Co-crystalline Salt Substitute Prevents Segregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sodium-free food products face challenges due to the bitter taste of potassium chloride, which requires masking agents, and commercialization issues arise from the segregation and differing dissolution rates of potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride in physical mixtures.
Innovation Solution
A process involving co-precipitation of potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride using a supersaturated water solution and ethanol to produce a single crystalline particulate form, preventing segregation and achieving a uniform taste profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride are mixed as physical crystals, then the salty taste is provided, but the crystals segregate during shipping and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride into a single co-crystalline structure rather than maintaining them as separate physical crystals. This merging prevents segregation during shipping and use while maintaining the salty taste profile, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and composition stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite crystalline material where potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride form a unified co-crystal structure. This composite approach maintains the functional properties of both components while eliminating the segregation issue that plagues physical mixtures.
2Ease of manufacture
If potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride are mixed as physical crystals, then the salty taste is provided, but the crystals dissolve at different rates
Solution Approach 1:
By merging potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride into a single co-crystalline phase, the patent ensures uniform dissolution behavior. The unified crystal structure dissolves at a consistent rate, eliminating the dissolution rate discrepancy that occurs with physical mixtures.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If potassium chloride is used alone, then the sodium-free requirement is met, but the bitter metallic taste requires masking agents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functional role of taste masking into the crystal structure itself by co-crystallizing lysine monohydrochloride with potassium chloride. This eliminates the need for separate masking agents, reducing composition complexity while maintaining the desirable salty taste.
Solution Approach 2:
The co-crystalline structure provides self-service taste masking, where the lysine monohydrochloride component inherently masks the bitter metallic taste of potassium chloride without requiring additional masking agents. The structure serves its own masking function.
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 co-precipitated crystalline particles provide a consistent salty taste and improved physical properties, eliminating the need for masking agents and enhancing performance in applications like cracker baking.
Implementation Method 1
adding ethanol to the solution in an amount sufficient to precipitate crystalline particles containing a combination of LMC and KCl
Implementation Method 2
precipitate crystalline particles containing a combination of LMC and KCl
Implementation Method 3
providing a supersaturated water solution of potassium chloride (KCl) and lysine monohydrochloride (LMC) at a temperature between about 10 and 70° C.
Data Source
AI summary
A composition that is a substitute for food grade sodium chloride includes crystalline particles containing both potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride such that the potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride are not susceptible to separation. A process for making the composition includes steps of providing a supersaturated water solution of potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride at a temperature of from about 10 to about 70° C., adding ethanol to the solution in an amount sufficient to precipitate crystalline particles containing a combination of potassium chloride and lysine monohydrochloride, separating the crystalline particles from the solution, and drying the crystalline particles.