Calcium-Modified Egg Patty Composition for Faster Microwave Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microwaveable breakfast sandwiches face a challenge in achieving optimal heating times for individual components, particularly the egg patty, which requires longer heating times than the bread component, often leading to over-heating of the bread when heated together.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a calcium additive, such as calcium chloride, into the egg patty composition reduces the microwave heating time required to reach a target temperature without affecting the taste or texture, allowing for single-step heating of a frozen egg patty sandwich.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sandwich components are heated together in a microwave, then the heating process is simplified to a single step, but the bread component becomes over-heated and unpalatable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only the egg patty component with calcium additives rather than changing the entire sandwich structure or heating system. This localized modification allows the egg patty to heat faster while leaving the bread component unchanged, resolving the contradiction between simplified heating and preventing bread over-heating
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the egg patty by adding calcium chloride, calcium carbonate, or other calcium compounds. This parameter change alters the heating characteristics of the egg patty, enabling it to reach the desired temperature faster than bread, thus allowing simultaneous heating without bread over-heating
2Temperature
If the egg patty is heated for a longer time to achieve optimal temperature, then the egg patty reaches the target temperature, but the bread component becomes over-heated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition of the egg patty by incorporating calcium additives, which changes the thermal properties and heating rate of the egg patty. This parameter change enables the egg patty to reach the target temperature faster, eliminating the need for extended heating time that would otherwise cause bread over-heating
Solution Approach 2:
The calcium additives are incorporated into the egg patty during manufacturing before freezing, preparing the egg patty in advance to heat faster. This preliminary modification ensures that during microwave heating, the egg patty achieves optimal temperature quickly without requiring extended heating time
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the sandwich components are heated separately to avoid over-heating, then the bread maintains optimal texture, but the heating process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only the egg patty component with calcium additives while leaving the bread and other components unchanged. This localized modification creates a heating rate differential that allows all components to be heated simultaneously in a single step without complex multi-stage processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the heating of multiple sandwich components into a single simultaneous heating process. By modifying the egg patty's heating characteristics, all components can be heated together in one microwave cycle, combining what would otherwise require separate heating steps
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 calcium additive significantly reduces the microwave heating time of the egg patty, ensuring uniform heating and preventing over-heating of the bread component, enabling a single-step microwave cooking process.
Implementation Method 1
the calcium additive reduces the microwave heating time required to achieve a target temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reducing the heating time of an egg patty includes adding an effective amount of a calcium additive to the egg patty, where the calcium additive reduces the microwave heating time required to achieve a target temperature as compared to an egg patty in which the calcium additive is not present.