Bake Stable Filling Using Microparticles to Resist Thermal Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bake-stable fillings face challenges in maintaining stability and texture during baking, often experiencing spread, oiling off, and hardening due to thermal degradation, which affects their shelf life and performance in composite dough products.
Innovation Solution
A bake-stable filling composition comprising a liquid component with microparticles of less than 8 microns, including fibers, cellulose, or protein, in a specific weight ratio, providing a creamy texture and stability, with a water activity of 0.7 to 0.82, and a method of preparation involving high shear mixing and optional bead milling to ensure homogeneity and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If existing bake-stable fillings are used, then they provide basic filling functionality, but they experience spread, oiling off, and hardening due to thermal degradation during baking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of the filling components to microparticle level (less than 8 microns), which fundamentally alters the thermal behavior of the filling. This parameter change prevents thermal degradation by creating a more stable microstructure that resists spread, oiling off, and hardening during baking processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite filling system combining microparticles (cellulose, protein, or water-insoluble food materials) with a liquid component containing polyhydric alcohol. This composite structure provides synergistic effects where the microparticle network stabilizes the liquid phase, preventing thermal degradation while maintaining desired texture and spread resistance.
2Stability of the object's composition
If microparticles are added to improve texture and stability, then filling stability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases due to high shear mixing and bead milling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing the filling components into microparticle form before final assembly. The microparticles are prepared in advance through high shear mixing and bead milling, then incorporated into the liquid component. This preliminary preparation simplifies the final mixing process and ensures consistent results.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid component containing polyhydric alcohol serves as an intermediary medium that facilitates the incorporation of microparticles. This intermediary phase allows microparticles to be evenly distributed and stabilized without requiring overly complex mixing equipment, as the liquid matrix naturally supports microparticle suspension and integration.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If water activity is reduced to improve shelf life, then shelf stability improves, but texture quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the water activity parameter to a specific range (0.60 to 0.82) that simultaneously achieves shelf stability and texture quality. This parameter optimization is made possible by the microparticle structure, which maintains textural integrity at higher water activities compared to conventional fillings, thus extending shelf life without sacrificing texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of microparticles embedded in a polyhydric alcohol-based liquid component creates a filling system where the microparticle network provides structural stability while the liquid phase controls water activity. This composite architecture allows the filling to maintain desirable texture over extended shelf life by balancing moisture retention and microbial 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
The filling exhibits minimal spread and oiling off, maintaining a creamy texture and stability at high temperatures, with a shelf life of at least 3 months and suitable for use in baked goods, ensuring consistent performance and texture in composite products.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid component and microparticles having a particle size of less than 8 microns. The liquid component includes the microparticles in an amount of 1 wt% to 30 wt% of the liquid component
Implementation Method 2
mixing at least the ingredients for the liquid component and the microparticles using a high shear device to provide a homogenous blend; wherein the method includes passing the blend through a bead mill
Data Source
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AI summary
A creamy-textured, bake stable filling including: a liquid component and at least about 1 wt% microparticles, wherein the particle size of the microparticles is less than about 8 microns; and wherein the liquid component includes microparticles in an amount of about 1 wt% to about 30 wt% of the liquid component.