STRATEGIC FOODS FREEZE-DRIED RATION PRODUCTION METHOD AND SYSTEM

Abstract

This invention relates to a freeze-dried strategic food rationing system developed for use in war, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises. It is ultra-lightweight and has a shelf life of up to 25 years. The key feature of the invention is the preservation of complex cooked Turkish and world cuisine recipes at the cellular level, maintaining 95-97% of their nutritional value through drying, by utilizing the physical behavior of water below the triple point. The food products will be easily transportable and portioned using a molding system. The production process incorporates an intelligent heat recovery system where the latent heat released in the condenser unit is transferred to the shelves via heat pumps (using the most advanced drying technology based on the sublimation principle). This ensures energy efficiency and minimizes operational costs. Products can be stored at room temperature in high-barrier Mylar packaging, vacuum-sealed with oxygen absorbers, without the need for a cold chain. This system, which reduces logistical burden by 80%, becomes ready for consumption with hot or cold water thanks to its high rehydration capability that takes place in seconds; it provides not only physical nutrition but also psychological resilience and moral support to disaster victims and military personnel by offering the taste of "fresh home-cooked meals".

Description

1 TARIFF 5 FREEZE-DRIED STRATEGIC FOODS (FREEZE-DRIED) RATION PRODUCTION METHOD AND SYSTEM Technical Area This invention is particularly useful for military operations, natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and long-term shelter stockpiling. Designed for use in various processes; nutritionally optimized, ultra-light, long 10 by freezing, which has a long shelf life and high rehydration (return to its original form with water) capability. It relates to freeze-dried food and ration systems. State of the Art Traditional canned and MRE (Meal-in-Time) rations currently in use It contains approximately 80% water, which increases transportation costs and logistics. This leads to a loss of speed. The high speeds applied in classic drying and canning processes Heat breaks down vitamins, reducing the nutritional value of food by 50-70%. This causes thermal degradation. Additionally, current rations result in loss of flavor and texture. Because of what they have experienced, these foods negatively affect staff morale during times of crisis. Furthermore, these foods... Strategic storage challenges due to cold chain requirements and short shelf life 20 It contains. Purpose of the Invention The aim of this invention is to eliminate the logistical and weight bottlenecks in the known state of the art. By removing the load, it is possible to transport 5 times more meals in the same transport vehicle. The invention... Another purpose is to prevent thermal degradation resulting from high-temperature processes and 25 By ensuring that the tertiary structure of proteins remains intact, it provides digestibility closest to that of fresh food. (nutritious) to offer r. The invention replaces tasteless and textured foods, enabling staff to To increase psychological resilience; without preservatives, requiring no cold chain. Solving strategic storage challenges by providing a shelf life of up to 25 years without detection. Another aim of the invention is to integrate renewable energy with disaster response. 2 Ensuring sustainability by providing off-grid generation capability at certain times. ar rmak r. Explanation of the Figures Figure 1: Phase diagram of water, which forms the basis of the lyophilization process. Figure 2: Graph of temperature and pressure profile applied during freeze-drying. 35 Figure 3: The freeze-dried ration production method that is the subject of the invention. Industrial process flowchart. Explanation of References in Figures A: Starting Point B: Sublimation Point 40 C: Critical Point P: Pressure t: Temperature T: Triple Point T1: Collapse Temperature 45 T2: Glass Transition Temperature z: Time 1: Raw Material Receiving and Control Unit 2: Cleaning and Preparation Unit 3: Cooking and Recipe Creation Unit 50 4: Portioning and Flash Freezing Unit 5: Freeze-Drying Complex 6: Condenser and Vacuum System 7: Selection and Quality Control Unit 8: Packaging and Sealing Unit 55 9: Labeling and Date Printing Unit 3 10: Storage and Shipping Area 11: Heat Recovery System 20: Ka Phase 21: Liquid Phase 60 22: Vapor Phase 23: Melting Curve 24: Evaporation Curve 25: Sublimation Curve 30: Pre-freezing stage 65 31: Primary Drying (Sublimation) Stage 32: Secondary Drying (Desorption) Stage 33: Shelf Temperature Curve 34: Product Temperature Curve 35: Pressure Curve 70 Description of the Invention The invention uses the physical behavior of water in the triple point domain to process food. While frozen (ka), it passes directly into the gas phase (sublimation) without going through the liquid phase. It dries the food by passing it through a thermal shockwave. During this process, the cell walls of the food do not collapse, so thermal shock is avoided. no formation occurs and the protein and vitamin structure is preserved at a rate of 95-97%. The invention applies to 75% of the production process. Smart sensors (PAT - Process Analytical Technology) and heat, incorporating Industry 4.0 components. It integrates recovery systems. During the condensation of ice in the condenser unit. The latent heat released is recovered via heat pumps and transferred to heating racks. This The cycle reduces external energy needs by 30%, resulting in an 11.7% reduction in unit product cost. It provides an improvement. The products are multi-layered Mylar (Aluminum 80) with a high oxygen and moisture barrier. Oxygen scavengers, a type of packaging technology used in laminated packaging. It is sealed with. 4 Industrial Application of the Invention 85 Start of the process, cleaning and preparation in the raw material acceptance and control unit (1) in unit (2) pre-processing, cooking of food and recipe creation unit (3) cooking; portioning and rapid freezing at -40°C in the shock freezing unit (4); Placement of frozen foods into the Freeze-Drying (Sublimation) Complex (5); condenser and Sublimation is achieved by applying vacuum and heating with a vacuum system (6); this 90 Transfer of latent heat released during the process to the shelves via heat recovery system (11); nitrogen Discharging products by breaking the vacuum with gas; from the selection and quality control unit (7) Oxygen is applied to the products in the packaging and sealing unit (8) into multilayer packaging. sealing with absorbents; barcoding and date printing unit (9) and storage and dispatch to the shipping area (10). 95 The invention involves freezing Turkish culinary recipes (Meat with Dried Beans, Forest Kebab, etc.). It is implemented in 4-hectare rotation plans using the drying method. In military operations... As ultra-light rations providing 3000+ kcal of energy, compliant with NATO STANAG standards. It is applied to industry. In disaster management, it is done with hot water in 5-8 minutes, where the water does not boil. In these situations, it is prepared for consumption in 15-20 minutes with cold water and then used. 100 The invention aims to address the nutritional value issues in war zones, natural disaster areas, humanitarian crises, and shelters. Non-toxic, lightweight for easy transport, has a long shelf life, ready to consume. It offers freeze-dried food and fruit rations. Within the scope of the invention Developed product groups include protein / carbohydrate dishes consisting of meat and vegetable stews and legumes. Balanced main dishes, energy-boosting and immunity-boosting, frozen for 105 minutes. dried fruits, by-products with added nutritional profiles, and regional / local products. It includes customized prescriptions that can be created to suit individual needs. The freeze-drying (lyophilization) process, which is the subject of this invention, is a heat treatment (drying at high temperatures). It does not contain (or condensation). Since the water in the food is removed by sublimation, the weight of the food decreases. 110 by reducing the weight from water, which constitutes approximately 80-90% of the weight, to one-fifth (1 / 5) of the original. It is purified. Because no heat treatment is applied, it retains proteins, minerals, vitamin C, and antioxidants. The structure of heat-sensitive components remains intact, and their nutritional value is preserved at 95-97%. Thanks to the technology of this invention, the moisture content in food can be between 1% and 3%. The humidity level is reduced. This low humidity makes it impossible for bacteria and mold to grow. Foods are chemically protected. With suitable vacuum or oxygen absorbent packaging, it can last up to 25 years without the need for preservatives. It has the characteristic of being able to be stored without spoilage (strategic stockpiling). Water passes directly from ice crystals into a gaseous state, creating microchannels within the food (Figure 1). It creates a spongy structure by releasing its own energy. Thanks to these channels, hot or cold water can be applied to the product. When rehydration is added, the food returns to its original form, texture, and taste within seconds. It is turning. The invention is due to the fact that the lyophilization process does not disrupt the cellular structure of the food. 120 ensuring that the products fully retain their form, color, and aroma profile (organoleptic properties). It provides hydration. It is in a form that can be consumed directly even when rehydration is not possible. Other food preservation methods used in the known state of the art that are the subject of this invention. The technical differences between freeze-drying methods are outlined in the table below: Table 1: Comparison of Food Drying and Storage Methods 125 The lyophilization process described in this invention offers high stability in terms of microbiological safety. It enables microorganisms (bacteria, mold, and yeast) to carry out their metabolic activities. The amount of free water in the food matrix is ​​crucial. Traditional dehydration methods use water. While the AC speed can be reduced to the 0.30 - 0.50 range, the freeze-drying process reaches 130. It optimizes this value down to levels between 0.10 and 0.20. The extremely low water level obtained... At the level of the bloodstream, the biochemical reactions and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms Their cycles are completely inhibited. Features: Freeze-Dried, Canned, Dried (Oven-Dried) Weight Very Mild (90%) alleviation) Heavy (Water + Canned) Medium Strength Nutritional Value 97% Retained 40-60% Lost 50-70% Lost Shelf life 25 years+ 2-5 years 1-2 years No Additives Required; Salt / Sugar / Preservatives are Generally Required 6 The lyophilization process creates high porosity in the food matrix through the sublimation of ice crystals. It forms a porous structure. This porous structure facilitates the diffusion of oxygen into the interior. 135 This can lead to lipid oxidation (rancidity). This invention addresses this technical problem. For the solution, vacuum packaging and modified atmosphere packaging are used in packaging the products. Oxygen absorbers (Oxygen) with nitrogen flushing or packaging technologies. Oxidative stability is achieved using scavengers. In traditional thermal drying methods (hot air, etc.), the high temperatures applied cause the sugars to 140°C. and inhibits the (Maillard) reaction between proteins, leading to unwanted browning and This leads to taste changes. The lyophilization process described in this invention involves ice crystals. Because the transition directly to the gas phase occurs at low temperature and in a high vacuum, this This mechanism minimizes non-enzymatic browning reactions (Maillard reactions). Thanks to this, the product's original color pigments and aroma components undergo thermal degradation at 145°C. It is preserved at a high level without undergoing any treatment. In the industrial application phase of the invention, it can be used in complex dishes (for example: minced meat dishes). (Peas or chickpeas), the simultaneous drying of the ingredients is critical. Therefore, dishes After cooking, the food should be cooled quickly to ensure that the inside of the products also dries completely. The particles (meat cubes, vegetables, etc.) should be sized to a homogeneous size. 150 In industrial production, continuous and batch production lines with double condensers. These lines are used so that while one condenser is freezing, the other is defrosting. It is a system that ensures the production process continues uninterrupted and minimizes downtime. Automated Loading and Discharge Systems (ALUS) integrated r. 155 In order to increase energy efficiency in the production process, the heat flow from the compressors... Smart heat recovery systems (heat pumps) used in shelf heating It is used. The latent heat released during the condensation of ice in the condenser unit, this It is recovered through pumps. This integration reduces the need for external energy sources. The cost optimization achieved compared to traditional systems is shown in the table below. shown r: 7 Table 2: Unit Product Cost Analysis Table (Based on 1 kg of Dry Product) Cost Item Traditional System (USD / kg) Optimize System (USD / kg) Savings Rate (%) Energy (Electricity) 1.50 1.05 30.0% Workmanship (Automation) (Effect) 0.80 0.70 12.5% Raw material 2.00 2.00 0.0% Packaging and Others 0.40 0.40 0.0% TOTAL UNIT COST 4.70 4.15 11.7% Process monitoring is carried out with smart sensors based on Industry 4.0 principles. 165 within the product. Wireless temperature control that automatically terminates the process when the humidity level reaches a critical point. thanks to its sensors (Wireless Temperature Sensors), it eliminates unnecessary operating times. This is being prevented. For the energy needs of the production process, photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy are used. Off-grid operation capability is achieved by using storage units. Ecological refrigerants (NH3 or CO2) are also used. 170 The lyophilization process, which constitutes the production method of the invention, consists of the following three critical stages: 1. Pre-freezing: The food is rapidly frozen until its core temperature reaches -40°C. This instant freezing method preserves the texture of food by keeping the ice crystals small. It protects. 2. Primary Drying (Sublimation): Under vacuum, the pressure is reduced to between 0.1 mbar and 1.0 mbar. The ice is lowered. Heat is transferred to the shelves, causing the ice to turn into gas without liquefying. 3. Secondary Drying (Desorption): Removal of trapped, bound water remaining in the food. The temperature is adjusted to between 30°C and 45°C. 8 The flowchart of the production method described in the invention (Figure 3) consists of the following steps in order: consists of: 180  Starting the process, cleaning and preparation in the raw material acceptance and control unit (1) (2) preliminary processes and cooking and recipe creation in the unit cooking in unit (3),  Portioning and rapid freezing of food in the shock freezing unit (4) at -40°C (Shocking), 185  Placing frozen products in the Freeze-Drying (Sublimation) Complex (5),  By applying vacuum and heating with condenser and vacuum system (6), an average of 18-24 The start of the hourly sublimation process,  Latent heat released during the process is returned to the system via heat recovery system (11). return, 190  To prevent oxidation, the vacuum is broken with nitrogen gas (N2) and the products are discharged. being done,  The products are passed through the selection and quality control unit (7), packaging and Oxygen absorber packs in high barrier (Mylar) bags in the sealing unit (8) sealed with, 195  Finally, in the labeling and date printing unit (9), it is barcoded and stored. It is to be sent to the shipping area (10). The rehydration (recovery) times of the final products obtained by this method are increased by the addition of hot water. It takes between 5-8 minutes. Rehydration (recovery) of products obtained by the lyophilization method that is the subject of this invention 200 In this context; the product washes out with hot water within 5-8 minutes, and with cold water (where there is no heat source). (in some cases) it recovers 95-98% of its original volume within 15-20 minutes. The products are ready to be consumed directly without adding water. In the method applied within the scope of the invention, since heat is not used, the tertiary structure of proteins is preserved. It does not spoil (denature) and the product's digestibility is ensured to be as close as possible to fresh food. 205 9 Lyophilization is a drying method used in the current state of the art, unlike other drying methods. The nutrient retention rates according to the data are given comparatively in the table below: Table 3: Comparison of Nutrient Retention Rates Nutrient Freeze-Dried (Protection %) Air Drying (Protection %) Canned (Protection %) Vitamin C 94% - 97% 20% - 40% 15% - 30% Vitamin A (Beta- Carotene) 90% - 95% 40% - 50% 30% - 45% Protein Structure 99% (Denatured) Impossible) 80% (Erection) 85% (Heat treated) (varies) Antioxidants 92%+ 30% - 50% 20% - 40% During the formulation phase, the products are designed to meet high calorie requirements, macro / micronutrient balance, and 210... It is optimized taking into account glycemic index characteristics and has immune-supporting and cognitive properties. It is formulated with performance-enhancing supplements (omega-3, vitamins and minerals, etc.). The product packaging mechanism is impervious to oxygen, light, and moisture, and resistant to mechanical punctures. This is achieved by using multi-layered aluminum laminated (Mylar) bags with high resistance to corrosion. The packaging method applied by vacuum or nitrogen pressing protects the product from external factors. It increases resistance to (physical impact, high temperature and humidity). In the structural form of the packaging, By using a wide base (gusseted / Doypack) design, the product does not require an external container. This allows for rehydration and depletion directly within the package without being detected. In the production process developed within the scope of the invention, quality control and end-to-end traceability are ensured. There are mechanisms in place. In the context of logistics integration, each product package; production date, 220 QR Code or Datamatrix containing lot number, other k-point data and nutritional values. It is equipped with barcode systems. The region and warehouse from which the product is shipped are identified via the barcode system. Lifespan and stock status are monitored in real-time through an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. By doing so, is stock management ensured using the "first in, first out" (FIFO) principle? Possible contamination... In this case, the barcode system in question will recall all parts via serial number 225 For (recall), AK F creates a security protocol. Food combinations formulated during the industrial application phase of the invention The technical selection criteria (for prescriptions) are based on the following parameters:  Water Content Optimization: By selecting foods that originally have a high water content, Maximum volume reduction is achieved by removing the water from the system, resulting in 230 Lyophilization (LD) efficiency is increased.  Tissue Stability: The tissue that rehydrates (recovers water) the fastest after lyophilization and Main ingredients that do not disrupt tissue integrity include potatoes, carrots, pieces of meat, and legumes. It is included in the formulation.  Determination of Fat Content: 235 with different freezing thresholds during the lyophilization process Instead of (non-freezing) excessively fatty ingredients, medium-fat and protein-based ingredients that stabilize the process. Balanced recipes are applied. Optimized according to the aforementioned technical parameters and subjected to lyophilization. Nutritional values ​​and calorie content of the products per 100 grams of dry weight. The required water quantities for rehydration are detailed in the table below: r: 240 Table 4: Nutritional and Rehydration Values ​​of Freeze-Dried (FD) Foods (100g) (For Dry Product) Food Name (100g Dried) Calorie (kcal) Protein (g) Carbohydrate (g) Fat (g) Rehydration (Water to be added) (amount ml) Meat and Bean Stew 420 24 55 12 250 - 300 Meat and Chickpea Stew 410 22 52 14 250 - 300 Forest Kebab 450 28 35 22 200 - 250 Chicken Rice 390 20 65 8 200 - 250 Izmir Ko e 480 30 30 25 200 11 Food Name (100g Dried) Calorie (kcal) Protein (g) Carbohydrate (g) Fat (g) Rehydration (Water to be added) (amount ml) Minced Meat and Lentil Soup 385 26 45 10 300 Fresh olive oil Bean 320 8 40 18 150 - 200 Meat and Bulgur Pilaf 405 18 62 10 200 - 250 Lentil Soup 350 22 58 5 400 FD Mixed Fruit (Strawberry-Apple) 340 2 80 1 (Dry consumption) A 100-120 gram dry ration packet that has undergone the lyophilization process, sublimation. The energy equivalent to 400-500 grams of hot meal weight in its original form is 245. Complex carbohydrates (bulgur, rice, etc.) in formulations have a high (calorie) density. By using these methods, the glycemic index is balanced and long-lasting satiety is ensured. Additionally... Since protein denaturation does not occur during sublimation, the consumer organism This ensures the absorption rate and quality of the product in its fresh form. The three-meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) daily ration package created within the scope of the invention contains 250 grams. Total weight between 350 g and 400 g including packaging, calorie intake between 2900 kcal and 3100 kcal. It will have a total energy value and a total protein content ranging from 90 g to 110 g. It is formulated as follows.

Claims

12 REQUIREMENTS 5 FREEZE-DRIED STRATEGIC FOODS (FREEZE-DRIED) RATION PRODUCTION METHOD AND SYSTEM 1. The invention describes a method for producing freeze-dried rations for strategic foodstuffs. and its feature is; 10 - Start of the process, cleaning and preparation in the raw material acceptance and control unit (1) (2) preliminary processes are carried out in the unit and food is cooked and recipe is created cooking in unit (3), - Foods are portioned and shock frozen at (4) -40°C in the shock freezing unit. Performing the pre-freezing stage (30), 15 - Placing frozen foods in the Freeze-Drying (Sublimation) Complex (5), - By applying vacuum and heating with the condenser and vacuum system (6), water is converted to liquid phase the primary drying (sublimation) stage where it is directly transferred to the gas phase without passing through (31) implementation, - The latent heat released during the condensation of ice in the condenser unit is equivalent to a heat of 20. being recovered by means of the recovery system (11) and transferred to drying racks, - To remove any trapped water remaining in the products, the temperature should be between 30°C and 45°C. by increasing the interval and carrying out the secondary drying (desorption) stage (32), - To prevent oxidation, the vacuum is broken with nitrogen gas (N2) and the products are discharged. done, 25 - Products are passed through the selection and quality control unit (7), - Oxygen in multilayer packaging in the packaging and sealing unit of the products (8) sealing with absorbents (oxygen scavengers), 13 - Products are barcoded and stored in the labeling and date printing unit (9) It includes the steps of dispatching to the shipping area (10). 30 2. This is a freeze-dried ration production method in accordance with Claim 1, and its characteristic is; as mentioned above. The heat recovery system (11) recovers the waste heat from the compressors and condenser to the shelves. It consists of smart heat pumps used in shelf heating.

3. This is a freeze-dried ration production method in accordance with Claim 1, characterized by its primary properties. During the drying phase (31) the pressure is between 0.1 mbar and 1.0 mbar under vacuum 35 It is to lower it.

4. This is a freeze-dried ration production method in accordance with Claim 1, characterized by its drying process. monitoring and termination of the process, wireless temperature measuring the moisture content within the product. automatically with the PAT (Process Analytical Technology) system which includes its sensors It is the realization of. 40 5. This is a freeze-dried ration production method in accordance with Claim 1, and its characteristic feature is packaging. and the mentioned multilayer packaging used in the sealing unit (8) is protected from oxygen and moisture The barrier is the use of high-barrier aluminum laminated (Mylar) bags.

6. This is a freeze-dried ration production method in accordance with Claim 1, and its characteristic feature is labeling. and the barcode printing process applied to the packages in the date printing unit (9); production date, batch 45 including number, eutectic point data and nutritional values, and integrated with an ERP system. This is done using a QR code or Datamatrix system.

7. Performing the freeze-dried ration production method mentioned in Claim 1. It is a system, and its characteristic is; - Raw material acceptance and control unit (1), 50 - Cleaning and preparation unit (2), - Cooking and recipe creation unit (3), - Portioning and shock freezing unit that quickly freezes food at -40°C (4), - Freeze-Drying Complex where sublimation process takes place (5), - Condenser and vacuum system providing vacuum and heating (6), 55 14 - A heat recovery system that transfers the latent heat released during sublimation to the shelves. (11), - Selection and quality control unit (7), - Packaging and sealing unit that packages with oxygen absorbers (8), - Labeling and date printing unit (9), 60 - It includes storage and shipping area (10).

8. The system is in accordance with claim 7 and its feature is that the mentioned condenser and vacuum system (6), To ensure uninterrupted (batch) production, one is freezing while the other is defrosting. The reason it performs the operation is that it has a dual-condenser structure.

9. The system complies with Claim 7 and its feature is its ability to operate independently from the grid (off-grid). 65 photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage integrated into the system to provide It includes units.

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