Rheology-Controlled Chocolate Coating for Water Migration Inhibition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for inhibiting water migration in frozen confectionery using edible containers, such as chocolate coatings, are limited in versatility and effectiveness, particularly in maintaining texture and requiring complex equipment and high costs, and struggle with applying uniform coatings on convex and concave surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A chocolate material with specific rheological properties, including a yield value of 1.7 to 12 Pa and plastic viscosity of 70 to 260 mPa·s at 40°C, and containing sorbitol type sorbitan monofatty acid ester or distilled diglycerin monofatty acid ester, is used to create a reliable and uniform coating that inhibits water migration effectively, even on complex surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional chocolate coating methods are used, then water migration inhibition is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater migration inhibitionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the rheological parameters of the chocolate material by controlling yield value (1.7-12 Pa) and plastic viscosity (70-260 mPa·s at 40°C) to achieve effective water migration inhibition through simplified coating processes. This parameter optimization allows conventional equipment to produce uniform coatings without complex manufacturing systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If uniform coating is applied on convex and concave surfaces, then water migration inhibition is improved, but coating difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater migration inhibitionVSAvoidcoating difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By optimizing the yield value and plastic viscosity parameters of the chocolate material, the invention enables uniform coating formation on complex convex and concave surfaces through gravity-driven flow. The specific rheological properties allow the coating material to flow into recesses and adhere uniformly without requiring complex coating equipment or techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If chocolate coating is used to inhibit water migration, then texture maintenance is achieved, but versatility is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetexture maintenanceVSAvoidversatility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a universal chocolate coating material with controlled rheological properties that can be applied through multiple coating methods (spray coating, dip coating, brush coating) and effectively inhibits water migration while maintaining texture. The optimized yield value and plastic viscosity ranges make the material adaptable to various coating processes and application scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution provides a high-versatile and effective barrier against water migration in frozen confectionery, maintaining texture and preventing moisture absorption, especially on monaka shells with convex and concave portions, while being applicable through spraying and other coating methods.

Implementation Method 1

chocolate or the like has often been utilized as a coating material for the inside (hereinafter also referred to as 'internal phase') of the edible container. The purpose of the above is usually to inhibit migration of water from ice creams as the content to the edible container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWater migration inhibition:

Implementation Method 2

causing a fluid foamed ice coating chocolate to flow down the inside of the edible container and congeal, so as to form a foamed ice coating chocolate layer on an inner wall of the cup

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCongealing: Freezing

Implementation Method 3

supplying liquid chocolates to a front surface of a saucer-shaped rotary disk, rotating the rotary disk, so as to atomize the supplied chocolates by a centrifugal force; and moving the rotary disk relative to the edible container so as to coat the atomized chocolates on the inside of the edible container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentUS10674745B2Oily food for inhibiting migration of water in frozen confectionery
Publication Date: 2020.06.09 FUJI OIL CO LTD

AI summary

The invention addresses the problem of providing an oily food for inhibiting water migration in frozen confectionery, the oily food being highly versatile and more effective in inhibiting water migration and being capable of application by spraying. The problem can be solved by use of an oily food for inhibiting water migration in frozen confectionery, the oily food satisfying the following requirements: 1. having a yield value of 1.7 to 12 Pa at 40° C.; 2. having plastic viscosity of 70 to 260 mPa·s at 40° C.; 3. having a value of yield value/plastic viscosity of 10 or greater; and 4. having an oil content of 44 to 80 wt %.