Bean Germination and Fermentation for Coumestrol Production
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Coumestrol, a phytoestrogen with high estrogenic activity, is present in trace amounts in beans and other plants, necessitating an effective method for its production to utilize its benefits in alleviating chronic diseases such as uterine, bone, and breast cancers, as well as menopausal disorders.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the germination and fermentation of beans, specifically contacting them with microorganisms like Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus sojae, and Bifidobacterium infantis, to increase coumestrol content, which can be conducted simultaneously or successively, and optimizing conditions like temperature, oxygen supply, and medium composition to enhance production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If bean is used as the source material for coumestrol production, then the raw material is readily available and inexpensive, but the coumestrol content in the bean is very low (trace amounts)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by altering the physiological state of the bean through germination and fermentation processes. These biological transformations change the metabolic parameters of the bean, leading to significant increases in coumestrol content from trace amounts to commercially viable concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses microorganisms as intermediaries to facilitate coumestrol production. The microbial fermentation process acts as a mediator that converts the bean substrate into a high coumestrol-content product, enabling efficient production without directly extracting coumestrol from raw beans.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional extraction methods are used to obtain coumestrol from bean, then the process is simple, but the yield is very low due to trace amounts of coumestrol in bean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing germination and fermentation treatments on the bean before extraction. These pre-treatments accumulate coumestrol in the bean tissue, so that when extraction is performed, the yield is significantly higher despite the simplicity of the extraction process itself.
3Quantity of substance
If bean is germinated and fermented to increase coumestrol content, then the coumestrol yield increases significantly, but the production process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by utilizing the bean's own biological systems during germination and fermentation to produce coumestrol. The bean's natural metabolic pathways, when activated through germination and microbial fermentation, automatically generate the desired compound without requiring complex external intervention or sophisticated equipment.
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 significantly increases the yield of coumestrol, achieving up to 13-fold production compared to non-inoculated beans, making it suitable for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic applications, and confirming the effectiveness of microorganisms as coumestrol biosynthesis elicitors.
Implementation Method 1
fermenting the bean
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for preparing coumestrol, comprising a step in which beans are germinated and a step in which the beans are fermented, and to coumestrol prepared by the method.