A23C DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- HUMAN NECESSITIES
- Class:
- FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION, TREATMENT OR PRESERVATION THEREOF
- Subclass:
- DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; PREPARATION THEREOF
Description
A23C covers the preparation, treatment, and preservation of dairy products including milk, butter, cheese, and their plant-based or synthetic substitutes. This subclass encompasses manufacturing processes such as pasteurization, homogenization, fermentation, and separation techniques; formulation of specialty dairy products; and technologies for extending shelf life and improving product quality. The classification includes both conventional dairy processing and emerging alternatives like milk replacers and cheese analogues derived from plant or synthetic sources.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass A23C recorded 43,005 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 3,191 in 2013 to 3,156 in 2023 (-1%), peaking at 4,515 applications in 2020. 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
A23C ranks 8th of 10 subclasses with filings in A23, with 43,005 applications between 2013 and 2023, 4.4% of the class. Annual filings declined 1% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+18%).
| 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 | 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
Additional Content
Preservation of milk or dairy products
Related Keywords
11 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- A23C 1/00 Concentration, evaporation or drying
- A23C 11/00 Milk substitutes, e.g. coffee whitener compositions
- A23C 13/00 Cream; Cream preparations; Making thereof
- A23C 15/00 Butter; Butter preparations; Making thereof
- A23C 17/00 Buttermilk; Buttermilk preparations
- A23C 19/00 Cheese; Cheese preparations; Making thereof
- A23C 20/00 Cheese substitutes
- A23C 21/00 Whey; Whey preparations
- A23C 23/00 Other dairy products
- A23C 7/00 Other dairy technology
- A23C 9/00 Milk preparations; Milk powder or milk powder preparations
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class A23, 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