Coffee Extraction Flow Path for Selective Bitterness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage extraction methods from roasted plant materials often fail to selectively reduce bitterness while preserving desirable flavor and body, leading to a reduction in the characteristic flavor of the extracted liquid.
Innovation Solution
A coffee extraction apparatus with a granule containing part and a restraining member that maintains coffee granules in a sealed state, allowing the extraction solvent to flow reciprocally through the granules, selectively adsorbing and removing excessive bitter ingredients by exploiting the high affinity of partition walls in the roasted plant's porous structure for bitter compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional water extraction methods are used to obtain beverage liquid from roasted plant material, then the extraction process is simple, but excessive bitterness cannot be selectively removed while preserving desirable flavor and body
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is segmented into multiple sequential stages: initial extraction to obtain crude extract, followed by contact with roasted plant material to adsorb bitter ingredients, then filtration and concentration. This segmentation allows selective removal of bitterness while preserving flavor and body components at different stages.
Solution Approach 2:
Roasted plant material serves as an intermediary substance that selectively adsorbs bitter ingredients from the extract. The porous structure and partition walls of the roasted material act as a mediator to transfer bitter compounds from the liquid phase to the solid phase, enabling selective bitterness removal without affecting other flavor components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If activated carbon is used to adsorb bitter ingredients, then bitterness can be removed, but the apparatus becomes complex and requires specific pore radius distribution control
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the key parameter from activated carbon pore radius (30-100 angstroms) to roasted plant material particle size (0.003-5 mm). This parameter change simplifies the material specification requirements while maintaining effective bitterness adsorption, as the roasted plant material's natural porous structure and surface properties provide sufficient adsorption capacity without precise dimensional control.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If fine particles are removed to reduce bitterness, then some bitterness is reduced, but rich flavor and body taste are also removed simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The extract is first concentrated to increase the concentration of bitter ingredients before contact with roasted plant material. This preliminary action enhances the adsorption efficiency of bitter compounds, allowing effective bitterness removal with less contact time and reduced loss of flavor and body ingredients that would otherwise be co-removed with fine particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The roasted plant material, which itself contains bitter compounds, is used as the adsorbent to remove bitter ingredients from the extract. The porous structure and surface characteristics of the roasted material create favorable conditions for selective adsorption of bitter substances while allowing flavor and body components to pass through, converting a potentially harmful material into a beneficial purification agent.
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 apparatus effectively reduces excessive bitterness in the extracted beverage, maintaining the flavor and body, resulting in a coffee extract liquid with improved taste quality.
Implementation Method 1
excessive strong bitter ingredients existing in an extracted liquid from a roasted plant can be adsorbed and removed in a chromatographic manner by bringing the extract liquid into contact with the roasted plant body held in a stationary state
Implementation Method 2
excessive strong bitter ingredients existing in an extracted liquid from a roasted plant can be adsorbed and removed in a chromatographic manner by bringing the extract liquid into contact with the roasted plant body held in a stationary state
Data Source
AI summary
A roasted plant extraction apparatus is provided which is capable of selectively reducing excessive bitterness in an extract liquid obtained by water extraction from a roasted plant raw material while preserving desirable flavor ingredients and body. A beverage extraction apparatus includes a granule containing part containing granules for extraction of a beverage, first pouring device for pouring an extraction solvent into the granule containing part from a first direction, and collecting device for collecting a coffee extract liquid extracted by device of the extraction solvent at the side of layers of the coffee granules corresponding to the first direction. The granule containing part is provided with a detachable restraining member for placing the granules for extraction of a beverage in a substantially sealed state.