12.19.12
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a key patent covering Singapore-based Unistraw Holdings Pte, Ltd’s ingredient delivery technology. Called “Drink Flavouring Straw,” the patent broadly covers straws containing spherical pellets that dissolve gradually, thereby continually releasing active ingredients throughout the drinking process. For example, in a glass of regular milk, the drinker would taste chocolate throughout the entire glass, not just in the first few sips or in a clogged mass at the bottom of the container. Of particular note, the technology can be used to deliver not only flavorings, but nutritional and therapeutic compositions such as probiotics and medications, greatly expanding its uses. The patent number is 8,334,003. Unistraw is poised to launch in the US market in the first quarter of 2013.
