Claims
- 1. A method for absorbing oil from the skin, the method comprising applying a fluid-absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber, said fluid absorber comprising a starch product, said starch product having been prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
providing a granular starch; partially enzymatically hydrolyzing said starch under hydrolysis conditions suitable to provide a porous starch granule; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said starch has been hydrolyzed to a hydrolysis level ranging from about 30% to 44%.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, said starch enzyme being selected from the group consisting of glucoamylase enzymes, alpha-amylase enzymes, maltogenic alpha-amylase enzymes, isoamylase enzymes, and pullulanase enzymes.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, said hydrolysis level ranging from about 35 to about 44%.
- 4. A method according to claim 1, said hydrolysis level ranging from about 38% to about 42%.
- 5. A method according to claim 1, said hydrolysis level being about 40%.
- 6. A method according to claim 1, said porous starch granules having been ground to form ground granules, the method including the step of applying said ground granules to the skin.
- 7. A method according to claim 1, said starch comprising corn starch.
- 8. A method according to claim 1, said fluid absorber including a fragrance.
- 9. A method for preparing a fluid absorber, comprising the steps of:
providing a starch in granular form; selecting an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch; determining an estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level for said enzyme and for said starch; enzymatically hydrolyzing said starch under hydrolysis conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 10. A method according to claim 9, said step of determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 11. A method according to claim 9, said step of determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis levels and oil absorption levels.
- 12. A method according to claim 9, wherein said enzymatic hydrolysis is terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within ±5% of said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 13. A fluid absorber prepared in accordance with claim 9.
- 14. A flavoring product comprising a flavoring agent carried by the fluid absorber of claim 13.
- 15. A method for removing fluid from the skin, the method comprising applying a fluid-absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber, said fluid absorber comprising a starch product, said starch product having been prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
providing a starch in granular form; selecting an enzyme for hydrolysis of said starch; determining an estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level for said enzyme and for said starch; enzymatically hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 16. A method according to-claim 15 said porous starch granules having been ground to form ground granules.
- 17. A method according to claim 15, said starch comprising corn starch.
- 18 A method according to claim 15, wherein said enzymatic hydrolysis has been terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within ±5% of said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 19. A method according to claim 15, said fluid absorber including a fragrance.
- 20. A method for preparing a fluid absorber, comprising the steps of;
providing a starch in granular form selecting an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch; determining an estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level; enzymatically hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 21. A method according to claim 20, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 22. A method according to claim 20, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis level and fluid absorption levels.
- 23. A method according to claim 20, wherein said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level is the estimated hydrolysis level at which the water, 1% salt water, and oil absorption levels are cumulatively optimized.
- 24. A method according to claim 20, wherein said enzymatic hydrolysis is terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within ±5% of said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 25. A fluid absorber prepared in accordance with claim 20.
- 26. A flavoring product comprising a flavoring agent carried by the fluid absorber of claim 25.
- 27. A method for removing fluid from the skin, the method comprising applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber, said fluid absorber comprising a starch product, said starch product having been prepared by a process comprising the step of:
providing a starch in granular form selecting an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch; determining an estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level; enzymatically hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 28. A method according to claim 27, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 29. A method according to claim 27, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis level and fluid absorption levels.
- 30. A method according to claim 27, wherein said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level is the estimated hydrolysis level at which the water, 1% salt water, and oil absorption levels are cumulatively optimized.
- 31. A method according to claim 27, wherein said enzymatic hydrolysis has been terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within ±5% of said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 32. A method according to claim 27, said porous starch granules having been ground to form ground granules.
- 33. A method according to claim 27, said starch comprising corn starch.
- 34. A method according to claim 27, said fluid absorber including a fragrance.
- 35. A method of preparing a fluid absorber, comprising the steps of:
providing a starch in granular form; determining an estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level; hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 36. A method according to claim 35, wherein said starch is hydrolyzed via acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst.
- 37. A method according to claim 35, said starch comprising corn starch.
- 38. A method according to claim 35, further comprising adding a fragrance to said starch.
- 39. A method according to claim 35, said step of determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 40. A method according to claim 35, said step of determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis levels and oil absorption levels.
- 41. A method according to claim 35, wherein said hydrolysis is terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within ±5% of said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 42. A method according to claim 35, further comprising grinding the hydrolyzed starch granules.
- 43. A fluid absorber prepared in accordance with claim 35.
- 44. A flavoring product comprising a flavoring agent carried by the fluid absorber of claim 43.
- 45. A method for absorbing fluid from the skin, the method comprising: applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber, said fluid absorber comprising a starch product, said starch product having been prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
providing a granular starch; determining an estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level for said starch; hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has preceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 46. A method according to claim 45, said granules having been ground to form ground granules.
- 47. A method according to claim 45 said starch comprising corn starch.
- 48. A method according to claim 45, wherein said starch has been hydrolyzed via acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst.
- 49. A method according to claim 45, said fluid absorber including a fragrance.
- 50. A method according to claim 45, said step of determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 51. A method according to claim 45, said step of determining said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis levels and oil absorption levels.
- 52. A method according to claim 45, wherein said hydrolysis has been terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within ±5% of said estimated oil absorption maximum hydrolysis level.
- 53. A method of preparing a fluid absorber, comprising the steps of:
providing a starch in granular form; determining an estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level; hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 54. A method according to claim 53, wherein said starch is hydrolyzed via acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst.
- 55. A method according to claim 53, said starch comprising corn starch.
- 56. A method according to claim 53, further comprising adding a fragrance to said starch.
- 57. A method according to claim 53, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 58. A method according to claim 53, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis levels and fluid absorption levels.
- 59. A method according to claim 53, wherein said hydrolysis is terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to with 15% of said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 60. A method according to claim 53, further comprising grinding the hydrolyzed starch granules.
- 61. A fluid absorber prepared in accordance with claim 53.
- 62. A flavoring product comprising a flavoring agent carried by the fluid absorber of claim 61.
- 63. A method according to claim 53, wherein said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level is the estimated hydrolysis level at which the water, 1% salt water, and oil absorption levels are cumulatively optimized.
- 64. A method for removing fluid from the skin, the method comprising applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber, said fluid absorber comprising a starch product, said starch product having been prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
providing a granular starch; determining an estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level for said starch; hydrolyzing said starch under reaction conditions suitable to result in a porous granular starch; and terminating said enzymatic hydrolysis when said hydrolysis has proceeded to within a predetermined range surrounding said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 65. A method according to claim 64, wherein said starch is hydrolyzed via acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst.
- 66. A method according to claim 64, said starch comprising corn starch.
- 67. A method according to claim 64, said fluid absorber further comprising a fragrance.
- 68. A method according to claim 64, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising empirically determining said fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 69. A method according to claim 64, said step of determining said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level comprising referring to a predetermined correlation between hydrolysis levels and fluid absorption levels.
- 70. A method according to claim 64, wherein said hydrolysis is terminated when said hydrolysis has proceeded to with ±5% of said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level.
- 71. A method according to claim 64, said porous starch granules having been ground to form ground granules.
- 72. A fluid absorber prepared in accordance with claim 64.
- 73. A method according to claim 64, wherein said estimated fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level is the estimated hydrolysis level at which the water, 1% salt water, and oil absorption levels are cumulatively optimized.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to prior provisional application No. 60/237,918, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60237918 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09971239 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Child |
10459292 |
Jun 2003 |
US |