Aquatic Egg Membrane Stabilization via Ovoperoxidase Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing caviar from aquatic animals involve killing females to harvest immature eggs, leading to overfishing and high mortality rates, and existing preservation techniques result in quality loss and spoilage due to egg bursting and bacterial growth.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the exogenous treatment of freshly harvested ovulated eggs with signal transduction molecules like hydrogen peroxide or calcium ions to physiologically stabilize the egg membrane through ovoperoxidase activation, creating a hardened extracellular skin that prevents bursting and enhances storability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If female aquatic animals are killed to harvest immature eggs, then caviar production is achieved, but animal mortality increases and overfishing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by harvesting eggs at the immature stage (before ovulation) when the egg membrane is still stable and resistant to bursting. This timing allows the eggs to be preserved and processed into caviar without requiring the death of the female animal, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring animal population sustainability.
2Reliability
If mature ovulated eggs are used for caviar production, then animal welfare is improved, but egg membrane stability decreases causing bursting during preservation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the timing of egg harvest to occur at the transition point from immature to ovulated stage. By harvesting at this specific moment, the egg membrane retains sufficient stability to prevent bursting during salt preservation, while the animal welfare benefit of using mature eggs is achieved. The physical-chemical parameters of the egg membrane at this stage allow it to withstand the osmotic stress of salting.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If salt preservation is applied to ovulated eggs, then storability is improved, but egg bursting occurs due to osmotic effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by harvesting eggs at the precise moment when they have just ovulated but before the membrane becomes too soft. This timing ensures that the eggs have undergone natural changes suitable for fertilization while still maintaining sufficient membrane strength to withstand subsequent salt preservation without bursting, thereby achieving both storability and membrane integrity.
4Strength
If immature eggs are harvested before ovulation, then egg membrane stability is maintained, but animal welfare decreases due to killing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by harvesting eggs at the optimal moment just after ovulation begins but before the membrane becomes too soft. This timing allows the eggs to be removed from the animal without killing it, while still maintaining sufficient membrane stability for preservation. The animal can potentially be used for future egg production, improving welfare while maintaining egg membrane stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the production of high-quality caviar from mature eggs without harming the females, significantly improving storability and product quality by preventing egg bursting and bacterial growth, while maintaining taste and texture.
Implementation Method 1
The egg membrane is hardened by cross-linking of proteins by the enzyme ovoperoxidase through oxidation of amino acid side chains, especially tyrosine and tryptophan
Implementation Method 2
The enzyme ovoperoxidase is activated by calcium ions or hydrogen peroxide to catalyze the cross-linking reaction that hardens the egg membrane
Implementation Method 3
In addition, there are osmotic effects which occur later in the course of salting
Data Source
AI summary
A method for processing ovulated eggs of an aquatic animal into delicacy foods. Ovulated eggs are harvested without harmful intervention of the aquatic animal. The harvested ovulated eggs are exogenously treated in an aqueous solution by adding at least one signal transduction molecule. Accordingly the membrane of the egg is physiologically stabilized by ovoperoxidase activation. The signal transduction molecule is naturally occurring in the egg cell. The eggs are then preserved.