Sweetened Cheese-Cereal Composite for Ambient Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing sweetened dairy products with extended shelf life require restrictive processes like canning and are costly, making them inaccessible to populations in regions without reliable cold storage, and they often lack complex carbohydrates.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a mixture of a sweetened processed cheese base with cereals, heat-treated between 80°C and 145°C for 3 s to 6 min, incorporating hydrated cooked cereals up to 60% by weight, to create a product with a dry extract of 30-60% that can be stored at ambient temperatures for up to 4 months.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If canning sterilization treatment is used to extend shelf life, then preservation is improved, but equipment complexity and packaging requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal processing parameters by using heat treatment at 80-145°C for 3-60 minutes, which is less severe than autoclave sterilization. This parameter modification achieves adequate preservation while avoiding the need for complex autoclaving equipment and specialized packaging
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses conventional, inexpensive packaging materials that do not require autoclave resistance. By accepting shorter shelf life without refrigeration (up to 1 month) compared to canned products, simpler and cheaper packaging can be used, making the product more accessible
2Reliability
If processed cheese is produced with traditional methods, then nutritional value is maintained, but cost increases due to raw material requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite product combining processed cheese with cereals (rice, wheat, corn, etc.). This composite approach allows substitution of some dairy proteins with cereal proteins, reducing the quantity of expensive dairy raw materials needed while maintaining adequate nutritional value through complementary amino acid profiles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the nutritional composition locally by adding cereals rich in complex carbohydrates and certain amino acids to compensate for deficiencies in the reduced dairy component. This localized nutritional enhancement maintains overall nutritional balance while reducing costs
3Ease of manufacture
If sweetened dairy products are made with low dry extract, then ease of manufacture is improved, but shelf life without refrigeration is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent increases the dry extract content to 30-60% through concentration processes. This parameter change reduces water activity and available moisture for microbial growth, thereby extending shelf life without refrigeration to up to 1 month while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standard concentration techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies continuous heat treatment at 80-145°C for 3-60 minutes during processing. This continuous thermal action not only pasteurizes the product but also concentrates it by evaporating water, achieving both preservation and dry extract increase in a single continuous process step
4Adaptability or versatility
If cheese products are produced for export to countries without cold storage, then market accessibility is improved, but preservation requirements become more restrictive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies multiple parameters simultaneously: increases dry extract to 30-60%, applies heat treatment at 80-145°C for 3-60 minutes, and adjusts pH through acidification. These combined parameter changes create a product stable at ambient temperatures (10-30°C) for up to 1 month, enabling export to regions without reliable cold storage infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite cheese-cereal product where cereals provide structural stability and carbohydrates that bind water, reducing free water available for microbial growth. This composite structure enhances preservation at ambient temperatures, making the product suitable for markets without cold chains
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 process results in a sweetened cheese product with improved preservation and nutritional value, suitable for regions with limited cold storage, offering a longer shelf life and adaptable to various tastes and textures, meeting WHO macronutrient recommendations.
Implementation Method 1
heat treat, at a temperature between 80°C and 145°C (limits inclusive) for 3 s to 6 min, a mixture
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing a sweetened cheese product having a dry extract of between 30% and 60% and comprising at least one cereal. The invention relates to a process for producing a sweetened milk product having a dry extract of between 30% and 60%, composed of a base of processed cheese and of at least one cereal, and also a sweetened milk product which can be obtained by means of this process. The sweetened milk product is characterized by a long shelf life, i.e. a shelf life that can reach 4 months out of the cold.