An apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration in a mass food sample testing process

Abstract

The utility model relates to food detection auxiliary equipment technical field provides a device that avoids mass food sample detection process flavour deterioration, including tray support, sets up condensing block on tray support, is equipped with water inlet and water outlet at condensing block top, opens condensate water flow path in condensing block, and condensate water flow path both ends are linked with water inlet and water outlet respectively, sets up sample tray on condensing block. The device circulates through condensate water flow path, realizes quick cooling, reduces the storage temperature of food sample in sample tray during the stage of being measured, realizes the improvement of mass food sample detection stability through low temperature, avoids flavour deterioration, keeps the flavour component of sample true, to obtain accurate and repeatable result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of food testing auxiliary equipment technology, and in particular to a device for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, multifunctional robotic arms can replace manual labor in performing various pre-detection processing tasks, such as sample preparation, injection, and parts replacement, greatly improving work efficiency. However, in gas chromatography and its coupled techniques, such as GC-MS, GC-IMS, and GC-FID, the overall analysis time for a single sample is often limited by the relatively long separation time of gas chromatography (GC), resulting in a longer cycle for analyzing the entire batch of samples. For example, processes such as respiration and microbial metabolism during the sample's preparation phase can affect the VOC composition of the sample, thus impacting the detection results. (See attached diagram in the instruction manual.) Figure 6 The image shows a fingerprint spectrum of fruit aroma. Each column represents a flavor component. The first three rows show three parallel tests of the control sample, the middle three rows show parallel tests after one day of low-temperature storage, and the last three rows show parallel tests after one day of room-temperature storage. The redder the color, the higher the content; the bluer the color, the lower the content. This indicates that the fruit sample exhibits poor stability within 24 hours at room temperature. Compared to the control or low-temperature storage, the content of some VOCs decreases (as shown in the red box), while the content of some VOCs increases (as shown in the green box). This means that the composition and content of some VOCs in the sample are time-dependent, i.e., sequence-dependent. This systematic error introduced by the sequence significantly affects the parallelism and accuracy of sample detection. This flavor deterioration directly impacts the accuracy of subsequent test results, preventing the test data from accurately reflecting the original flavor state of the food sample. This can lead to biased test conclusions and adversely affect food quality assessment, product development, and improvement.

[0003] Existing testing devices typically involve preparing and testing samples on-site, reducing the number of tests per batch and minimizing sample dwell time. This necessitates human intervention, incurring significant manpower and time costs, or fails to leverage the batch processing and unattended operation advantages of automated samplers. Maintaining sample stability during the testing phase essentially involves reducing or avoiding biological, chemical, or microbial metabolic processes within the sample itself, thereby enabling accurate detection of the true aroma components of food samples.

[0004] Therefore, in order to address the above problems, a device is proposed to prevent flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by developing a device to prevent flavor degradation during the testing of large batches of food samples. This invention achieves rapid cooling through a condensate flow path circulation, reducing the storage temperature of food samples during the testing phase. The low temperature improves the stability of testing large batches of food samples, preventing flavor degradation and preserving the true flavor components of the samples to obtain accurate and repeatable results.

[0006] The technical solution to the technical problem solved by this utility model is as follows: This utility model provides a device to avoid flavor deterioration during the testing process of large batches of food samples, including a tray support, a condensation block set on the tray support, an inlet and an outlet at the top of the condensation block, a condensation water flow path opened inside the condensation block, the two ends of the condensation water flow path being connected to the inlet and the outlet respectively, and a sample tray set on the condensation block.

[0007] As an optimization, the condensate flow path includes four interconnected longitudinal flow paths and three transverse flow paths. The four longitudinal flow paths are arranged sequentially within the condensate block along the length of the condensate block, and the four transverse flow paths are arranged within the condensate block along the length of the condensate block.

[0008] As an optimization, one end of the first longitudinal water flow path is connected to the inlet, and the other end is connected to one end of the second longitudinal water flow path through the first transverse water flow path. The other end of the second longitudinal water flow path is connected to one end of the third longitudinal water flow path through the second transverse water flow path. The other end of the third longitudinal water flow path is connected to one end of the fourth longitudinal water flow path through the third transverse water flow path. The other end of the fourth longitudinal water flow path is connected to the outlet.

[0009] As an optimization, the inlet and outlet are located at the top rear end of the condenser block.

[0010] As an optimization, the water inlet is connected to the water pump output end through the water inlet pipe, the water pump input end is connected to the water tank outlet end, and the water outlet is connected to the water tank inlet end through the water outlet pipe.

[0011] As an optimization, the condenser block is made of aluminum, and an insulation layer is provided on the outer wall of the condenser block.

[0012] As an optimization, a first calibration hole is provided at the top front end of the tray support, and a second calibration hole corresponding to the first calibration hole is provided at the top front end of the condenser block.

[0013] As an optimization, both the tray support and the top of the condenser block are equipped with positioning pins, and the bottom of the condenser block and the sample tray are equipped with positioning holes that are compatible with the positioning pins.

[0014] As an optimization, several placement slots for placing test samples are evenly distributed on the top of the sample tray.

[0015] As an optimization, a handle is provided at the rear of the tray support.

[0016] The effects provided in the utility model description are merely those of the embodiments, and not all the effects of the utility model. The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects: 1. By setting a condenser block with a condensate flow path on the tray support, the circulating flow of condensate is used to cool the condenser block, thereby transferring the cold energy to the sample tray, so that the food sample is in a low-temperature environment. This effectively avoids the flavor deterioration of the food sample due to the influence of ambient temperature during the waiting period for testing, and ensures the accuracy of subsequent test results. 2. The design incorporates four longitudinal water flow paths and three transverse water flow paths, increasing the contact area between the circulating water and the condenser block, thus improving heat exchange efficiency. The condensate flows fully within the condenser block, ensuring uniform temperature across all parts of the block. This provides a stable low-temperature environment for the sample tray, further guaranteeing the preservation of the food sample's flavor. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the present invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the condenser block of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the condenser block of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the tray support of this utility model; Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the sample tray of this utility model; Figure 6 This is a comparison diagram of the VOC stability of fruit samples at room temperature and low temperature in the background art of this utility model; Figure 7 This is a comparison chart of the detection results of meat samples under room temperature and low temperature conditions using this device. Figure 8 This is a comparison chart of the detection results of fruit samples under room temperature and low temperature conditions using this device. Figure 9 This is a comparison chart of the detection results of dairy product samples under room temperature and low temperature conditions using this device.

[0019] In the diagram, 1. Tray support; 2. Condensate block; 201. Water inlet; 202. Water outlet; 203. Longitudinal water flow path; 204. Transverse water flow path; 205. Second calibration hole; 3. Sample tray; 301. Placement slot; 4. Positioning pin; 5. Positioning hole; 6. Insulation cotton; 101. First calibration hole; 102. Handle. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To clearly illustrate the technical features of this solution, the present invention will be described in detail below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and arrangements of specific examples are described below. Furthermore, the present invention may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in different examples. This repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. It should be noted that the components illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The present invention omits descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques and processes to avoid unnecessarily limiting the present invention. The terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing 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, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" 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; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0021] like Figure 1-5 As shown, a device for preventing flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples includes a tray support 1, a condenser block 2 mounted on the tray support 1, an inlet 201 and an outlet 202 at the top of the condenser block 2, a condensate flow path inside the condenser block 2, and the two ends of the condensate flow path connected to the inlet 201 and the outlet 202 respectively. A sample tray 3 is mounted on the condenser block 2. By mounting the condenser block 2 with a condensate flow path on the tray support 1, the circulating flow of condensate cools the condenser block 2, thereby transferring the cold energy to the sample tray 3, keeping the food samples in a low-temperature environment. This effectively prevents flavor deterioration of the food samples due to ambient temperature during the waiting period for testing, ensuring the accuracy of subsequent test results.

[0022] The condensate flow path includes four interconnected longitudinal water flow paths 203 and three transverse water flow paths 204. The four longitudinal water flow paths 203 are arranged sequentially within the condensate block 2 along the length of the condensate block 2, and the four transverse water flow paths 204 are arranged within the condensate block 2 along the length of the condensate block 2. This increases the contact area between the circulating water and the condensate block 2, improves the efficiency of heat exchange, and ensures that the condensate flows fully within the condensate block 2, ensuring uniform temperature in all parts of the condensate block 2. This provides a stable low-temperature environment for the sample tray 3, further guaranteeing the preservation effect on the flavor of the food sample.

[0023] One end of the first longitudinal water flow path 203 is connected to the inlet 201, and the other end is connected to one end of the second longitudinal water flow path 203 through the first transverse water flow path 204. The other end of the second longitudinal water flow path 203 is connected to one end of the third longitudinal water flow path 203 through the second transverse water flow path 204. The other end of the third longitudinal water flow path 203 is connected to one end of the fourth longitudinal water flow path 203 through the third transverse water flow path 204. The other end of the fourth longitudinal water flow path 203 is connected to the outlet 202.

[0024] As a further improvement, the inlet 201 and outlet 202 are located at the top rear end of the condenser block 2. Both the inlet 201 and outlet 202 are threaded interfaces, which facilitates connection with the inlet pipe and outlet pipe.

[0025] The inlet 201 is connected to the output of a water pump (not shown in the figure) via an inlet pipe (not shown in the figure), and the input of the water pump is connected to the outlet of a water tank (not shown in the figure). The outlet 202 is connected to the inlet of the water tank via an outlet pipe (not shown in the figure). The water tank contains condensate (the condensate temperature can be set according to actual needs). The water pump is a miniature silent water pump with a rated flow rate of 1L / min, which can ensure stable flow of condensate in the condensate flow path. The structure used to supply water to the condensate block 2 and the temperature control structure to maintain a constant water temperature are existing technologies and will not be described in detail.

[0026] As a further improvement, the condenser block 2 is made of aluminum, which has good thermal conductivity and can quickly transfer cold energy, while also being low in cost and light in weight. The outer wall of the condenser block 2 is provided with an insulation layer 6, which reduces the loss of cold energy and ensures the continuity of the cooling effect. The insulation layer 6 is made of insulation cotton, which is made of flame-retardant insulation material and is glued to the outer wall of the condenser block 2, which can not only provide good insulation effect, but also have a certain degree of safety.

[0027] As a further improvement, the top front end of the tray support 1 is provided with a first calibration hole 101, and the top front end of the condenser block 2 is provided with a second calibration hole 205 corresponding to the first calibration hole 101. The first calibration hole 101 and the second calibration hole 205 are used to calibrate the robotic arm.

[0028] Both the tray support 1 and the condenser block 2 are equipped with positioning pins 4 at their tops, and the condenser block 2 and the sample tray 3 are equipped with positioning holes 5 at their bottoms that correspond to the positioning pins 4. The use of positioning pins 4 and positioning holes 5 for installation enables rapid positioning and installation, making operation simple and convenient and improving the efficiency of the device.

[0029] The top of the sample tray 3 has several evenly spaced slots 301 for placing test samples, which enables the orderly placement of a large number of food samples, facilitates sample identification and handling, and ensures that each sample is evenly exposed to cold, avoiding the problem of different degrees of flavor deterioration between samples. The sample tray 3 is made of food-grade plastic, and the slots 301 are cylindrical with a diameter of 5cm and a depth of 3cm.

[0030] To facilitate handling and movement, the pallet support 1 is equipped with a handle 102 at the rear end, which improves the flexibility of the device.

[0031] Instructions for use: Place the condenser block 2 on the tray support 1, fill the water tank with an appropriate amount of condensate, and use the refrigeration equipment to lower the temperature of the condensate to the desired temperature; then start the water pump, which will transport the condensate in the water tank to the inlet 201 of the condenser block 2 through the inlet pipe. The condensate enters the first longitudinal water flow path 203, and then sequentially passes through the first transverse water flow path 204, the second longitudinal water flow path 203, the second transverse water flow path 204, the third longitudinal water flow path 203, the third transverse water flow path 204, and the fourth longitudinal water flow path 204. The flow path 203 finally flows out from the outlet 202 and returns to the water tank through the outlet pipe, forming a circulating cooling. Then, the food samples to be tested are placed into the placement slots 301 of the sample tray 3. The sample tray 3 is then installed on the condenser block 2 through the positioning pin 4 and positioning hole 5. The condenser block 2 transfers the cold energy to the sample tray 3, keeping the sample tray 3 at a low temperature, thereby preventing the food samples from deteriorating in flavor during the testing waiting process. When it is necessary to move the device, the operator can easily move the device by holding the handle 102 at the rear end of the tray support 1.

[0032] By comparing the differences before and after improvement in three samples—meat, fruit, and dairy products—while keeping all other conditions consistent, one set of samples was weighed, packaged, and placed at room temperature, while another set was weighed, packaged, and placed using this device. The VOC differences at the same time points were tested, as well as the differences compared to... The difference in VOCs over time is used to evaluate whether the low-temperature environment provided by this device is conducive to the detection of relevant samples.

[0033] The study has three timeframes. (Testing immediately after sample packaging) (Test after 10 hours. Based on a typical test time of 20 minutes per sample, 10 hours is approximately half full of samples.) (Test after 20 hours. Based on a typical test time of 20 minutes per sample, 20 hours is approximately when the sample tray is full.)

[0034] Example 1: Meat Experimental method: Cut pork samples into small pieces, take 2g and place them in a headspace vial, seal it, and take 5 replicates. One of the replicates is tested immediately as the baseline. Control. Two other samples were placed at room temperature (25°C) for testing, and were analyzed at 10h and 20h, respectively. The last two samples were placed in a low-temperature (4°C) sample tray for testing, and were also analyzed at 10h and 20h, respectively.

[0035] All samples were incubated at 60℃ for 20 min before 0.5 mL of headspace was injected. The temperature conditions and carrier gas gradient were performed using standard methods and will not be detailed here. Experimental results can be found in [link to results]. Figure 7 As shown, by Figure 7 It can be seen that pork samples placed at 4℃ and In comparison, the similarity was high; even after 20 hours, the VOC composition of the test results remained highly similar to the control. Samples stored at room temperature, even after 10 hours, showed significant changes in substances, such as a marked decrease in the content of butanol, pentanol, hexanol, propionaldehyde, hexanal, and heptanol, and a significant increase in the content of 2-methylpropanol and 3-methylbutanol. By 20 hours, a large number of VOCs appeared at high levels, such as 2-methylpropionic acid, 1-penten-3-one, acetaldehyde, 2-butanone, and 2-butanol. Even between samples stored at room temperature for 10 hours and those stored at room temperature for 20 hours, there were still significant differences. This indicates that room temperature has a significant impact on VOC detection in meat samples. At room temperature, samples at different positions in the detection sequence exhibit systematic errors due to temperature conditions, possibly due to the influence of cellular activity or microbial metabolism within the sample itself. The low temperature provided by this device helps maintain the stability of VOCs in the samples, improving the parallelism and accuracy of the detection, which is beneficial for meat testing.

[0036] Example 2: Fruit Experimental Method: Apple samples were cut into small pieces, and 2g was placed in a headspace vial and sealed. Five replicates were prepared. One replicate was tested immediately and used as the final replicate. Control. Two other samples were placed at room temperature (25°C) for testing, and were analyzed at 10h and 20h, respectively. The last two samples were placed in a low-temperature (4°C) sample tray for testing, and were also analyzed at 10h and 20h, respectively.

[0037] All samples were incubated at 50℃ for 20 min before 0.5 mL of headspace was injected. The temperature conditions and carrier gas gradient were performed using standard methods and will not be detailed here. Experimental results can be found in [link to results]. Figure 8 As shown, by Figure 8It was found that the VOC variation in apple samples was relatively small at low temperatures, but significant changes occurred after only 10 hours at room temperature. Substances such as E-2-hexenal, E-2-methyl-2-butenal, hexanol, and ethyl 3-methylbutyrate disappeared or their content decreased significantly. However, the content of many esters increased significantly, especially after 20 hours of storage at room temperature, including methyl acetate, ethyl propionate, ethyl 2-methylisopropionate, methyl butyrate, methyl 2-methylbutyrate, methyl hexanoate, and ethyl acetate. Even at 4℃, prolonged storage (20 hours) resulted in an increase in the content of some substances, indicating that the stability of fruit during the testing period is easily affected, necessitating suitable storage conditions. The low temperature provided by this device helps maintain the stability of VOCs in the samples, improving the parallelism and accuracy of the detection, which is beneficial for fruit testing.

[0038] Example 3: Dairy Products Experimental Method: 5g of yogurt sample was pipetted into a headspace vial and sealed. Three replicates were prepared. One replicate was tested immediately and used as the final replicate. Control. One sample was placed at room temperature (25℃) for testing, and the other sample was placed in a low-temperature (4℃) sample tray for testing. The results were directly compared at 20 hours.

[0039] All samples were incubated at 60℃ for 20 min before 0.5 mL of headspace was injected. The temperature conditions and carrier gas gradient were performed using standard methods and will not be detailed here. Experimental results can be found in [link to results]. Figure 9 As shown, by Figure 9 It can be seen that VOCs changed significantly after being left at room temperature for 20 hours, with a significant increase in the levels of acetic acid, 3-methylbutanol, propionic acid, 2-methylpropanol, 2-hexanone, 2-heptanone, and 2-nonanone. The samples to be tested stored at low temperatures... Compared with the control (CK) sample, the VOC changes were relatively small, the contents of each aroma component were similar, and the contents of individual substances such as hexanal and octanal decreased. The low temperature provided by this device helps to maintain the stability of VOC in the sample, improves the parallelism and accuracy of the detection, and is beneficial for the detection of dairy products.

[0040] Although the specific embodiments of the utility model have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the utility model. Based on the technical solution of the utility model, various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort are still within the scope of protection of the utility model.

Claims

1. A device for preventing flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples, characterized in that: Includes a tray support (1), a condenser block (2) is set on the tray support (1), the top of the condenser block (2) is provided with an inlet (201) and an outlet (202), a condensate flow path is opened inside the condenser block (2), the two ends of the condensate flow path are connected to the inlet (201) and the outlet (202) respectively, and a sample plate (3) is set on the condenser block (2).

2. The device for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, characterized in that: The condensate flow path includes four interconnected longitudinal flow paths (203) and three transverse flow paths (204). The four longitudinal flow paths (203) are arranged sequentially in the condensate block (2) along the length direction parallel to the condensate block (2), and the four transverse flow paths (204) are arranged in the condensate block (2) along the length direction parallel to the condensate block (2).

3. The device for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first longitudinal water flow path (203) is connected to the inlet (201) at one end and to the second longitudinal water flow path (203) at the other end through the first transverse water flow path (204). The second longitudinal water flow path (203) is connected to the third longitudinal water flow path (203) at the other end through the second transverse water flow path (204). The third longitudinal water flow path (203) is connected to the fourth longitudinal water flow path (203) at the other end through the third transverse water flow path (204). The fourth longitudinal water flow path (203) is connected to the outlet (202) at the other end.

4. The device for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The inlet (201) and outlet (202) are located at the top rear end of the condenser block (2).

5. The apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The inlet (201) is connected to the output end of the water pump through the inlet pipe, the input end of the water pump is connected to the outlet end of the water tank, and the outlet (202) is connected to the inlet end of the water tank through the outlet pipe.

6. The apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The condenser block (2) is an aluminum block, and the outer wall of the condenser block (2) is provided with a heat insulation layer (6).

7. The apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The tray support (1) has a first calibration hole (101) at the top front end, and the condenser block (2) has a second calibration hole (205) at the top front end corresponding to the first calibration hole (101).

8. The apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The tray support (1) and the condenser block (2) are both provided with positioning pins (4) at the top, and the condenser block (2) and the sample tray (3) are provided with positioning holes (5) that are compatible with the positioning pins (4) at the bottom.

9. The apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The top of the sample tray (3) has several evenly spaced slots (301) for placing test samples.

10. The apparatus for avoiding flavor deterioration during the testing of large batches of food samples according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that: The tray support (1) has a handle (102) at the rear end.

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