Continuous Steam Cooking of Pre-cut Vegetables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for cooking vegetables result in bitter-tasting products with poor texture, inefficient energy use, and excessive steam loss, failing to achieve optimal product properties.
Innovation Solution
A continuous process involving steam heating of pre-cut vegetables to 95-125°C for 0.2-5 minutes, followed by cooling in a tubular heat exchanger to 80-90°C, with optimized holding time and energy usage, and subsequent processing to achieve a mild, fresh taste and improved structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vegetables are slowly heated in large cooking worms for about 30 minutes with direct steam to 95°C, then the vegetables are cooked, but the product tastes bitter and has poor texture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooking parameters by using a continuous cooking process with controlled steam injection and rapid cooling, replacing the conventional slow batch cooking. The holding time is reduced to 0.2-5 minutes at 95-125°C followed by rapid cooling to 80-90°C, which prevents bitter taste development while ensuring proper cooking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a continuous cooking process where vegetables are continuously fed, cooked, and cooled without interruption. This continuous action allows for precise control of thermal processing time and temperature, improving product quality while reducing overall cooking time compared to batch processing.
2Loss of energy
If conventional cooking methods are used, then vegetables are cooked, but energy efficiency is poor and steam loss is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous cooking process ensures that steam is continuously utilized for cooking vegetables as they pass through the system. The controlled steam injection and rapid cooling minimize steam escape and condensation losses, improving energy efficiency while maintaining product quality through precise thermal control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses rapid cooling immediately after cooking to quickly reduce the temperature and halt the cooking process. This rapid transition minimizes the time vegetables spend at high temperatures, reducing unnecessary energy consumption and steam loss while preserving product quality.
3Reliability
If vegetables are held at high temperature for extended periods, then cooking is thorough, but bitterness develops and taste deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous process allows for precise control of the thermal history of vegetables. By maintaining a short holding time of 0.2-5 minutes at 95-125°C followed by immediate cooling, the process achieves thorough cooking without the extended high-temperature exposure that causes bitter taste development.
Solution Approach 2:
The rapid cooling step immediately follows the brief high-temperature holding period, quickly reducing the temperature to 80-90°C. This rapid transition skips the extended high-temperature phase that would otherwise cause bitterness, while still achieving proper cooking during the brief holding period.
4Stability of the object's composition
If pre-cutting vegetables is done, then heating uniformity is improved, but additional processing time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-cuts vegetables into uniform pieces before cooking, which segments the vegetable material into consistent sizes. This segmentation ensures uniform heat distribution and cooking throughout the batch, improving heating uniformity. The continuous processing system efficiently handles this pre-cut material through the cooking and cooling stages.
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 method produces vegetables with a mild, fresh taste and improved texture, achieving high energy efficiency and optimal product properties, such as carrot puree or juice, with reduced bitterness and minimal steam loss.
Implementation Method 1
steam is added to the vegetable to heat it to 95 to 125°C
Implementation Method 2
steam is added to the vegetable to heat it
Implementation Method 3
the heated product is cooled to 80 to 90° C. in a tubular heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
Producing cooked product, comprises supplying steam to a raw material for heating the raw material to 95-125[deg] C, maintaining the heated product at this temperature for 0.2-5 minutes, and cooling to 70-95[deg] C. The heating, heat maintaining process and the cooling are carried out in a continuous process.