Blue-green algae tablet formulation with alpha-linolenic acid

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Solution Overview

Problem

Forming a tablet from blue-green algae powder alone is challenging due to moisture absorption issues, and existing solutions require additives like sucrose fatty acid esters and dextrin, which consumers may not prefer.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating α-linolenic acid, derived from plants such as soybean or sesame, into blue-green algae powder to improve tableting properties and ratio, with a content of 0.0035 parts by weight or more relative to 100 parts by weight of the algae powder.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If blue-green algae powder alone is used to form a tablet, then the product maintains purity without additives, but the tablet cannot be formed and collapse due to moisture absorption occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetablet formation stabilityVSAvoidmoisture absorption collapse
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

α-linolenic acid serves as an intermediary substance between blue-green algae powder and the tablet matrix. It is mixed with the algae powder at a specific ratio (0.0035 parts by weight or more per 100 parts by weight of algae powder) to facilitate tablet formation while preventing moisture absorption collapse, thereby resolving the contradiction between tablet formability and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If excipients such as sucrose fatty acid ester and dextrin, and a binder are added to form a tablet, then the tablet can be formed successfully, but the product contains additives that consumers wish to avoid

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetablet formabilityVSAvoidadditive content
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates unnecessary excipients and binders from the tablet formulation. By using only α-linolenic acid as an auxiliary substance mixed with blue-green algae powder, the formulation achieves tablet formability without incorporating conventional additives like sucrose fatty acid ester, dextrin, or binders, thus satisfying consumer preference for additive-free products.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the compositional parameters of the tablet formulation by specifying a precise amount of α-linolenic acid (0.0035 parts by weight or more per 100 parts by weight of blue-green algae powder). This parameter optimization enables successful tablet formation while maintaining the absence of conventional additives, resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and product purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If blue-green algae powder is used without sufficient auxiliary substance, then the product maintains simplicity, but the tableting ratio is poor and tablet formation fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation simplicityVSAvoidtableting ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies partial action by incorporating a small but sufficient amount of α-linolenic acid (0.0035 parts by weight or more per 100 parts by weight of blue-green algae powder) into the formulation. This minimal addition is sufficient to achieve good tableting ratio and successful tablet formation while maintaining the overall simplicity of the formulation, thus resolving the contradiction between formulation simplicity and manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20240424038A1Blue-green algae-containing tablet
Publication Date: 2024.12.26 DIC CORP

AI summary

When a tablet is formed from blue-green algae powder alone, there are problems such as a deteriorated tableting ratio due to breaking, cracking, and the like and collapse due to moisture absorption and the like. During the formation of a tablet, an excipient such as a sucrose fatty acid ester and dextrin, and a binder need to be added, but the tablet recently does not satisfy a preference of consumers who would like to avoid the additives. The inventors of the present invention have done intensive study to solve the problems, and as a result, found that a formulation with blue-green algae powder and α-linolenic acid improves the tableting ratio of a blue-green algae-containing tablet, and completed the present invention.