Coated Protein Particulates in Fruit Paste for Texture Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food products with high moisture levels face challenges in maintaining the crunchiness of protein particulates over time due to moisture migration, which affects the texture and consistency of the product.
Innovation Solution
A food product featuring a fruit-paste matrix with coated protein particulates, specifically pea protein bits coated with natural syrup, maintains a water activity level of 0.55 to 0.70, ensuring the protein particulates remain crunchy for an extended period, up to 10 months, while being all-natural and gluten-free.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If protein particulates are added to a high moisture food base, then the protein level of the food product is enhanced, but the protein particulates lose their crunchy texture over time due to moisture migration
Solution Approach 1:
A moisture barrier coating is applied to the protein particulates to act as an intermediary layer between the protein and the moisture in the food base. This coating prevents direct contact and moisture migration, thereby maintaining the crunchy texture of the protein particulates while still allowing the product to have high protein content and high moisture content in the base matrix.
Solution Approach 2:
The water activity of the food base is controlled and adjusted to specific ranges (e.g., 0.55-0.65 or 0.60-0.70) to optimize the balance between maintaining product moisture, preventing excessive moisture migration to protein particulates, and ensuring proper texture and shelf life. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the sweet spot where both high protein content and texture stability are achieved.
2Ease of operation
If the water activity level of the fruit paste matrix is increased to maintain moist consistency, then the product remains fresh and palatable, but moisture migration to protein particulates accelerates, reducing crunchiness
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture barrier coating on protein particulates serves as a protective intermediary that allows the food base to maintain higher water activity levels for freshness without compromising the texture stability of protein particulates during shelf life.
Solution Approach 2:
By optimizing the water activity of the fruit paste matrix to specific ranges, the invention achieves a balance where the product maintains desirable moist consistency and freshness while minimizing moisture migration to protein particulates, thereby extending the duration of crunchy texture throughout the shelf life.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a syrup coating is applied to protein bits, then the crunchy texture is maintained over extended periods, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The syrup coating is applied using controlled parameter ranges for water activity and processing conditions that optimize both the protective function of the coating and the efficiency of the manufacturing process, reducing complexity while maintaining extended crunchiness.
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 effectively maintains the crunchy texture of protein particulates within a fruit-paste matrix, providing a high protein snack product with at least 10 grams of protein per serving, ensuring a consistent and natural product quality throughout its shelf life.
Implementation Method 1
excessive moisture from the food base will migrate into the protein particulates, thereby changing the entire consistency and texture of the food product
Data Source
AI summary
A food product is defined by a moist, fruit-paste matrix, having a water activity level in a range of 0.55 to 0.70, within which protein particulates are intermixed. The protein particulates include protein bits having a bulk density of about 0.4 g/cc and provided with a natural syrup coating. With the added protein bits, the protein level of the food product is at least 10 grams per serving or 10 grams/50-55 grams of the food product. The food product can be provided in the form of a snack product, such as a bite-sized snack product or a snack bar. The invention also sets forth a method of making the food product wherein provisions are taken to assure that the protein bits are properly coated, separated, sized and added to the fruit-paste matrix under time and other condition constraints to assure the integrity of the protein bits.