Buffered Vinegar and LAE Preservative for Poultry Shelf Life

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for preserving poultry, such as irradiation and synthetic chemicals, are not consumer-friendly and do not effectively inhibit the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria while maintaining flavor profile, posing a challenge for extending shelf life and ensuring safety.

Innovation Solution

A composition comprising buffered vinegar (BV) and lauramide arginine ethyl ester (LAE) in a specific ratio, applied to poultry, which acts as a natural food preservative to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and extend shelf life without mechanical intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If synthetic chemicals are used to inhibit pathogenic bacteria, then microbial shelf life is extended, but off-flavor is imparted to the food product

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemicrobial shelf lifeVSAvoidoff-flavor
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters by using naturally occurring substances (vinegar with pH 2-3 and essential oils) instead of synthetic chemicals, thereby extending shelf life through natural antimicrobial action while avoiding the off-flavor problems associated with synthetic preservatives

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple natural ingredients (vinegar as a base with pH 2-3, and various essential oils containing compounds like carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol) to create a composite natural preservative system that provides both antimicrobial efficacy and consumer-acceptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If irradiation is used to extend microbial shelf life, then pathogenic bacteria are controlled, but consumer acceptance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemicrobial shelf lifeVSAvoidconsumer wariness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the expensive and controversial irradiation process with a simple, natural chemical treatment using vinegar and essential oils that can be easily applied and consumed without consumer concern about radiation exposure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the physical/mechanical irradiation process with a chemical treatment approach using natural antimicrobial substances, thereby achieving the same shelf life extension goal without the consumer acceptance issues associated with radiation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If natural ingredients are used to inhibit bacteria, then consumer acceptance improves, but effectiveness against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsumer acceptanceVSAvoidantimicrobial effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite natural preservative system combining vinegar (providing low pH environment effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria) with multiple essential oils (providing additional antimicrobial compounds), thereby achieving broad-spectrum effectiveness while maintaining natural ingredient status

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple natural antimicrobial components (vinegar and various essential oils) into a unified treatment system, where the combined effect provides both consumer-acceptability and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against different types of pathogenic bacteria

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 BV-LAE composition effectively inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella and Listeria, and extends the shelf life of poultry by reducing microbial counts, maintaining food safety and quality while being consumer-friendly and economical.

Implementation Method 1

the composition comprises buffered vinegar (BV) and lauramide arginine ethyl ester (LAE)... inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria... Both LAE and BV are label-friendly and food-approved ingredients

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntimicrobial activity:

Data Source

PatentEP3045051B1Composition for improving flavor of and inhibiting growth of pathogenic bacteria in poultry
Publication Date: 2018.12.12 GUM PROD INT
  • EP3045051B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3045051B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3045051B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An antimicrobial composition, a process of making the composition, and a method of using the composition for attaining a longer shelf life for poultry. The antimicrobial composition comprises buffered vinegar (BV) and lauramide arginine ethyl ester (LAE).