SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS

Description

A23P covers mechanical shaping, forming, and physical working of foodstuffs through processes and apparatus that do not fall entirely within more specific food subclasses. This includes techniques such as kneading, mixing, extruding, molding, and texturing of food materials to achieve desired shapes, structures, or consistency. The classification accommodates cross-disciplinary food processing operations and general-purpose food working methods that combine multiple processing steps or apply to diverse product categories, excluding processes that are more narrowly classified under dedicated subclasses for specific food types or specialized treatment methods.

Filing statistics

CPC subclass A23P recorded 40,098 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 2,490 in 2013 to 3,318 in 2023 (+33%), peaking at 4,939 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class A23 are NESTLE (5,075 applications), NESTEC (3,916 applications) and DSM IP ASSETS (DUTCH STATE MINES IP ASSETS) (2,558 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings