Nutriset holds or held patents in many countries (including , published in 2002) for the production of nut-based, nutritional foods as pastes, which they have defended to prevent non-licensees in the United States from producing similar products. In places where Nutriset does not hold a patent, manufacturers of similar pastes have been stopped from exporting their products to places where Plumpy'Nut is patented. In at least 27 African nations, any non-profit (including NGOs) can make the paste and not pay a license fee.