Bacillus coagulans spore viability in beverage brewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing probiotic beverages face challenges in maintaining spore viability during extreme stress, temperature, and pressure conditions such as brewing or aeration, which limits their therapeutic benefits.

Innovation Solution

The use of Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 spores combined with water-soluble prebiotic fibers in beverage compositions, which are subjected to brewing or aeration, to maintain spore viability and enhance probiotic efficacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If probiotics are subjected to brewing or aeration treatments, then beverage processing is completed, but spore viability is significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage processing efficiencyVSAvoidspore viability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state of the probiotic from vegetative cells to spores, which fundamentally alters the organism's resistance properties. This spore formation enables the probiotic to withstand brewing temperatures and aeration conditions that would otherwise destroy vegetative cells, thus resolving the contradiction between processing efficiency and spore viability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs beforehand cushioning by allowing probiotics to form spores before subjected to brewing or aeration treatments. This preemptive spore formation creates a protective state that cushions the probiotic against the harsh conditions of beverage processing, ensuring high viability is maintained throughout the processing steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If probiotics are used in beverages, then health benefits are provided, but constant supplementation is required due to lack of colonization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic benefit persistenceVSAvoidsupplementation frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the principle of disposable short-living objects by using spores that temporarily survive processing and deliver probiotic benefits, then are naturally eliminated. This approach accepts the transient nature of probiotic presence in the gut, focusing on delivering maximum benefit during the brief colonization window rather than attempting permanent establishment, thus reducing the need for frequent supplementation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Adaptability or versatility

If different probiotic strains are used, then strain-specific effects are achieved, but generalization across genera and species is not possible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrain-specific efficacyVSAvoidprobiotic variety required

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by demonstrating that Bacillus coagulans spores can serve multiple functions across different beverage types and processing conditions. The spore-forming capability provides a universal mechanism for surviving brewing, aeration, and storage, making this single strain adaptable to various applications without requiring multiple specialized strains for different conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3638275B1Beverage compositions containing bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856

Publication Date: 2025.02.19 SAMI LABS LTD

AI summary

The present invention discloses beverage compositions comprising probiotic Bacillus coagulans and water soluble prebiotic fibers that have been subjected to treatments under extreme stress, temperature and pressure conditions like brewing or aeration wherein the spore viability is maintained post said treatments.