A23L - Definition

Definition statement

This subclass covers:

Any foods, foodstuffs or non-alcoholic beverages that are not covered by the following subclasses:

• A21D (Treatment, e.g. preservation, of flour or dough for baking, e.g. by addition of materials; Baking; Bakery products; Preservation thereof)
• A23B (Preserving, e.g. by canning, meat, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, edible seeds; Chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables; The preserved, ripened, or canned products)
• A23C (Dairy products, e.g. milk, butter, cheese; Milk or cheese substitutes; Making thereof)
• A23D (Edible oils or fats, e.g. margarines, shortenings, cooking oils)
• A23F (Coffee; Tea; Their substitutes; Manufacture, preparation, or infusion thereof)
• A23G (Cocoa; Cocoa products, e.g. chocolate; Substitutes for cocoa or cocoa products; Confectionery; Chewing gum; Ice-cream; Preparation thereof)
• A23J (Protein compositions for foodstuffs; Working-up proteins for foodstuffs; Phosphatide compositions for foodstuffs).

Examples of foods, foodstuffs or non-alcoholic beverages covered by this subclass are:

• Foods or foodstuffs containing gelling or thickening agents;
• Marmalades, jams, jellies or similar products;
• Honey, royal jelly or other apiculture products;
• Cereal-derived products including pasta;
• Malt products, puddings or cream substitutes;
• Spices, flavouring agents or condiments, whether natural or synthetic; artificial sweeteners; table salts;
• Meat, poultry, egg, fish or seafood products;
• Food consisting mainly of nut meat or seeds, e.g. peanut butter;
• Soups or sauces; and
• Non-alcoholic beverages, e.g. fruit or vegetable juices; dry compositions or concentrates thereof; preparation thereof.

Preparation or treatment of the above foods, foodstuffs or non-alcoholic beverages provided for in this subclass, including:

• Cooking e.g. by roasting or frying;
• Removing unwanted matter;
• Physical treatment e.g. with wave energy, electric or magnetic fields;
• Preparation of fruit or vegetables, e.g. to make snacks, chips, sauerkraut or pickles;
• Colouring or decolouring; and
• Modifying the nutritive qualities, e.g. by adding vitamins, minerals or dietary fibres.

Modification of such foods or beverages to change their nutritional content for dietary reasons, and these modified foods or beverages per se.

Preservation of foods or foodstuffs in general, e.g. by pasteurising, sterilising, heating, freezing, drying, pressurising, irradiation or treatment with chemicals, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs.

Relationship between large subject matter areas

In relation to foods, foodstuffs or non-alcoholic beverages per se, and in relation to their preparation and treatment including physical treatment, this subclass is residual to subclasses A21D, A23B, A23C, A23D, A23F, A23G or A23J. These subclasses relate to flour or dough (A21D), dairy products (A23C), edible oils or fats (A23D), coffee, tea or their substitutes (A23F), cocoa, chocolate, confectionery or ice-cream (A23G) and protein compositions (A23J).

In relation to preservation of foods or foodstuffs in general, this subclass is the primary home for this subject-matter. However, preservation subject matter specifically adapted for certain foods can also be found in any of the above subclasses. For example, preservation of flour or dough or bakery products is subject-matter for subclass A21D, and preservation of meat, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables and edible seeds e.g. cereals is subject matter for subclass A23B. Preservation of milk or milk preparations is subject matter for subclass A23C.

In relation to preservation, deciding between this subclass and the other subclasses listed above is generally a matter of function or application (see Guide Paragraphs 85-87). Where the particular preservation technology is the main point of interest classification is made in this subclass, and where the application to particular foodstuffs is the main interest classification is made in the subclasses listed above. Some double-classification is evident.

References relevant to classification in this subclass

This subclass does not cover:

Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Glossary of terms

In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated: