Method, device and household appliance for reducing food allergenicity

Abstract

The application relates to the food processing technical field and provides a method, device and household appliance for reducing food allergenicity, the method comprising the following steps: controlling the pressure of a target chamber to reduce to a target vacuum degree, the target chamber being used for placing food to be processed, and the target vacuum degree being determined based on the food to be processed; and determining that the target chamber is kept at the target vacuum degree for a target time length, and then controlling the pressure of the target chamber to rise. The method uses the pressure difference treatment of negative pressure keeping and pressure rising to make the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed first be compressed and then be fluffy, change the active site of the sensitive source of the food to be processed, reduce the allergenicity of the food, the pressure difference treatment process of the negative pressure keeping and the pressure rising is simple and safe, specific biological enzymes or radiation devices are not needed for realizing the desensitization treatment of the food, and the method can be used in a household environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, and more particularly to methods, apparatus and household appliances for reducing the allergenicity of food. Background Technology

[0002] With changes in human diet, changes in the natural environment, and the overuse of chemical fertilizers and antibiotics, some people may experience adverse reactions to food, either directly or indirectly. Some reactions are strong, while others are subtle. This is called food allergy or food intolerance. Food allergy or intolerance can easily trigger diseases such as allergic rhinitis, diarrhea, and asthma, seriously endangering people's lives and quality of life.

[0003] Currently, the main methods for reducing food allergenicity include enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and microwave irradiation. These methods destroy allergenic epitopes through biological or optical radiation, thereby reducing the allergenicity of food. However, these methods are only suitable for industrial food processing, and it is difficult to use the corresponding biological enzymes or radiation devices to achieve food desensitization in home life. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a method for reducing the allergenicity of food.

[0005] The present invention also proposes a household appliance that can perform a method for reducing the allergenicity of food.

[0006] A method for reducing food allergenicity according to a first aspect of the present invention includes:

[0007] The pressure in the target chamber is controlled to decrease to a target vacuum level, the target chamber being used to hold the food to be processed, and the target vacuum level is determined based on the food to be processed.

[0008] After determining that the target vacuum level has been maintained at the target duration, the pressure in the target chamber is controlled to rise.

[0009] The method for reducing food allergenicity according to embodiments of the present invention involves controlling the target chamber to be kept under negative pressure for a period of time, and then controlling the pressure of the target chamber to rise. The pressure difference between maintaining negative pressure and rising pressure is used to first compress and then loosen the spatial structure of the allergen in the food to be treated, thereby changing the active sites of the allergen in the food to be treated and reducing the allergenicity of the food. Moreover, the pressure difference process of maintaining negative pressure and rising pressure is simple and safe. It can achieve food desensitization treatment without the use of specific biological enzymes or radiation devices, and can be used in a home environment.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the pressure in the target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum level includes:

[0011] The pressure in the target chamber is controlled to decrease to the target vacuum level, and the temperature in the target chamber is controlled to adjust to the target temperature, which is determined based on the food to be processed;

[0012] The step of controlling the pressure recovery of the target chamber after determining that the target vacuum level has been maintained for the target duration includes:

[0013] After determining that the target chamber maintains the target temperature and the target vacuum for the target duration, the pressure in the target chamber is controlled to rise.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, after determining that the target chamber maintains the target vacuum level for a target duration and then controlling the pressure recovery of the target chamber, the method includes:

[0015] The difference between the current vacuum level of the target chamber and the target vacuum level before pressure recovery is determined as the target pressure difference, and the pressure recovery of the target chamber is stopped.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the target pressure difference is determined based on at least one of the type of food to be processed, the weight of the food to be processed, and the temperature of the target chamber.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes:

[0018] The target chamber is controlled to cycle between pressure maintenance and pressure recovery states until the pressure in the target chamber recovers to equal the external atmospheric pressure.

[0019] An apparatus for reducing food allergenicity according to a second aspect of the present invention includes:

[0020] The first processing module is used to control the pressure in the target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum level. The target chamber is used to hold the food to be processed, and the target vacuum level is determined based on the food to be processed.

[0021] The second processing module is used to determine the pressure recovery of the target chamber after the target vacuum level is maintained for the target duration.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first processing module is further configured to control the pressure of the target chamber to decrease to the target vacuum level, and control the temperature of the target chamber to adjust to a target temperature, wherein the target temperature is determined based on the food to be processed;

[0023] The second processing module is further configured to determine, after the target temperature and target vacuum level are maintained at the target duration, control the pressure recovery of the target chamber.

[0024] A household appliance according to a third aspect of the present invention includes:

[0025] A housing assembly defining a target chamber for holding food to be processed;

[0026] A valve assembly is disposed on the housing assembly and is used to adjust the pressure in the target chamber;

[0027] A pressure sensor is disposed in the housing assembly and is used to collect vacuum data within the target chamber;

[0028] A controller, electrically connected to the valve assembly and the pressure sensor, is used to control the operation of the valve assembly based on the aforementioned method for reducing food allergenicity.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes:

[0030] A heating device is disposed on the housing assembly and is used to adjust the temperature of the target chamber.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the housing assembly includes:

[0032] Inner liner;

[0033] The upper cover fits onto the inner liner;

[0034] An outer shell is assembled with the inner liner, and the outer shell covers the periphery of the inner liner.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the controller is further configured to output a target control command after controlling the valve assembly to process the food to be processed to a target vacuum degree and a target duration, the target control command being used by the household appliance to cook the food to be processed.

[0036] An electronic device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of any of the methods for reducing food allergenicity described above.

[0037] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided thereon storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method for reducing food allergenicity as described above.

[0038] A computer program product according to a sixth aspect of the present invention includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method for reducing food allergenicity as described above.

[0039] The above-described one or more technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention have at least one of the following technical effects:

[0040] By controlling the target chamber to maintain a negative pressure environment for a period of time, and then controlling the pressure rise of the target chamber, the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be treated is first compressed and then loosened through the pressure difference between maintaining negative pressure and the pressure rise, thereby changing the active sites of the sensitive source of the food to be treated and reducing the allergenicity of the food.

[0041] Furthermore, the differential pressure treatment process of negative pressure maintenance and pressure recovery is simple and safe, and can be used in a home environment to achieve food desensitization without the need for specific biological enzymes or radiation devices.

[0042] Furthermore, by using temperature-controlled auxiliary treatment, the internal structure of the allergens in the food to be treated changes, exposing the antigenic epitopes on the surface. The pressure difference treatment of maintaining negative pressure and pressure recovery further exacerbates the destruction of the allergen's structure, thereby further reducing the allergenicity of the food to be treated.

[0043] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for reducing food allergenicity provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a household appliance provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the device for reducing food allergenicity provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure label:

[0050] 210: Top cover; 220: Air valve assembly; 230: Heating device; 240: Outer shell; 250: Inner liner; 260: Pressure sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0052] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0053] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0054] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0055] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0056] Food allergens can cause allergic reactions or intolerances in the body. Food allergens refer to components in food that can cause abnormal reactions in the body's immune system. They are generally proteins or glycoproteins with a relative molecular mass of 10,000-70,000.

[0057] Food allergens include allergenic proteins and intolerant food sources. Allergens are the main substances that induce specific immune factor responses such as IgG or IgE in the human body. They are generally proteins or glycoproteins with a relative molecular mass of 10,000-70,000.

[0058] For example, at least 13 IgE-binding proteins have been detected in shrimp meat, among which tropomyosin has been identified as a major food allergen with a relative molecular mass between 34,000 and 39,000.

[0059] With advancements in medical techniques, it is possible to test for food allergens, identify an individual's food allergens and corresponding foods, and combine this with adjunctive treatments such as tolerance rotation and oral desensitization to help the individual adapt to foods containing food allergens. However, such medical adjunctive treatments require long-term adherence and a high degree of self-discipline, making them quite difficult to implement.

[0060] Currently, food allergens can be desensitized by means of enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and microwave irradiation to destroy the allergen epitopes, thereby reducing the sensitizing effect of food allergens and reducing food allergenicity. However, these food treatment methods require the use of specific biological enzymes or radiation instruments, making the cost of reducing food allergenicity too high and the operation too complicated to use in a home setting.

[0061] The following is combined Figure 1 The method for reducing food allergenicity described in this invention uses pressure differential treatment to destroy the allergen structure of food, thereby reducing food allergenicity. It does not require the use of specific biological enzymes or radiation devices that may have radiation effects on the human body, and can be used at home to achieve an effective food desensitization effect.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the method for reducing food allergenicity according to an embodiment of the present invention includes steps 110 and 120. The subject executing the method can be a controller, the cloud, or an edge server.

[0063] Step 110: Control the pressure in the target chamber to decrease to the target vacuum level.

[0064] The target chamber is a chamber used to place the food to be processed, which refers to food that needs to be desensitized.

[0065] In practice, the food to be processed can be beans, peanuts, meat, and fish and shrimp, which may cause allergic or intolerance reactions in the human body.

[0066] In this embodiment, the food to be processed is placed in the target chamber, and the size of the target chamber can be adjusted according to the size of the food to be processed and the user's needs.

[0067] In this step, the pressure in the target chamber is controlled to decrease so that the vacuum level in the target chamber reaches the target vacuum level, thus creating a negative pressure environment with the target vacuum level in the target chamber.

[0068] Negative pressure environment refers to a gas pressure environment in which the pressure inside the target chamber is lower than normal pressure. Normal pressure refers to the external atmospheric pressure, which is usually one atmosphere. Due to differences in altitude, the normal pressure varies in different regions.

[0069] The process of reducing the pressure in the target chamber can be achieved by removing the air from the target chamber, also known as vacuuming the target chamber, so that the target chamber changes from a normal pressure state to a negative pressure state of rarefied gas.

[0070] By drawing a vacuum to reduce the pressure in the target chamber, the folded spatial structure in the sensitive source of the food to be processed gradually becomes tighter due to the negative pressure during the vacuuming process. Some of the spatial structure will break due to the negative pressure.

[0071] In this step, a vacuum is drawn into the target chamber containing the food to be processed, creating a negative pressure environment at the target vacuum level.

[0072] Vacuum degree refers to the degree of rarefaction of gas in a vacuum state. The value of vacuum degree indicates that the actual pressure in the target chamber is lower than the atmospheric pressure.

[0073] The target vacuum level refers to the vacuum level that can effectively destroy the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed.

[0074] When the target chamber is evacuated to the target vacuum level, the negative pressure inside the target chamber can fully compress and compact the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed, thereby changing the properties of the sensitive source.

[0075] The target vacuum level is determined based on the food to be processed in the target chamber. The target vacuum level is related to the type, volume, weight, and hardness of the food to be processed.

[0076] For example, the target vacuum level for soybeans can be 0.1 MPa, for peanuts it can be 0.08 MPa, and for shrimp it can be 0.075 MPa.

[0077] Step 120: After determining the target vacuum level and maintaining it for the target duration, control the pressure recovery in the target chamber.

[0078] After reducing the pressure to the target vacuum level by evacuation, the evacuation operation is stopped, so that the pressure in the target chamber is maintained at the target vacuum level, and the chamber is left to stand for the target duration at the target vacuum level.

[0079] It is understandable that the negative pressure environment of the target vacuum gradually compresses the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed in the target chamber. By controlling the target chamber to maintain the negative pressure environment of the target vacuum within the target time, the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed can be fully destroyed.

[0080] The target duration is determined based on the type, volume, weight, hardness, and volume of the food to be processed, as well as the size of the target chamber.

[0081] In this step, after controlling the target chamber to maintain the target vacuum level within the target duration, gas can be introduced into the target chamber, that is, an air intake operation is performed, which causes the pressure in the target chamber to rise, thus reducing the vacuum level in the target chamber.

[0082] In this embodiment, switching from the negative pressure holding state under the target vacuum to the pressure recovery state will produce a pressure difference treatment effect on the food to be treated. As the pressure recovers, the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be treated, which was tightly bound due to the negative pressure, gradually becomes loose, and some valence bonds break, causing the active sites of the sensitive source of the food to be treated to change, making it unable to maintain the corresponding function and reducing the allergenicity of the food to be treated.

[0083] It is understandable that the negative pressure maintenance state and the pressure recovery state change the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed, but do not change the shape of the food itself, nor do they change the taste of the food itself.

[0084] In this embodiment, the negative pressure maintenance and pressure return of the target chamber are simple and do not require specific biological enzymes or radiation devices. It can be used in a home environment, ensuring the desensitization effect of food while also ensuring that the original taste of the food is not destroyed.

[0085] According to the embodiments of the present invention, the method for reducing food allergenicity involves controlling the target chamber to be kept under negative pressure for a period of time, and then controlling the pressure of the target chamber to rise. The pressure difference between maintaining negative pressure and rising pressure is used to first compress the spatial structure of the allergen in the food to be treated and then loosen it, thereby changing the active sites of the allergen in the food to be treated and reducing the allergenicity of the food.

[0086] In some embodiments, in step 110, while reducing the pressure of the target chamber, the temperature of the target chamber can be adjusted to the target temperature, so that the food to be processed in the target chamber can be kept in a negative pressure environment with the target temperature and target vacuum for the target processing time.

[0087] In this embodiment, the temperature of the target chamber is adjusted to the target temperature, and the structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed in the target chamber changes. Some of the more fragile bonds, including antigenic epitopes, are exposed on the surface of the food to be processed due to the influence of the ambient temperature.

[0088] Antigenic epitopes are special chemical groups that determine the allergenicity of allergenic foods, and are composed of either continuous sequences or discontinuous three-dimensional protein structures.

[0089] Temperature treatment can expose antigenic epitopes that are present inside allergens in the food being treated to the surface of the allergen.

[0090] Temperature-controlled auxiliary treatment alters the internal structure of allergens in the food to be treated, exposing antigenic epitopes on the surface. The pressure difference treatment, which involves maintaining negative pressure and increasing pressure, further degrades the structure of the allergens, thereby reducing the allergenicity of the food to be treated.

[0091] The target temperature is determined based on the food to be processed. The target temperature is related to the type, volume, weight and hardness of the food to be processed. The target temperature can refer to a fixed temperature value or a certain temperature range.

[0092] It should be noted that the purpose of the target temperature is to expose the antigenic epitopes inside the sensitive source of the food to be treated to the surface of the sensitive source, without affecting the shape or taste of the food. In other words, the target temperature is not the temperature at which the food to be treated is cooked from raw to cooked.

[0093] The following is a specific example.

[0094] Soybeans are placed into the target chamber, and vacuum and heating processes are initiated to maintain the temperature of the target chamber at 30-40℃ and the vacuum degree at 0.1MPa. The soybeans are then left to stand for 5 minutes, and air is introduced into the target chamber to destroy the structure of the allergen in the soybeans and reduce their allergenicity.

[0095] The 30-40℃ temperature is the processing temperature that exposes the antigenic epitopes inside the sensitive source in soybeans to the surface. This will not affect the shape or taste of the soybeans, nor will it cook the soybeans directly. After the soybeans have been desensitized, they can be sealed and stored without affecting their quality.

[0096] It should be noted that the food to be processed is kept in a negative pressure environment with target temperature and target vacuum for the target processing time, the pressure rise in the target chamber is controlled, and the temperature of the target chamber is controlled to remain at the target temperature.

[0097] In some embodiments, after step 120, an air intake operation is performed on the target chamber to restore the pressure in the target chamber, and a decision is made on whether to stop the air intake operation based on the vacuum level in the target chamber.

[0098] In this embodiment, when the difference between the current vacuum level and the target vacuum level in the target chamber reaches the target pressure difference, the air intake operation in the target chamber is stopped, and the pressure in the target chamber no longer continues to rise.

[0099] Understandably, after the target chamber stops intake, the target chamber remains at the current vacuum level, and the food to be processed is in a negative pressure environment at the current vacuum level. The spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed is compressed and destroyed again, and the allergenicity of the food to be processed is further reduced.

[0100] After the target chamber is maintained at the target vacuum level for the target duration, air is introduced. When the vacuum level of the target chamber is the target vacuum level minus the target pressure difference, the air introduction is stopped, and the target chamber continues to be statically processed under the negative pressure environment corresponding to the vacuum level minus the target pressure difference.

[0101] The following is a specific example.

[0102] Soybeans are loaded into the target chamber, and vacuuming and heating processes are initiated to maintain the temperature of the target chamber at 30-40℃ and the vacuum degree at 0.1MPa. After static processing of the soybeans for 5 minutes, air is introduced into the target chamber with a target pressure difference of 0.05MPa. When the vacuum degree of the target chamber is detected to be 0.05MPa, the air introduction is stopped, and static processing of the soybeans continues for another 5 minutes.

[0103] In practice, the target pressure differential for determining whether to stop the air intake operation is determined based on at least one of the target chamber temperature, the type of food to be processed, and the weight.

[0104] After the target chamber is maintained at the target vacuum level, air is introduced, and then it is maintained at the target vacuum level minus the target pressure difference. The target pressure difference needs to ensure that the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed can be compressed and destroyed in the negative pressure environment of the target vacuum level minus the target pressure difference.

[0105] Different types or weights of food to be processed have different target pressure differentials. The temperature inside the target chamber also affects the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be processed. Therefore, different target pressure differentials can be selected when the target chamber is at different temperatures.

[0106] In some embodiments, the method for reducing food allergenicity further includes: controlling the target chamber to cycle between a pressure holding state and a pressure recovery state, and by repeatedly vacuuming and introducing differential pressure, making the spatial structure of the allergens in the food to be treated loose, thereby reducing the allergenicity of the food to be treated.

[0107] In this embodiment, the target chamber is controlled to switch between a pressure holding state and a pressure recovery state. Each pressure recovery state will reduce the vacuum level of the target chamber, that is, increase the pressure of the target chamber. When the pressure of the target chamber rises to be equal to the external atmospheric pressure, the processing of the food to be processed is stopped.

[0108] It should be noted that when the target chamber switches between pressure holding and pressure recovery states at the target temperature, the temperature control of the target chamber can be stopped after the pressure in the target chamber has risen to equal the external atmospheric pressure.

[0109] The following is a specific example.

[0110] Soybeans are placed into the target chamber, and vacuuming and heating are started to maintain the temperature of the target chamber at 30-40℃ and the vacuum degree at 0.1MPa. After the soybeans are statically processed for 5 minutes, air is introduced into the target chamber with a target pressure difference of 0.05MPa. When the vacuum degree of the target chamber is detected to be 0.05MPa, the air introduction is stopped, and the soybeans are statically processed for another 5 minutes.

[0111] Initiate the second air intake until the pressure inside the target chamber is detected to be 0 MPa. Then, stop the process and allow the soybeans to stand still for 5 minutes. After three stand-still treatments, the pressure in the target chamber returns to the outside atmospheric pressure. Stop the processing of the soybeans and stop the temperature control of the target chamber.

[0112] This invention also provides a household appliance that can be used to perform the above-described method for reducing food allergenicity. By applying differential pressure to the target chamber of the household appliance, the allergenic structure of the food to be treated within the target chamber is destroyed, thereby reducing food allergenicity. The device has a simple structure, high safety, and can be used in the home.

[0113] like Figure 2 As shown, the household appliance of this embodiment includes a housing assembly, a valve assembly 220, a pressure sensor 260, and a controller, wherein the controller is electrically connected to the valve assembly 220 and the pressure sensor 260 respectively.

[0114] The housing assembly of a household appliance defines a target chamber for placing food to be processed. The housing assembly is a sealed type, and when the food to be processed is placed into the target chamber of the housing assembly, the housing assembly can prevent water, air and dust from entering the target chamber.

[0115] The gas valve assembly 220 is mounted on the housing assembly and is electrically connected to the controller. The controller can control the gas valve assembly 220 to remove the gas in the target chamber, so that the target chamber is in a negative pressure environment with a certain degree of vacuum.

[0116] The controller can also control the air valve assembly 220 to introduce air into the target chamber, thereby reducing the vacuum level of the target chamber and increasing the pressure.

[0117] A pressure sensor 260 is a device or apparatus that can sense pressure signals and convert them into usable output electrical signals according to a certain rule. A pressure sensor 260 typically includes a pressure-sensitive element and a signal processing unit.

[0118] In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 260 is disposed on the housing assembly, and the pressure-sensitive element of the pressure sensor 260 is located in the target cavity defined by the housing assembly. The pressure sensor 260 is used to obtain the vacuum value in the target cavity.

[0119] Pressure sensor 260 is electrically connected to the controller. Pressure sensor 260 transmits the vacuum level value in the target chamber to the controller. The controller then performs desensitization treatment on the food to be processed in the target chamber according to the above-mentioned method for reducing food allergenicity.

[0120] The following is a specific example.

[0121] Different target vacuum levels are set for different foods to be processed. The food to be processed is placed into the target chamber defined by the housing assembly. The controller controls the gas valve assembly 220 to work and remove the gas from the target chamber. When the pressure sensor 260 detects that the target chamber has reached the target vacuum level, the controller controls the gas valve assembly 220 to stop pumping gas.

[0122] After the food to be processed is left to stand at the target vacuum level for the target time, the controller controls the air valve assembly 220 to start air intake. When the pressure sensor 260 detects that the difference in the vacuum level change in the target chamber reaches the target pressure difference, the controller controls the air valve assembly 220 to stop air intake.

[0123] After the food to be processed has been left to stand for the target time, the air valve assembly 220 is controlled to start air intake again until the difference in vacuum level in the target chamber reaches the target pressure difference. The vacuuming and air intake process is controlled to cycle several times until the pressure sensor 260 detects that the pressure in the target chamber is the same as the external atmospheric pressure. Then the cycle ends and the food to be processed can be taken out from the target chamber of the housing assembly.

[0124] Understandably, pressure treatment methods such as maintaining negative pressure and pressure return in the target chamber do not require specific biological enzymes or radiation devices and can be used in a home environment. While ensuring the desensitization effect of food, they can also ensure that the original taste of the food is not destroyed.

[0125] According to the embodiments of the present invention, the household appliance controls the target chamber to be kept in a negative pressure environment for a period of time, and then controls the pressure of the target chamber to rise. The pressure difference between the negative pressure maintenance and the pressure rise is used to process the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be treated. First, it is compressed and then it is made fluffy, which changes the active site of the sensitive source of the food to be treated, thereby reducing the allergenicity of the food. The pressure difference processing process is simple, the device structure is simple, and the safety is high. It can be used in the home.

[0126] In some embodiments, a heating device 230 is also provided on the housing assembly of the household appliance. The heating device 230 is electrically connected to a controller, which can control the operation of the heating device 230 to achieve the purpose of adjusting the temperature of the target chamber.

[0127] The heating device 230 can be located at the bottom of the housing assembly. When the food to be processed is placed in the target chamber, it is also located at the bottom of the housing assembly. The heating device 230 has a good temperature control effect on the food to be processed, and the pressure difference processing of the valve assembly 220 further reduces the allergenicity of the food to be processed.

[0128] In actual implementation, the heating device 230 includes, but is not limited to, heating plates and electromagnetic heaters.

[0129] The following is a specific example.

[0130] Different target vacuum levels and target temperatures are set for different foods to be processed. The food to be processed is placed in the target chamber defined by the shell assembly. The controller controls the gas valve assembly 220 and the heating device 230 to work, so that the target chamber reaches the negative pressure environment of the target vacuum level at the target temperature.

[0131] The controller controls the valve assembly 220 to operate, causing the target chamber to cycle between a negative pressure holding state and a pressure recovery state until the pressure sensor 260 detects that the pressure inside the target chamber is equal to the external atmospheric pressure. The cycle ends, the controller controls the heating device 230 to stop working, and removes the food to be processed from the target chamber of the housing assembly.

[0132] In some embodiments, the housing assembly includes an inner liner 250 and a top cover 210.

[0133] The inner liner 250 defines a cavity for holding food to be processed. The inner liner 250 is open, and the food to be processed is put into the cavity of the inner liner 250 through the open part of the inner liner 250.

[0134] The upper cover 210 is a device that covers the opening of the inner liner 250. After the upper cover 210 is closed on the inner liner 250, the sealed cavity formed by the upper cover 210 and the inner liner 250 is the target cavity.

[0135] In actual operation, the top cover 210 is opened, and the food to be processed is placed into the cavity of the inner liner 250 through the opening. Then the top cover 210 is closed, so that the target cavity where the food to be processed is located becomes a sealed cavity.

[0136] It is understandable that sealing devices such as sealing rings and sealant can be installed at the part where the top cover 210 and the inner liner 250 meet to improve the sealing performance of the shell assembly.

[0137] The top cover 210 can be made of materials such as plastic or polypropylene, while the inner liner 250 can be made of materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper, and ceramic that can withstand a certain amount of pressure.

[0138] In some embodiments, the housing assembly further includes a housing 240.

[0139] The outer shell 240 and the inner liner 250 have similar shapes, but the outer shell 240 is larger than the inner liner 250. The outer shell 240 can be assembled with the inner liner 250, with the inner liner 250 located within the cavity of the outer shell 240. The outer shell 240 is correspondingly placed around the inner liner 250 and fits tightly against the outer side of the inner liner 250.

[0140] In this embodiment, the outer shell 240 provides support for the heating device 230, the inner liner 250 and the valve assembly 220. The outer shell 240 is tightly fitted to the outer side of the inner liner 250, and the outer shell 240 together with the upper cover 210 forms a sealed environment for the target chamber.

[0141] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to output a target control command after controlling the valve assembly to process the food to be processed to a target vacuum level and a target duration. The target control command is used by the household appliance to cook the food to be processed.

[0142] In this embodiment, household appliances include, but are not limited to, rice cookers, pressure cookers, and soy milk makers, which are devices that can maintain a certain pressure and temperature and cook food.

[0143] The household appliance controls the operation of the valve assembly 220 to achieve the target vacuum level in the target chamber containing the food to be processed. After processing the food to be processed to the target vacuum level and for the target duration, the target control command is output. The target control command can control the operation of the valve assembly 220, the heating device 230 and other cooking components to cook the food to be processed.

[0144] Take a soy milk maker as an example.

[0145] Soybeans are placed into the target chamber of the soymilk maker, and a vacuum process is started to achieve a vacuum level of 0.1 MPa. The soybeans are then left to stand for 5 minutes. The air valve assembly 220 is then activated to introduce air into the target chamber, thereby damaging the structure of the allergens in the soybeans and reducing their allergenicity.

[0146] After the food allergen reduction treatment is completed, a target control command is output to control the soymilk maker to add water to the target chamber and heat the target chamber to 70°C to cook the desensitized soybeans into soymilk.

[0147] It should be noted that, for household appliances, the process of reducing the allergenicity of food is completed in the target cavity, while the cooking process of the food to be processed can be completed in the target cavity or in other component cavities of the household appliance.

[0148] According to the embodiments of the present invention, the household appliance controls the target chamber to be kept in a negative pressure environment for a period of time, and then controls the pressure of the target chamber to rise. The pressure difference between the negative pressure maintenance and the pressure rise is used to process the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be treated. First, it is compressed and then it is made fluffy, which changes the active site of the sensitive source of the food to be treated, thereby reducing the allergenicity of the food. Then the food to be treated is cooked. The pressure treatment process is simple and low-cost, and can be used in the home environment. While ensuring the desensitization effect of the food, it can also ensure that the original taste of the food is not destroyed.

[0149] The apparatus for reducing food allergenicity provided in the embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The apparatus for reducing food allergenicity described below can be referred to in correspondence with the method for reducing food allergenicity described above.

[0150] like Figure 3 As shown, the apparatus for reducing food allergenicity according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0151] The first processing module 310 is used to control the pressure in the target chamber to decrease to the target vacuum level. The target chamber is used to hold the food to be processed, and the target vacuum level is determined based on the food to be processed.

[0152] The second processing module 320 is used to determine the pressure recovery of the target chamber after the target vacuum level is maintained for the target duration.

[0153] The device for reducing food allergenicity provided in the embodiments of the present invention controls the target chamber to be kept in a negative pressure environment for a period of time, and then controls the pressure of the target chamber to rise. The pressure difference between the negative pressure maintenance and the pressure rise is used to process the spatial structure of the sensitive source of the food to be treated, first compressing it and then loosening it, thereby changing the active site of the sensitive source of the food to be treated and reducing the allergenicity of the food.

[0154] In some embodiments, the first processing module 310 is further configured to control the pressure of the target chamber to decrease to the target vacuum level and control the temperature of the target chamber to adjust to the target temperature, the target temperature being determined based on the food to be processed; the second processing module 320 is further configured to control the pressure of the target chamber to rise after determining that the target chamber has maintained the target temperature and target vacuum level for a target duration.

[0155] In some embodiments, the second processing module 320 is further configured to determine the difference between the current vacuum level of the target chamber and the target vacuum level before pressure recovery as the target pressure difference, and control the target chamber to stop pressure recovery.

[0156] In some embodiments, the target pressure differential is determined based on at least one of the type of food to be processed, the weight of the food to be processed, and the temperature of the target chamber.

[0157] In some embodiments, the second processing module 320 is further configured to control the target chamber to cycle between pressure holding and pressure recovery states until the pressure of the target chamber recovers to equal the external atmospheric pressure.

[0158] Figure 4 An example is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of an electronic device, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device may include a processor 410, a communications interface 420, a memory 430, and a communication bus 440, wherein the processor 410, communications interface 420, and memory 430 communicate with each other via the communication bus 440. The processor 410 can call logical instructions in the memory 430 to execute a method for reducing food allergenicity. This method includes: controlling the pressure in a target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum level, the target chamber being used to hold the food to be processed, the target vacuum level being determined based on the food to be processed; and determining the target chamber pressure to increase again after maintaining the target vacuum level for a target duration.

[0159] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory 430 can be implemented as software functional units and, when sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, essentially, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0160] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a computer program product, the computer program product including a computer program that can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer is able to execute the method for reducing food allergenicity provided in the above-described method embodiments. The method includes: controlling the pressure of a target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum level, the target chamber being used to hold the food to be processed, the target vacuum level being determined based on the food to be processed; and determining that after the target chamber maintains the target vacuum level for a target duration, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase again.

[0161] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention also provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. When executed by a processor, the computer program is implemented to perform the method for reducing food allergenicity provided in the above embodiments. The method includes: controlling the pressure of a target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum level, the target chamber being used to hold food to be processed, the target vacuum level being determined based on the food to be processed; and determining that after the target chamber maintains the target vacuum level for a target duration, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase back up.

[0162] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without any creative effort.

[0163] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0164] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0165] The above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various combinations, modifications, or equivalent substitutions of the technical solutions of the invention do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention and should be covered within the scope of the claims of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the allergenicity of a food, characterized in that, The method comprises: controlling the pressure of the target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum degree, the target chamber being used for placing food to be processed, the target vacuum degree being determined based on the food to be processed; determining, after the target chamber maintains the target vacuum degree for a target time length, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase; controlling the target chamber to cyclically switch between the pressure maintaining state and the pressure increasing state until the pressure of the target chamber increases to the atmospheric pressure; after the determining, the method comprises: determining a target pressure difference between the current vacuum degree of the target chamber and the target vacuum degree before the pressure increasing, and controlling the target chamber to stop the pressure increasing.

2. The method of reducing food allergenicity according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controlling the pressure of the target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum degree comprises: controlling the pressure of the target chamber to decrease to the target vacuum degree, and controlling the temperature of the target chamber to adjust to a target temperature, the target temperature being determined based on the food to be processed; The determining, after the target chamber maintains the target vacuum degree for a target time length, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase comprises: determining, after the target chamber maintains the target temperature and the target vacuum degree for the target time length, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase.

3. The method of reducing food allergenicity according to claim 1, wherein, The target pressure difference is determined based on at least one of the kind of the food to be processed, the weight of the food to be processed, and the temperature of the target chamber.

4. A device for reducing the allergenicity of food, characterized in that The method comprises: a first processing module, configured to control the pressure of a target chamber to decrease to a target vacuum degree, the target chamber being used for placing food to be processed, the target vacuum degree being determined based on the food to be processed; a second processing module, configured to determine, after the target chamber maintains the target vacuum degree for a target time length, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase, the second processing module being further configured to control the target chamber to cyclically switch between the pressure maintaining state and the pressure increasing state until the pressure of the target chamber increases to the atmospheric pressure, and the second processing module being further configured to determine a target pressure difference between the current vacuum degree of the target chamber and the target vacuum degree before the pressure increasing, and control the target chamber to stop the pressure increasing.

5. The device for reducing food allergenicity according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first processing module is further configured to control the pressure of the target chamber to decrease to the target vacuum degree, and control the temperature of the target chamber to adjust to a target temperature, the target temperature being determined based on the food to be processed; The second processing module is further configured to determine, after the target chamber maintains the target temperature and the target vacuum degree for the target time length, controlling the pressure of the target chamber to increase.

6. A domestic appliance characterized in that, The method comprises: a housing assembly, the housing assembly defining a target chamber inside, the target chamber being used for placing food to be processed; a gas valve assembly, the gas valve assembly being arranged in the housing assembly, the gas valve assembly being used for adjusting the pressure of the target chamber; a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being arranged in the housing assembly, the pressure sensor being used for collecting vacuum degree data in the target chamber; A controller electrically connected with the air valve assembly and the pressure sensor, the controller configured to control the air valve assembly to operate based on the method of reducing food allergenicity of any one of claims 1-3.

7. The domestic appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that, Further comprising: A heating device provided in the housing assembly, the heating device configured to adjust a temperature of the target chamber.

8. The domestic appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing assembly comprises: An inner container; An upper cover covering the inner container; An outer shell combined with the inner container, the outer shell covering a periphery of the inner container.

9. The domestic appliance according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The controller is further configured to output a target control instruction after controlling the air valve assembly to operate on the food to be processed to a target vacuum degree and for a target time duration, the target control instruction configured to be used by the household appliance to cook the food to be processed.

10. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, The processor implements the steps of the method of reducing food allergenicity of any one of claims 1-3 when executing the program. 11.A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program. The computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the method of reducing food allergenicity of any one of claims 1-3.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that, The computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the method of reducing food allergenicity of any one of claims 1-3. The computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the method of reducing food allergenicity of any one of claims 1-3.

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