A23 FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION, TREATMENT OR PRESERVATION THEREOF
Classification Context
- Section:
- HUMAN NECESSITIES
- Class:
- FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION, TREATMENT OR PRESERVATION THEREOF
Description
A23 encompasses the preparation, processing, treatment, and preservation of food products and non-alcoholic beverages across all stages from raw materials to finished consumer products. The class covers manufacturing technologies including cooking, mixing, fermentation, drying, freezing, and chemical preservation methods, as well as equipment and apparatus used in food production facilities. It includes innovations in food safety, quality control, nutritional enhancement, and shelf-life extension, but excludes alcoholic beverages (covered by C12C) and agricultural production methods for growing crops or raising animals (covered by A01).
Filing statistics
IPC A23 recorded 974,478 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 10 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 67,663 in 2013 to 79,775 in 2023 (+18%), peaking at 109,017 applications in 2017. The most active applicants in class A23 are KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH (6,158 applications), NESTLE (4,562 applications) and NESTEC (3,354 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
A23 comprises 10 subclasses with filings; the largest is A23L with 46.2% of the class's 974,478 applications between 2013 and 2023.
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A23L, Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Not Otherwise Provided for; Preparation or Treatment Thereof | Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Not Otherwise Provided for; Preparation or Treatment Thereof | 450,110 | 46.2% |
| 2 | A23K, Feeding-Stuffs Specially Adapted for Animals; Methods Specially Adapted for Production Thereof | Feeding-Stuffs Specially Adapted for Animals; Methods Specially Adapted for Production Thereof | 106,027 | 10.9% |
| 3 | A23N, Machines or Apparatus for Treating Harvested Fruit, Vegetables, or Flower Bulbs in Bulk, Not Otherwise Provided for; Peeling Vegetables or Fruit in Bulk; Apparatus for Preparing Animal Feeding-Stuffs | Machines or Apparatus for Treating Harvested Fruit, Vegetables, or Flower Bulbs in Bulk, Not Otherwise Provided for; Peeling Vegetables or Fruit in Bulk; Apparatus for Preparing Animal Feeding-Stuffs | 99,459 | 10.2% |
| 4 | A23F, Coffee; Tea; Their Substitutes; Manufacture, Preparation, or Infusion Thereof | Coffee; Tea; Their Substitutes; Manufacture, Preparation, or Infusion Thereof | 78,125 | 8.0% |
| 5 | A23B, Preservation of Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Chemical Ripening of Fruit or Vegetables | Preservation of Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Chemical Ripening of Fruit or Vegetables | 56,029 | 5.7% |
| 6 | A23P, Shaping or Working of Foodstuffs, Not Fully Covered by a Single Other Subclass | Shaping or Working of Foodstuffs, Not Fully Covered by a Single Other Subclass | 55,814 | 5.7% |
| 7 | A23G, Cocoa; Cocoa Products, e.g. Chocolate; Substitutes for Cocoa or Cocoa Products; Confectionery; Chewing Gum; Ice-Cream; Preparation Thereof | Cocoa; Cocoa Products, e.g. Chocolate; Substitutes for Cocoa or Cocoa Products; Confectionery; Chewing Gum; Ice-Cream; Preparation Thereof | 46,722 | 4.8% |
| 8 | A23C, Dairy Products, e.g. Milk, Butter or Cheese; Milk or Cheese Substitutes; Preparation Thereof | Dairy Products, e.g. Milk, Butter or Cheese; Milk or Cheese Substitutes; Preparation Thereof | 43,005 | 4.4% |
| 9 | A23J, Protein Compositions for Foodstuffs; Working-Up Proteins for Foodstuffs; Phosphatide Compositions for Foodstuffs | Protein Compositions for Foodstuffs; Working-Up Proteins for Foodstuffs; Phosphatide Compositions for Foodstuffs | 19,978 | 2.1% |
| 10 | A23D, Edible Oils or Fats, e.g. Margarines, Shortenings or Cooking Oils | Edible Oils or Fats, e.g. Margarines, Shortenings or Cooking Oils | 19,209 | 2.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
10 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- A23B PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- A23C DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23D EDIBLE OILS OR FATS, e.g. MARGARINES, SHORTENINGS OR 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
- A23K FEEDING-STUFFS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ANIMALS; METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF
- A23L FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
- A23N MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES, OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING-STUFFS
- A23P SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH RU 6,158
- NESTLE CH 4,562
- NESTEC CH 3,354
- JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 2,699
- DSM IP ASSETS (DUTCH STATE MINES IP ASSETS) NL 2,320
- SUNTORY HOLDINGS JP 1,926
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,804
- CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 1,653
- CARGILL US 1,588
- REPUBLIC OF KOREA (RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION) KR 1,314