference creation information accumulated by
accumulation module 210 and stored in database 215. For example, a
particular variety of corn may have certain genes in it that are
unique to where and/or how it was grown. The identification module
230 would provide a link back to the creation information database
module 215. For example, such a unique genetic identify could be
expressed in the corn by a unique color of the husk or silk.
[0114] Reader module 240 would be used by the user of the
nutritional substance to obtain the unique genetic identifier
necessary to retrieve the creation information from database 215.
For example, the user of sweet corn received from a grower would
use reader module 240 to obtain the unique genetic identifier of
corn it has received to retrieve the creation information from
database module 215 for that corn. That information could be used
in the processing of the corn, such as into canned sweet corn.
Additionally, such creation information could be passed along to
the consumer of the sweet corn with possibly the manufacturing
information of the canned sweet corn.
[0115] In another embodiment of the present invention, a unique
genetic identifier could be added or formed within the genetic code
of the nutritional substance. Such a unique genetic identifier
would not harm or degrade or affect the aesthetic value of the
nutritional substance. It also would not be dangerous to the
consumer of the product. In short, it should be transparent to the
user of the nutritional substance. Such unique identifiers can take
the form of specific gene sequence not naturally found in the
nutritional substance. It also could take the form of gene sequence
which expresses a specifically designed to form a unique
identifier. Alternately, such an added or modified gene sequence
could be completely dormant, but readable by reader module 240, by
decoding part or all of the gene sequence of the nutritional
substance.
[0116] Access to database module 215 by a user of the nutritional
substance, such as a consumer, might be accomplished by means of a
telecommunication system, such as a wireless telecommunication
system accessed by means of a personal computing device, such as a
tablet computer running a nutritional substance app.
[0117] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout
the description and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising,"
and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense (i.e., to
say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to"), as opposed
to an exclusive or exhaustive sense. As used herein, the terms
"connected," "coupled," or any variant thereof means any connection
or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more
elements. Such a coupling or connection between the elements can be
physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the
words "herein," "above," "below," and words of similar import, when
used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and
not to any particular portions of this application. Where the
context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the
singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular
number respectively. The word "or," in reference to a list of two
or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the
word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list,
and any combination of the items in the list.
[0118] The above Detailed Description of examples of the invention
is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise form disclosed above. While specific examples for the
invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various
equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the
invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize
While processes or blocks are presented in a given order in this
application, alternative implementations may perform routines
having steps performed in a different order, or employ systems
having blocks in a different order. Some processes or blocks may be
deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to
provide alternative or sub-combinations. Also, while processes or
blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these
processes or blocks may instead be performed or implemented in
parallel, or may be performed at different times. Further any
specific numbers noted herein are only examples. It is understood
that alternative implementations may employ differing values or
ranges.
[0119] The various illustrations and teachings provided herein can
also be applied to systems other than the system described above.
The elements and acts of the various examples described above can
be combined to provide further implementations of the
invention.
[0120] Any patents and applications and other references noted
above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing
papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the
invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems,
functions, and concepts included in such references to provide
further implementations of the invention.
[0121] These and other changes can be made to the invention in
light of the above Detailed Description. While the above
description describes certain examples of the invention, and
describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the
above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways.
Details of the system may vary considerably in its specific
implementation, while still being encompassed by the invention
disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when
describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not
be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to
be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects
of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In
general, the terms used in the following claims should not be
construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed
in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section
explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the
invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all
equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under
the claims.
[0122] While certain aspects of the invention are presented below
in certain claim forms, the applicant contemplates the various
aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. For example,
while only one aspect of the invention is recited as a
means-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, sixth
paragraph, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a
means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being
embodied in a computer-readable medium. Any claims intended to be
treated under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, 6 will begin with the words
"means for." Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add
additional claims after filing the application to pursue such
additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.
* * * * *
References