A method for testing steam generation capacity and steam cooking device
By combining a texture analyzer and a colorimeter, the firmness and color of broccoli samples were screened and evaluated, solving the subjective problem of testing steam cooking appliances and achieving objective evaluation and efficient testing of steam generation capacity.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202010123396.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2020-02-27
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-02-27
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, the steam supply capacity detection of steam cooking appliances mainly relies on sensory judgment, which is highly subjective, has poor repeatability, and results in large errors.
A texture analyzer was used to measure the hardness at the center of the flower diameter, and a colorimeter was used to measure the color at the center of the corolla. Broccoli samples were screened based on the set parameters, and the steam generation capacity was evaluated by the hardness difference and color difference.
It achieves an objective evaluation of steam generation capacity, simplifies the operating process, is suitable for performance testing of multiple batches and large quantities of products, and avoids the subjectivity and fatigue of manual sensory judgment.
Smart Images
Figure CN113310712B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cooking testing, and in particular to a method for testing steam generation capacity and a steam cooking device. Background Art
[0002] Steaming is a cooking method that better preserves the nutrients and original flavor of ingredients. As people pursue more nutritious and healthy eating habits, the demand for steam cooking appliances, such as steamers and ovens, has increased significantly.
[0003] For steam cooking appliances, steam supply capacity is one of the important indicators for performance evaluation. In the existing technology, steam cooking appliances are tested by heating broccoli with steam for a certain period of time and observing the color difference and maturity to determine the steam supply capacity. Among them, the color is judged by color card comparison, that is, the color card value corresponding to the color of the broccoli is found by the naked eye; the maturity is judged by touching and pinching the stems of the florets to determine the degree of maturity of the food (broccoli). The above-mentioned judgments on color and maturity are both sensory judgments, which are too subjective and have relatively poor repeatability. The errors in the test results are relatively large. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for testing steam generation capacity and a steam cooking device, so as to solve the technical problems in the prior art that the steam supply capacity of steam cooking appliances is mainly tested through sensory judgment, which is too subjective, has relatively poor repeatability, and has relatively large errors in the test results.
[0005] As conceived above, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:
[0006] A method for testing steam generating capacity, comprising:
[0007] screening broccoli florets according to set parameters to obtain multiple groups of floret samples;
[0008] The first group of floret samples were steamed according to the first set conditions to obtain reference samples, and the hardness H1 of the center of the flower diameter of the reference samples was measured using a texture analyzer, and the color (L1, a1, b1) of the center of the corolla of the reference samples was measured using a colorimeter;
[0009] The second group of floret samples are steamed using the device to be tested according to the second set conditions to obtain test samples, and the hardness H2 of the center of the flower diameter of the test samples is measured using a texture analyzer;
[0010] If the difference between H1 and H2 is within the set hardness range, use a colorimeter to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the test sample (L2, a2, b2);
[0011] The absolute value Δa of the difference between a1 and a2 is obtained, and the steam generation capacity of the device under test is evaluated according to the size of Δa.
[0012] The step of steaming the first group of floret samples according to the first set conditions comprises:
[0013] Select a steamer according to the first parameter, add the set amount of water into the steamer, and heat it at maximum power with the lid on;
[0014] When the water in the steamer begins to boil, place the first sample of florets into the steamer;
[0015] Steam the floret sample at maximum power for the first set time, and then steam until the steaming is complete;
[0016] The reference sample is obtained by cooling within the first temperature range for a second set period of time.
[0017] Among them, the first parameters include: heating power of 1500~1900W, outer diameter of the steamer of 210~230mm, and diameter of the cooking area of 180mm~220mm.
[0018] Among them, the first setting time is 3 to 5 minutes, the first temperature range is 20 to 25° C., and the second setting time is 15 minutes.
[0019] The method of steaming the second group of floret samples using the device to be tested according to the second set condition includes:
[0020] Add water to the device under test to the maximum water level, and the water temperature is within the second temperature range;
[0021] Place the second set of floret samples into the device to be tested, adjust the temperature to the highest allowable temperature, turn on the steaming function, and steam for the preset steaming time;
[0022] Cooling the sample within the first temperature range for the second set time period to obtain a test sample.
[0023] Before steaming the second group of floret samples using the device to be tested according to the second set conditions, a preliminary experiment is conducted to obtain a preset steaming time.
[0024] Wherein, the preliminary experiment includes:
[0025] S1: Add water to the device under test until the water level reaches the maximum level, and the water temperature is within the second temperature range;
[0026] S2: Place the third group of floret samples into the device to be tested, adjust the temperature to the highest allowable temperature, start the steaming function, and record the steaming time cumulatively;
[0027] S3: Cooling the third group of floret samples within the first temperature range for the second set time, and measuring the hardness H3 of the floret center of the test samples using a texture analyzer;
[0028] S4: If the difference between H1 and H3 is not within the set hardness range, repeat S2 and S3 until the difference between H1 and H3 is within the set hardness range. The total steaming time recorded cumulatively is the preset steaming time.
[0029] The broccoli florets are screened according to the set parameters, including: the corolla diameter is within a first set range, the flower diameter length is within a second set range, and the color of the corolla center point is within a set color range.
[0030] The color difference meter is used to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the reference sample (L2, a2, b2), including:
[0031] The color of the center point of the corolla was measured multiple times to obtain multiple groups (L2′, a2′, b2′), and the average value was taken to obtain (L2, a2, b2).
[0032] A steam cooking device is tested using the steam generation capacity test method described above.
[0033] Beneficial effects of the present invention:
[0034] The steam generation capacity testing method proposed in this paper uses a texture analyzer to measure the hardness at the center of the sample's floret, accurately assessing floret maturity. A colorimeter is then used to objectively measure the color of the sample's corolla center, eliminating the subjective limitations of conventional methods such as pinching for maturity or visually assessing color using a color chart. By combining the texture analyzer and colorimeter with sample processing, absolutely objective sample data is generated, enabling the steam generation capacity of the device under test to be evaluated. This simple and easy-to-use process is suitable for testing and evaluating the performance of large quantities of multiple batches of products, addressing the inefficiency and fatigue inherent in manual sensory judgment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] Figure 1 This is a front view of a floret sample provided by an embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] Figure 2 is a bottom view of a floret sample provided by an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of measuring the hardness of the center of the flower diameter of a reference sample provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] In the picture:
[0039] 10. Texture analyzer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.
[0041] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in specific circumstances.
[0042] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.
[0043] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods.
[0044] See also Figures 1 to 3 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for testing steam generation capacity, comprising:
[0045] Using broccoli as the ingredient, the broccoli florets were screened according to the set parameters to obtain multiple groups of floret samples;
[0046] The first group of floret samples were steamed according to the first set conditions to obtain reference samples. The hardness H1 of the center of the flower diameter of the reference samples was measured using a texture analyzer 10, and the color (L1, a1, b1) of the center of the corolla of the reference samples was measured using a colorimeter.
[0047] The second group of floret samples are steamed using the device to be tested according to the second set conditions to obtain test samples, and the hardness H2 of the test samples at the center of the floret diameter is measured using a texture analyzer 10;
[0048] If the difference between H1 and H2 is within the set hardness range, use a colorimeter to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the test sample (L2, a2, b2);
[0049] The absolute value Δa of the difference between a1 and a2 is obtained, and the steam generation capacity of the device under test is evaluated according to the size of Δa.
[0050] The texture analyzer 10 measures the hardness of the sample's center diameter, accurately assessing its maturity. A colorimeter objectively measures the color of the sample's corolla center, eliminating the subjective limitations of commonly used methods such as pinching for maturity or visually inspecting color charts. By combining the texture analyzer 10 with the colorimeter and applying appropriate sample processing methods, absolutely objective sample data is generated, enabling the evaluation of the steam generation capacity of the equipment under test. This simple and easy-to-use process is suitable for testing and evaluating the performance of large batches of products, addressing the inefficiency and fatigue of manual sensory judgment.
[0051] The broccoli florets are screened according to the set parameters, including: the corolla diameter is within a first set range, the flower diameter length is within a second set range, the flower diameter is within a third set range, and the color of the center point of the corolla is within a set color range.
[0052] Specifically, the corolla diameter is 35-45 mm, the buds are intact and undamaged, the pedicel length is 10 mm, the flower diameter is the length from the bottom of the floret stem to the lowest branch of the flower stem, and the flower stem diameter is 10-15 mm. In the accompanying drawings, D represents the corolla diameter, L represents the flower diameter length, and d represents the flower diameter.
[0053] A colorimeter is used to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the florets so as to screen out florets with potential abnormal colors, that is, florets whose color of the center point of the corolla is not within the set color range are eliminated.
[0054] The mass of each group of floret samples can be selected according to actual conditions. In this embodiment, for ease of operation, the mass of each group of floret samples is selected to be between 290 and 310 g.
[0055] It is worth noting that the floret samples should be placed at room temperature and not rinsed with water, as this will affect the color determination results.
[0056] For floret samples, broccoli must be sourced from the same batch—purchased at the same time, location, and supplier—and stored under the same conditions until use in the experiment. When preparing floret samples, remove the surrounding yellow flower area. The corolla diameter is the diameter after removing the yellow portion. Large florets can be cut into small pieces to reduce waste.
[0057] Steaming a first group of floret samples according to a first set condition includes:
[0058] Select a steamer according to the first parameter, add the set amount of water into the steamer, and heat it at maximum power with the lid on;
[0059] When the water in the steamer begins to boil, place the first sample of florets into the steamer;
[0060] Steam the floret sample at maximum power for the first set time, and then steam until the steaming is complete;
[0061] The reference sample is obtained by cooling within the first temperature range for a second set period of time.
[0062] The first parameters include: heating power of 1500-1900W, outer diameter of the steamer of 210-230mm, and diameter of the cooking area of 180mm-220mm. Of course, the first parameters can also be set according to actual conditions.
[0063] In steamer, add the water of setting mass, setting mass can be arranged according to actual conditions, but adding water is sufficient, and does not allow to add water again in the intermediate process of steaming. In the present embodiment, setting mass is 400g.
[0064] The first setting time is 3 to 5 minutes, the first temperature range is 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, and the second setting time is 15 minutes. Of course, the above parameters can also be set according to actual conditions.
[0065] After steaming, the florets were cooked to a normal maturity level. This refers to a moderately elastic stem, meaning the florets are cooked through but still crisp, rather than overcooked. The firmness of the center of the stem indicates maturity.
[0066] Because it is a comparative test, the reference sample and the test sample should be prepared and steamed at the same time.
[0067] Before steaming the second set of floret samples using the device under test according to the second set conditions, a preliminary experiment was conducted to determine a preset steaming time. Because the hardness of the test sample's center diameter was required to be similar to that of the reference sample, the reference sample was steamed at maximum power for the first set time. Due to differences in steaming equipment, the steaming time of the test sample needed to be determined through preliminary experiments.
[0068] The preliminary experiment includes:
[0069] S1: Add water to the device under test to the maximum water level, and the water temperature is within the second temperature range;
[0070] S2: Place the third group of floret samples into the device to be tested, adjust the temperature to the highest allowable temperature, start the steaming function, and record the steaming time cumulatively;
[0071] S3: Cooling the third group of floret samples within the first temperature range for a second set time, and measuring the hardness H3 of the floret center of the test samples using a texture analyzer 10;
[0072] S4: If the difference between H1 and H3 is not within the set hardness range, repeat S2 and S3 until the difference between H1 and H3 is within the set hardness range. The total steaming time recorded cumulatively is the preset steaming time.
[0073] In S2, the floret samples are steamed for a period of time and then removed to S3. In S4, if the difference between H1 and H3 is not within the set hardness range, there are two possibilities: first, the steaming time is too long, causing the floret samples to become mushy; second, the steaming time is too short, causing a significant difference between H3 and H1. The second possibility is more likely during the initial steaming, as the steaming time is generally short. Repeat S2 and S3 until the difference between H1 and H3 is within the set hardness range. If the first possibility occurs, discard the third group of floret samples and repeat the pre-test with the fourth group.
[0074] After preliminary experiments, the steaming time required for the floret sample to mature normally when steamed by the equipment to be tested is the preset steaming time.
[0075] Steaming a second group of floret samples using the device under test according to the second set conditions includes:
[0076] Add water to the device under test to the maximum water level, and the water temperature is within the second temperature range;
[0077] Place the second set of floret samples into the device to be tested, adjust the temperature to the highest allowable temperature, turn on the steaming function, and steam for the preset steaming time;
[0078] The test sample is obtained by cooling within the first temperature range for a second set period of time.
[0079] The hardness H2 of the center of the diameter of the test sample was measured using a texture analyzer 10.
[0080] If the difference between H1 and H2 is within the set hardness range, use a colorimeter to measure the color of the center of the corolla (L2, a2, b2) of the test sample. Obtain the absolute value Δa of the difference between a1 and a2. The magnitude of Δa is used to assess the steam generation capacity of the device under test. A larger Δa indicates a lower steam generation capacity of the test sample.
[0081] The hardness range is set to (0, 10g). Color comparison can only be performed when the test sample and reference sample have similar maturity (hardness). If the maturity (hardness) difference between the test sample and the reference sample is not within the set hardness range, it indicates that the preset steaming time obtained during the preliminary experiment is incorrect. The test sample's steaming time should be adjusted and repeated to regain the preset steaming time and the test sample.
[0082] The second temperature range is 14-16°C. If the device under test does not have a fixed fresh water supply, add water to the maximum level. Place a group of floret samples flat on the steaming attachment and steam according to the manufacturer's instructions for the device under test regarding the steaming function, temperature, rack position, and whether to preheat the broccoli. If preheating is recommended, when the device under test indicates the end of the preheating phase, or after the recommended preheating time, place the steaming attachment with the floret samples evenly spread into the device under test.
[0083] If no description is provided:
[0084] -Set the steaming function;
[0085] - Adjust the temperature to the highest allowable setting temperature ≤ 100℃;
[0086] -Place the steaming attachment in the middle of the steaming chamber;
[0087] -No preheating required.
[0088] When performing color measurement, a colorimeter is used to measure the color (L2, a2, b2) of the center point of the corolla of the reference sample. This involves measuring the color of the center point of the corolla multiple times to obtain multiple groups (L2′, a2′, b2′), and taking the average value to obtain (L2, a2, b2) to ensure the accuracy of the test results.
[0089] In summary, the order of the test method for steam generation capacity is as follows:
[0090] The broccoli was pre-treated to obtain multiple groups of floret samples;
[0091] Conduct a preliminary experiment to obtain the preset steaming time;
[0092] Steaming one group of floret samples in a steamer, and steaming another group of floret samples in a device to be tested, to obtain reference samples and test samples;
[0093] Use a texture analyzer 10 to measure the hardness H1 of the center of the flower diameter of the reference sample and the hardness H2 of the center of the flower diameter of the test sample;
[0094] If the difference between H1 and H2 is within the set hardness range, use a colorimeter to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the reference sample (L1, a1, b1) and the color of the center point of the corolla of the test sample (L2, a2, b2);
[0095] The absolute value Δa of the difference between a1 and a2 is obtained, and the steam generation capacity of the device under test is evaluated according to the size of Δa.
[0096] The detailed instructions for using the Texture Analyzer 10 are as follows:
[0097] For a reference sample, cut a 10 mm length of stem from the stem of a small flower, including the base. Lay the stem flat, with the base of the flower facing the puncture probe of the texture analyzer 10. Pierce the probe vertically through the center of the flower and read the value displayed on the texture analyzer 10 in g. Specifically, a 2 mm diameter probe was used, with a puncture depth of 5 mm.
[0098] The structure and detailed principle of the texture analyzer 10 may be referred to the prior art and will not be described in detail here.
[0099] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a steam cooking device that is tested using the above-mentioned steam generation capacity testing method. The steam cooking device can be a steamer, an oven, a steam oven, etc., which is not limited here.
[0100] The above embodiments merely illustrate the basic principles and features of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection claimed in the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A method for testing steam generating capacity, characterized in that: include: screening broccoli florets according to set parameters to obtain multiple groups of floret samples; The first group of floret samples were steamed according to the first set conditions to obtain reference samples, and the hardness H1 of the center of the flower diameter of the reference samples was measured using a texture analyzer, and the color (L1, a1, b1) of the center of the corolla of the reference samples was measured using a colorimeter; The second group of floret samples are steamed using the device to be tested according to the second set conditions to obtain test samples, and the hardness H2 of the center of the flower diameter of the test samples is measured using a texture analyzer; If the difference between H1 and H2 is within the set hardness range, use a colorimeter to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the test sample (L2, a2, b2); Obtain the absolute value Δa of the difference between a1 and a2, and evaluate the steam generating capacity of the device under test based on the magnitude of Δa; Steaming a first group of floret samples according to a first set condition includes: Select a steamer according to the first parameter, add the set amount of water into the steamer, and heat it at maximum power with the lid on; When the water in the steamer begins to boil, place the first sample of florets into the steamer; Steam the floret sample at maximum power for the first set time, and then steam until the steaming is complete; The reference sample is obtained by cooling within the first temperature range for a second set period of time.
2. The method for testing steam generation capacity according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first parameters include: heating power of 1500-1900W, outer diameter of the steamer of 210-230mm, and diameter of the cooking area of 180mm-220mm.
3. The method for testing steam generation capacity according to claim 1, wherein: The first setting time is 3 to 5 minutes, the first temperature range is 20 to 25° C., and the second setting time is 15 minutes.
4. The method for testing steam generation capacity according to claim 1, wherein: Steaming a second group of floret samples using the device under test according to the second set conditions includes: Add water to the device under test to the maximum water level, and the water temperature is within the second temperature range; Place the second set of floret samples into the device to be tested, adjust the temperature to the highest allowable temperature, turn on the steaming function, and steam for the preset steaming time; Cooling the sample within the first temperature range for the second set time period to obtain a test sample.
5. The method for testing steam generation capacity according to claim 4, characterized in that: Before steaming the second group of floret samples using the device to be tested according to the second set conditions, a preliminary experiment is conducted to obtain a preset steaming time.
6. The method for testing steam generation capacity according to claim 5, characterized in that: The preliminary experiment includes: S1: Add water to the device under test until the water level reaches the maximum level, and the water temperature is within the second temperature range; S2: Place the third group of floret samples into the device to be tested, adjust the temperature to the highest allowable temperature, start the steaming function, and record the steaming time cumulatively; S3: Cooling the third group of floret samples within the first temperature range for the second set time, and measuring the hardness H3 of the floret center of the test samples using a texture analyzer; S4: If the difference between H1 and H3 is not within the set hardness range, repeat S2 and S3 until the difference between H1 and H3 is within the set hardness range. The total steaming time recorded cumulatively is the preset steaming time.
7. The method for testing steam generating capacity according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The broccoli florets are screened according to the set parameters, including: the corolla diameter is within a first set range, the flower diameter length is within a second set range, and the color of the corolla center point is within a set color range.
8. The method for testing steam generating capacity according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Use a colorimeter to measure the color of the center point of the corolla of the test sample (L2, a2, b2), including: The color of the center point of the corolla was measured multiple times to obtain multiple groups (L2′, a2′, b2′), and the average value was taken to obtain (L2, a2, b2).