Freeze-Dried Meat Kibble With CO2 Mixing for Lower Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet food products, particularly kibble, often lack the nutritional benefits of raw meat protein and struggle with bacterial contamination, density, and spoilage, making them less appealing and less nutritious for non-human animals.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the mixing of ground meat with CO2 at sub-zero temperatures, followed by forming and freeze-drying, to create a lower-density, freeze-dried kibble-like food product that retains nutritional value and minimizes bacterial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground meat is processed into traditional kibble through extrusion and drying, then the product has higher density and longer shelf life, but it loses nutritional benefits and develops bacterial contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies freeze-drying (lyophilization) which involves phase transition of water from solid to vapor through sublimation. The ground meat is frozen and then placed in a vacuum chamber where ice sublimates directly to vapor, removing moisture while preserving nutrients and creating a stable, low-density product that prevents bacterial growth without requiring high-temperature processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses carbon dioxide atmosphere during the freeze-drying process to create an inert environment that prevents oxidation and bacterial contamination. The CO2 atmosphere protects the nutritional components during processing while enabling the phase transition process to occur effectively
2Loss of substance
If ground meat is freeze-dried without CO2 exposure, then the process is simpler, but the product density is not optimized and nutritional preservation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the atmospheric parameters by introducing carbon dioxide during the freeze-drying process. This parameter change optimizes the sublimation rate, controls the product density, and enhances nutritional preservation by preventing oxidation, while the complexity increase is minimal as it involves adding a gas atmosphere control system to the existing freeze-dryer
3Volume of stationary object
If traditional extrusion methods are used to make kibble, then the product has higher density, but it requires high temperature and pressure that compromise nutritional quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical extrusion system (which uses high temperature and pressure) with a freeze-drying system that operates at low temperatures under vacuum. This substitution achieves product formation and moisture removal without thermal degradation of nutrients, while the resulting product has optimized density through controlled sublimation rather than compression
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 highly nutritious, lower-density pet food product that maintains flavor and texture, reduces spoilage risk, and is more palatable for non-human animals, while ensuring bacterial safety and nutritional completeness.
Implementation Method 1
The process comprises mixing a ground meat component with additional food components to form a first mixture. Adding CO2 to the first mixture and mixing to form a second mixture. The mixing to produce the first mixture and the mixing to produce the second mixture occur at a temperature below zero.
Implementation Method 2
the exposure of at least a portion of the meat protein to carbon dioxide gas in a mixing step
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing a food product is disclosed. The process comprises mixing a ground meat component with additional food components to form a first mixture. Adding CO2 to the first mixture and mixing to form a second mixture. The mixing to produce the first mixture and the mixing to produce the second mixture occur at a temperature below zero. A food product produced by the described process is also disclosed. The food product comprises A food product comprising a ground meat component in which the density of the product is reduced by mixing components including the ground meat component while adding to CO2 to the mixture and mixing the CO2 in at a temperature below freezing.