Continuous Ferment Inoculation via Temperature-Controlled Thawing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inoculation processes in the food and dairy industries require batch-wise operations and intermediate handling of frozen or dried ferments, which increases the risk of contamination and interrupts the continuous production of fermented products.
Innovation Solution
A process and equipment for continuous inoculation of frozen or freeze-dried ferments directly into a liquid stream without intermediate thawing or rehydration, using temperature-controlled chambers and disposable connections to maintain sterility and control the flow rate, allowing for continuous production without interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If frozen concentrated ferments are thawed in a temperature controlled chamber, then the ferments can be continuously inoculated into liquid stream, but the process requires additional equipment and time for thawing
Solution Approach 1:
The ferments are pre-frozen and packaged in sterile containers before use. The thawing process is initiated in advance in temperature-controlled chambers, so that when needed, the ferments are ready for immediate continuous inoculation into the liquid stream, eliminating the need for on-site thawing equipment and maintaining continuous production.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature-controlled chambers serve as intermediary devices that hold and thaw the frozen ferments. These chambers act as buffers between the frozen storage and the continuous inoculation process, allowing the ferments to be thawed in advance and then fed continuously into the production line without interrupting overall productivity.
2Ease of operation
If frozen concentrated ferments are handled in intermediate containers, then they can be thawed and used, but the risk of contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable sterile containers and connection elements that are single-use. These disposable components are sterilized before use and discarded after the inoculation process, eliminating the need for cleaning and reusing handling equipment. This approach maintains ease of operation while completely preventing contamination risks associated with reusable intermediate containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The ferments are extracted from their frozen state directly into the liquid stream through a controlled thawing and injection process. By taking out the ferments from frozen storage and delivering them directly to the inoculation point without passing through intermediate handling containers, the system minimizes contact points where contamination could occur while maintaining operational ease.
3Ease of manufacture
If batch-wise inoculation is used, then the process is simple to implement, but production interruptions occur and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes continuous inoculation by maintaining a steady flow of thawed ferments into the liquid stream. The frozen ferments are thawed in advance in temperature-controlled chambers and then fed continuously through disposable connection elements directly into the production line, eliminating batch-wise interruptions and maintaining continuous productive action throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The ferments are prepared in advance by freezing and packaging in sterile containers. The thawing process is initiated beforehand in temperature-controlled chambers, so that when the continuous inoculation is needed, the ferments are already in the correct state and ready for immediate continuous delivery into the liquid stream, eliminating the need to stop production for preparation purposes.
4Loss of time
If frozen concentrated ferments are used directly without thawing, then the inoculation process is faster, but the ferments cannot be properly activated
Solution Approach 1:
The ferments are pre-frozen and packaged in sterile containers before use. The thawing process is initiated in advance in temperature-controlled chambers, so that when needed, the ferments are thawed and ready for immediate continuous inoculation into the liquid stream, eliminating the need for on-site thawing equipment and maintaining continuous production.
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
This method enhances the regularity and quality of final products by eliminating intermediate handling risks, reducing contamination, and enabling direct inoculation into the fermentation line, thereby increasing production rates and maintaining consistent bacterial activity.
Implementation Method 1
frozen concentrated ferments are thawed in a temperature controlled chamber, such as a refrigerator
Implementation Method 2
the concentrated ferments obtained are continuously injected, from the container, into a flow of liquid to be inoculated
Data Source
AI summary
Process for continuous inoculation of a food product, in particular a dairy product, with ferments, comprising the following steps: —solid concentrated ferments are transformed into liquid concentrated ferments, —the transformed concentrated ferments are continuously injected into a flow of liquid to be inoculated, characterized in that the liquid concentrated ferments are transformed—by thawing frozen concentrated ferments in a temperature controlled chamber or—by rehydrating freeze-dried concentrated ferments.