A collagen-containing functional food and a method for obtaining this functional food

Abstract

The invention relates to a functional food containing collagen, which is easy to consume and provides high bioavailability, supports skin health, muscle protection, and weight control for users, and to a method enabling the functional food to contain collagen with increased bioavailability.

Description

[0001] A COLLAGEN-CONTAINING FUNCTIONAL FOOD AND A METHOD FOR OBTAINING THIS FUNCTIONAL FOOD

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The invention relates to a functional food containing collagen, which is easy to consume and provides high bioavailability, supports skin health, muscle protection, and weight control for users, and to a method enabling the functional food to contain collagen with increased bioavailability.

[0004] PRIOR ART

[0005] Functional foods are food products that are generally consumed between main meals, are easy to carry, quickly consumable, and offer nutritional properties. These products appeal to consumers in terms of both taste and practicality. These functional foods essentially have health benefits such as providing energy, supplementing nutritional values, supporting the immune system, and improving digestive health. In particular, functional snacks, with their protein, vitamin, and mineral content, help with skin health, muscle protection, and weight control, while their low glycemic index structures provide long- lasting energy.

[0006] Collagen-containing snacks provide significant solutions compared to traditional snacks by offering various health and nutritional advantages. Firstly, thanks to their high bioavailable collagen content, they increase skin elasticity, reduce signs of aging, and support joint health. By contributing to muscle protection and muscle regeneration, they are an ideal protein source for athletes and active individuals. In addition, with their low-calorie and natural ingredients, they support weight control and healthy nutrition goals. Collagen also has the potential to improve gut health, thereby contributing to the proper functioning of the digestive system. These snacks, offering long shelf life and practical consumption opportunity, are a suitable choice for busy lifestyles. They are preferred by consumers as they combine health, taste, and practicality.

[0007] One of the biggest technical problems encountered in traditional functional foods containing collagen is the problem of low bioavailability. Collagen needs to be broken down into small molecules in order to be easily absorbed by the body; however, since traditional production methods cannot sufficiently break down this protein, it becomes difficult for the body to use collagen effectively. This situation causes the expected health benefits, particularly in areas such as skin, joint, and muscle health, not to be fully achieved.

[0008] Another important problem is the lack of taste and flavor profile in the products. Traditional functional food products containing collagen are generally tasteless or have unpleasant flavors, which prevents consumers from using such products regularly. In order to be successful in the functional food market, it is a critical requirement to develop tasty and consumer-friendly products. Flavor profiles enriched with fruits and nuts make collagen- containing snacks more attractive and consumable.

[0009] Another important problem is the short storage and shelf life of functional food products containing collagen. When not properly processed, collagen tends to deteriorate rapidly, which causes the products not to maintain their freshness for a long time. As a result, quality loss arises for consumers, while difficulties in logistics and storage processes arise for producers.

[0010] Finally, there are limitations in terms of consumer appeal and product diversity. Traditional functional food products containing collagen have difficulty appealing to different consumer groups, since they are generally produced with limited flavor and form options. This reduces the market penetration and sales potential of the products.

[0011] As a result, all the problems mentioned above have made it necessary to make an innovation in the relevant technical field.

[0012] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to a functional food and a method for producing this functional food, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages and to bring new advantages to the relevant technical field.

[0014] An object of the invention is to provide a functional food containing collagen with high bioavailability. Thus, the collagen protein is enabled to be absorbed more effectively by the human body. An object of the invention is to provide a functional food containing collagen with enriched flavor profiles. Thus, the tasteless structure of traditional collagen-containing food products is eliminated.

[0015] An object of the invention is to provide a method enabling the obtaining of a functional food containing collagen with a long shelf life. Thus, the products can be stored for a longer time without spoiling, and portability and ease of consumption are provided.

[0016] An object of the invention is to provide a method in which the obtaining of collagen from sustainable sources is possible and functional foods containing this are obtained. Thus, environmental impacts are reduced and the development of products suitable for the healthy living phenomenon is made possible.

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] In this detailed description, the subject of the invention relates to a functional food containing collagen and a method for producing it, and is explained with examples that are solely intended to provide a better understanding of the subject without having any limiting effect.

[0019] In this invention, the term functional food refers to food products that, beyond meeting basic nutritional needs, provide specific health benefits to the consumer. The said functional foods, thanks to the special components they contain, provide health benefits such as strengthening the immune system, supporting digestive health, increasing skin elasticity, and muscle protection. Within the scope of this invention, functional food products can be in various forms such as chips, crackers, bars, tablets, gels, or gummies.

[0020] The functional food subject to the invention contains collagen as the main component. Collagen is a protein source for the functional food. Collagen is one of the building blocks of skin, joints, muscles, and connective tissues in the body and helps to eliminate effects such as aging and wear in these areas. With its use in the food product, daily collagen needs are met by providing easy consumption. In addition, benefits such as increasing skin elasticity, protecting muscles, and supporting weight control make the product not only a nutrient but also a health support. The collagen content gives the product a high value in the functional food category, while offering consumers a tasty option that supports a healthy lifestyle. In the preferred application, the use of seafood as the raw material of collagen provides a collagen-rich, sustainable, and environmentally friendly production. As the said seafood, at least one selected from the group of fish, sea cucumber, starfish, or jellyfish is preferred. The purpose of preferring marine organisms as a collagen source is that they provide a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution enabling the production of high-quality collagen. The marine organisms specified in this invention contain biological materials rich in collagen. In addition, marine-derived collagen, due to its molecular structure, is more easily absorbed by the human body and has high bioavailability.

[0021] In the most preferred application, collagen is obtained from the waste parts of marine organisms. The skins, bones, cartilages, shells, and tissues of these organisms, which have high values in terms of collagen, are biologically materials rich in collagen. These materials, traditionally considered as waste, are used in collagen production by being transformed into a valuable raw material in sustainable production processes. With this approach, natural resources are used effectively and the amount of environmental waste is reduced. This situation provides a solution in line with environmentally friendly production goals while also making it possible to obtain high-quality collagen.

[0022] One of the innovative aspects of the invention is that the functional food comprises at least one fruit as a component. The fruit may be at least one selected from the group consisting of orange, strawberry, banana, date, apple, or cucumber. The fruit is mainly added to the functional food product in order to enhance taste and nutritional value. It acts as a natural sweetener, improving the flavor profile of the product and making it more appealing to consumers. In addition, by containing nutrients from the group of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, it increases the functional value of the product; in particular, vitamin C enhances the effectiveness of the product by supporting collagen synthesis in the body. The nutritional and functional contributions of fruits provide consumers with a snack experience that is both tasty and healthy.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the fruit is present in the functional food in powder form.

[0024] Another innovative aspect of the invention is that the functional food comprises at least one nut as a component. As the nut, at least one selected from the group of almond, hazelnut, sesame, or roasted chickpea can be present. The nut is added into the functional food in order to increase the nutritional value of the product and to provide healthy fats, protein, and fiber. In this invention, at least one component from the group of fruit or nuts is required to be added to the functional food. The main reason for this is to make the product attractive in terms of taste and consumability while increasing the bioavailability of collagen. Since collagen does not directly contribute to taste and flavor, with the addition of these components, the taste profile of the product is enriched and made suitable for consumer expectations. In this way, the health benefits provided by collagen are combined with a product that is tasty and enjoyable to consume.

[0025] In a preferred application, the functional food comprises one or more fruits and one or more nuts as components. These components are used both to increase the taste of the product and to enrich its nutritional value. Fruits function as natural sweeteners and sources of vitamins, while nuts, with their content of healthy fats, protein, and fiber, strengthen the functional properties of the product. Thus, the product becomes a snack that both supports the health benefits of collagen and is attractive to consumers.

[0026] In a preferred application, the functional food may comprise one or more synthetic sweeteners. In this invention, at least one selected from the group of aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, or acesulfame-K can be preferred as the synthetic sweetener. The purpose of these components is to provide a flavor profile to the product and to offer different taste options according to consumer preference.

[0027] In a preferred application, the functional food may comprise at least one additive to enrich the fiber and nutritional content. In a preferred application, at least one selected from the group of polydextrose, methylcellulose, inulin, cellulose, C, D, E, folic acid, B12, calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3, and protein hydrolysates can be present as the additive. When these additives are used in addition to natural ingredients, they further enrich the nutritional value and functional properties of the product, thereby appealing to a wide range of consumers.

[0028] One of the features taken as basis in the invention is the obtaining of a functional food containing collagen with increased bioavailability. For this purpose, the inventors develop a production method providing technical solutions and advantages in the relevant technical field. Primarily, it is aimed to reduce collagen to smaller molecular sizes. The reduction of the molecular size of collagen is achieved by innovative methods such as high pressure processing, and low molecular weight levels such as approximately 1.5 kDa are reached. Smaller molecular sizes allow collagen to be more easily absorbed by the human body and thus increase bioavailability. Another essential arrangement is that, in the most preferred application, the obtaining of collagen from marine organisms is possible. In this application, the process steps are carried out by preserving the essential biochemical activity and structural integrity of the collagen obtained from marine organisms. In this way, the collagen protein is obtained with high bioavailability and its health-supporting properties are maximized. The obtaining of collagen from marine organisms also provides an important solution in terms of sustainability and environmentally friendly production.

[0029] On the other hand, collagen is present within the functional food together with one or more fruits and / or one or more nuts. This arrangement contributes to the increase of bioavailability by facilitating the interaction of collagen with different components. Fruits and nuts add both taste and nutritional value to the product, while creating an environment that supports the absorption process of collagen. Thus, the product both increases health benefits and attains a consumer-friendly structure.

[0030] The method subject to the present invention comprises the following process steps:

[0031] - cleaning the collagen sources and thereby removing foreign materials,

[0032] - subjecting the obtained cleaned collagen source to crushing and grinding processes in order to break it into small pieces,

[0033] - processing the collagen source at temperatures in the range of 4 to 25°C,

[0034] - carrying out a mechanical compression process on the collagen sources during or after the processing, wherein the said mechanical compression process is carried out at a value in the range of 200 to 600 bar,

[0035] - adding the obtained collagen sources into pure water at a ratio of 1 :3 to 1 :20 by weight and subjecting them to processes at a temperature in the range of 30 to 70°C and under a pressure of 500 to 1000 bar for 60 to 120 minutes, and obtaining a collagen-water solution,

[0036] - subsequently discharging the solution with a pressure of approximately 600 to 800 bar, thereby obtaining the solution encapsulated within itself with increased bioavailability, mixing the collagen, which has reached particle sizes with values of 1.5 kDa and below, with one or more fruits and / or one or more nuts and / or at least one additive, and obtaining the product mixture,

[0037] - subjecting the obtained product mixture to a drying process by freezing (lyophilization) at a temperature in the range of -40 to -80°C for a period of 18 to 24 hours. Among the process steps subject to the invention, the cleaning of collagen sources and removal of foreign materials, the crushing and grinding processes to break the collagen sources into small pieces, their processing at the specified temperatures, and their mechanical compression can be referred to as the cold-press method. The main purpose of the cold-press processes is to provide pre-preparation for the other process steps essential for product obtaining. During these process steps, the degradation of the collagen protein structure is prevented, and it becomes possible to obtain collagen with small particle sizes for the production of high-quality collagen. This method allows the collagen to be preserved in a structure with high bioavailability and to be processed more effectively in the subsequent steps.

[0038] In this invention, the temperature determined for the cold-press processes is in the range of 4 to 25°C, while the pressure determined is in the range of 200 to 600 bar.

[0039] One of the essential process steps of the invention is subjecting the collagen sources to processing under a pressure between 500 and 1000 bar at the specified temperatures. During this process, the temperature is maintained in the range of 30 to 70°C, and this temperature value is selected to prevent the denaturation of the collagen protein and to provide the most suitable environment for protein fragmentation. The specified pressure values reduce the molecular size of collagen to 1.5 kDa and below, which significantly increases bioavailability. Pressure values below 500 bar are insufficient for molecular fragmentation and reduce the bioavailability of collagen. On the other hand, pressure values above 500 bar may cause protein denaturation, structural deterioration, and flavor changes. This range provides a process that optimizes both microbiological safety and product quality while preserving the stability of the collagen protein.

[0040] One of the innovative aspects of the invention is the use of one or more fruits and / or one or more nuts and / or at least one additive in addition to collagen in the obtaining of the functional food. The said components other than collagen vary in their addition by weight ratios according to the targeted taste and nutritional value of the functional food product.

[0041] As stated in the invention, during production the collagen is reduced to values of 1.5 kDa and below. The reduction of collagen molecules below the value of 1.5 kDa is critically important in terms of increasing bioavailability. Small molecular weight peptides are absorbed more quickly and easily by intestinal cells and enter the bloodstream. This situation ensures that collagen is more effective in target tissues such as skin, joints, and muscles.

[0042] When the molecular weight falls below 1 .5 kDa, collagen peptides become more effectively usable in the body and exhibit higher biological activity.

[0043] Lyophilization, which is one of the critical process steps for the subject of the invention, is carried out at a temperature value in the range of -40 to -80°C. The temperature range of - 40°C to -80°C determined for the lyophilization process is selected in order to increase bioavailability while preserving the structural integrity of collagen and other nutritional components.

[0044] The period of 18-24 hours in the lyophilization process is determined to ensure the complete drying of the product, the preservation of nutritional values, and the achievement of the desired low moisture level. This period is optimized according to the time required to complete the transition of water from ice to vapor phase (sublimation), the thickness and density of the product, and the temperatures used (-40°C to -80°C). Shorter periods may not provide sufficient drying, causing moisture residue and risk of microbial spoilage, while longer periods increase energy costs and may damage sensitive components.

[0045] In a preferred application, the lyophilization processes are carried out in a vacuum environment. The vacuum environment facilitates and accelerates the drying process by enabling the transition of water from ice to vapor phase (sublimation) during lyophilization. The vacuum environment prevents oxidation-related deterioration by ensuring the removal of oxygen and increases the microbiological safety of the product.

[0046] In the functional food obtained by the method subject to this invention, the molecular sizes of collagen are reduced in order to increase its bioavailability. By the high pressure processing method, which is one of the process steps, collagen molecules are reduced to values of 1 .5 kDa and below, which allows collagen to be more easily absorbed by the human body. Small molecular structures are processed more effectively in target tissues such as skin, muscles, and joints, thereby optimizing the health benefits of collagen.

[0047] In the lyophilization process in the mentioned method, the temperature is maintained between -40°C and -80°C during the process in order to preserve the structural integrity and biochemical activity of the collagen protein. These low temperatures prevent protein denaturation and ensure that the functional properties of collagen are not deteriorated. The lyophilization process carried out in the method subject to the invention ensures the complete removal of water in the functional food, thereby preventing moisture-related microbial spoilage. The use of fruits and nuts together with collagen provides both an increase in taste and nutritional value. As a result of lyophilization and low temperature processes, the vitamins, minerals, and natural flavor profiles of these components are preserved. This allows the obtaining of a product that is both tasty and functional.

[0048] In a preferred application, the use of waste parts of marine organisms as a collagen source allows the efficient utilization of natural resources. In this way, while the amount of environmental waste is reduced, the sustainable obtaining of a high-value component such as collagen is ensured.

[0049] The methods such as cold-press, high pressure processing, and lyophilization used in the production process are applied both to optimize energy costs and to obtain a high-quality product. These techniques make the production process both efficient and economical.

[0050] The scope of protection of the invention is specified in the claims given in the annex and cannot in any way be limited to what is described in this detailed explanation by way of example. For it is clear that a person skilled in the art may put forward similar structures in light of the above explanations without departing from the main concept of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A functional food containing collagen, characterized in that the said collagen has a particle size at values of 1 .5 kDa and below, comprises at least one selected from the group of fish, sea cucumber, starfish, or jellyfish as a collagen source, and further comprises one or more fruits or one or more nuts.

2. A functional food according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least one fruit selected from the group of orange, strawberry, banana, date, apple, or cucumber in powder form.

3. A functional food according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one nut selected from the group of almond, hazelnut, sesame, or roasted chickpea in powder form.

4. A functional food according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one additive to enrich the fiber and nutritional content.

5. A functional food according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one additive selected from the group of polydextrose, methylcellulose, inulin, cellulose, C, D, E, folic acid, B12, calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3, and protein hydrolysates.

6. A method for obtaining a functional food containing collagen, characterized in that it comprises the following process steps:- collecting, cleaning, and removing foreign materials from at least one selected from the group of fish, sea cucumber, starfish, or jellyfish as a collagen source,- crushing and / or grinding the obtained cleaned collagen sources,- processing the obtained collagen sources at temperatures in the range of 4 to 25°C, and carrying out a mechanical compression process on the collagen sources during or after the said processing,- adding the obtained collagen sources into pure water, subjecting them to processes at a temperature in the range of 30 to 70°C and under a pressure value between 500 and 1000 bar, and obtaining a collagen-water solution,- subsequently discharging the solution with a pressure of approximately 600 to 800 bar, thereby obtaining the solution encapsulated within itself with increased bioavailability, mixing the collagen, which has reached particle sizes with values of 1.5 kDa and below, with one or more fruits and / or one or more nuts and / or at least one additive, and obtaining the product mixture,- subjecting the obtained product mixture to a drying process by freezing (lyophilization) at a temperature in the range of -40 to -80°C for a period of 18 to 24 hours.

7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the said mechanical compression processes on the collagen sources are carried out with a pressure in the range of 200 to 600 bar.

8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the said collagen sources are added into water at a ratio in the range of 1 :3 to 1 :20 by weight.

9. A method according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the said lyophilization is carried out in a vacuum environment.