USPTO Patent Granted for ST Gal(+) Bacteria in Fermented Milk

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Biotech (C12N)

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 24th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has granted a patent (US12582133B2) to Chr. Hansen A/S for a method using ST Gal(+) bacteria to produce fermented milk products with a high stable pH. The patent covers specific bacterial strains and their application in food production.

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What changed

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued patent US12582133B2, covering the use of Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) Gal(+) bacteria for producing fermented milk products, such as yogurt, that maintain a relatively high and stable pH level post-fermentation. The patent, assigned to Chr. Hansen A/S, details a method for inoculating milk with these specific bacteria.

This patent grant is primarily an intellectual property matter and does not impose new regulatory obligations on food manufacturers. However, companies involved in the development or production of fermented dairy products should be aware of this patented technology to ensure they do not infringe on the intellectual property rights of Chr. Hansen A/S. Compliance officers should note this for product development and R&D teams.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

Use of ST Gal(+) bacteria for producing a fermented milk product with a relatively high stable pH

Grant US12582133B2 Kind: B2 Mar 24, 2026

Assignee

Chr. Hansen A/S

Inventors

Thomas Janzen, Ditte Ellegaard Christiansen

Abstract

A method for producing a fermented milk product (e.g. a yogurt) with a relatively high stable pH value at the end of the fermentation comprising inoculating milk with Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) Gal(+) bacteria.