Cellulose Ether Binder for Bar-Shaped Food

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional binder compositions for bar-shaped solid foods, such as cereal bars, face issues like excessive sugar content leading to obesity and mouthfeel decrease, and the use of fats causing rancidity during storage, while alternative compositions like polyglycitol can cause intestinal instability due to poor digestion.

Innovation Solution

A binder composition combining cellulose ether, specifically methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, or hydroxyethyl cellulose, with saccharides like sugar or starch syrup, in a ratio of 2-20 parts cellulose ether to 100 parts saccharides, excluding fats and gelatin to enhance binding force and workability while preventing rancidity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If high-content saccharides are used as food binder, then binding force is improved, but obesity risk increases and mouthfeel deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding forceVSAvoidobesity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder by replacing high-calorie saccharides with low-calorie polyglycitol and cellulose ether derivatives, maintaining binding functionality while reducing calorie content and obesity risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite binder system combining polyglycitol (for binding and low calorie) with cellulose ether derivatives (for texture improvement and stability), achieving synergistic effects that resolve the contradiction between binding force and health concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If excessive sugar content is used as food binder, then binding force is improved, but mouthfeel deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding forceVSAvoidmouthfeel

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the binder composition by incorporating cellulose ether derivatives which alter the physical and sensory properties of the food, improving mouthfeel while maintaining binding force through the polyglycitol component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The composite of polyglycitol and cellulose ether derivatives creates a binder system where polyglycitol provides adhesion and cellulose ether derivatives enhance texture and mouthfeel, resolving the contradiction between binding strength and sensory quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If fats are used to improve workability of food binder, then ease of manufacture is improved, but fat rancidity occurs during long-term storage

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveworkabilityVSAvoidstorage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes fats from the binder composition entirely, replacing them with fat-free alternatives (polyglycitol and cellulose ether derivatives) that provide workability without undergoing rancidity, thus ensuring long-term storage stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces long-lived but unstable fats with stable, non-perishable cellulose ether derivatives that do not degrade over time, prioritizing storage stability over the temporary workability benefits provided by fats

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Quantity of substance

If polyglycitol is used as binder, then calorie content is reduced, but intestinal instability occurs due to poor digestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalorie contentVSAvoidintestinal instability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines polyglycitol with cellulose ether derivatives in specific ratios, where the cellulose component modulates the digestive behavior and reduces intestinal instability while maintaining the low-calorie advantage of polyglycitol

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adjusts the molecular structure parameters of the binder by selecting specific cellulose ether derivatives (methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose) that improve digestibility and reduce gastrointestinal side effects while maintaining low calorie content

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 composition achieves excellent binding force, workability, and storage stability with reduced calorie content, preventing fat rancidity and maintaining functional quality, as demonstrated in Examples 1 to 5, which outperform Comparative Examples in releasability, binding force, and appearance.

Implementation Method 1

cellulose ether...impart a binding force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGel formation: Gel

Implementation Method 2

cellulose ether...impart a binding force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrogen bonding:

Implementation Method 3

cellulose ether...impart a binding force...excellent in binding force and workability

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscosity enhancement:

Data Source

PatentEP3729971B1Binder composition for bar-shaped solid food

Publication Date: 2024.05.01 LOTTE FINE CHEMICAL CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed are a binder composition for bar-shaped solid foods, and a bar-shaped solid food including the binder composition for bar-shaped solid foods. The disclosed binder composition for bar-shaped solid foods includes cellulose ether and saccharides.