Method and system for providing indicia for structure function claims

• US 7,613,677 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Kolberg, Loretta W., Wiemer, Kathryn L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bullock; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US10/162,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,710 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/104.1, 707/1, 426/87
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing indicia for structure function claims for consumer products, including dietary supplements, consumable food products, health and beauty aids. More specifically, the system employs a series of data sets that correlates a particular nutrient, component or ingredient to one or more related structure function claims. Once the correlation is made, the system then provides approved or permitted structure function claim indicia that can be printed on a package or advertising to communicate the desired result of matching a product to a functional human health benefit.

Claims

1. A system providing indicia for structure function claims, comprising;

a database having at least first through third data sets, each of said data sets containing information that is distinct;

said first data set containing a listing of items that include nutrients, components and ingredients, said items are formed together to create a nutrient, component and ingredient catalog, said nutrient, component and ingredient catalog including at least one macronutrient and at least one micronutrient;

said second data set containing a listing of human health related issues;

said third data set containing an approved grouping of structure function claims indicia relevant to each item in said nutrient, component and ingredient catalog and said listing of human health related issues;

a first input module receiving data from at least one of said first, second and third data sets;

a first output module displaying information received from said first, second and third data sets and said first input module; and

means for producing an integrated message including a structure function claim linking at least one of the items from the first data set with at least one of the human health related issues from the second data set.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used in food product labeling.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said food product is a ready to eat food product.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said food product is a dairy type food product.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used in labeling health and beauty aids.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is used in labeling dietary supplements.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a fourth data set linking said listing of nutrients, components and ingredients to a classification.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a fifth data set pertaining to regulatory status of said items in said catalog.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a sixth data set supporting reference material for each item.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes information in a seventh data set relating to current use of said structure function claims.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said current use of said structure function claims is in advertising.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said current use of said structure function claims is in packaging.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said system determines placement of said structure function claims on packaging.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said system determines placement of said structure function claims on advertising.

15. A system controlling the production of structure function claims, comprising;

a data network connected to at least a first database and a first input module and a first output module, said first database having first through third data sets, said system receiving information from at least one of said first through third data sets;

said first data set having a listing of nutrients and components;

said second data set having a grouping of human health related issues;

said third data set having an arrangement of structure function claims that is related to said listing and said grouping; and

wherein said system selects at least one of said human health related issues and at least one of said listing of nutrients and components related to said human health related issue and said system through said first output device generates a structure function claim relevant to said listing and said human health related issue.

16. A method providing indicia for structure function claims for food products, comprising the steps of;

collecting a listing of items including nutrients, components and ingredients, said listing including at least one macronutrient and at least one micronutrient;

storing said listing in a first data set of a first database;

providing a grouping of human related health issues;

storing said grouping in a second data set, distinct from said first data set;

arranging approved structure function claims indicia in a third data set, said structure function claims being related to at least one item in said first data set and one human related health issue in said second data set;

querying said first through third data sets to generate information useful in informing a consumer of a benefit of said one of said items in said listing; and

printing an identification of at least one item of said listing, information about a human health related issue and structure function indicia indicating a beneficial relationship between consumption of said at least one item of said listing in maintenance of human health.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third data set includes information relating to placement of the structure function claim on packaging for the food product.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the third data set includes information relating to placement of the structure function claim for advertising for the food product.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the food product is ready to eat.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the ready to eat food product is grain based.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the ready to eat food product is a dairy type product.