Dark-green vegetable granulation for beverage dispersibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dark-green vegetable powders used in beverages often lack excellent dispersibility and drinkability, especially when the vegetable content is high, making them difficult to mix with liquids.

Innovation Solution

A granulated product is developed using dark-green vegetables, specifically through fluidized-bed granulation, which involves crushing and drying the vegetables to create a granulated form that can be easily dispersed in liquids, enhancing both dispersibility and drinkability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the content of dark-green vegetable in powder beverage is increased, then the nutritional value is improved, but the dispersibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent of dark-green vegetableVSAvoiddispersibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The dark-green vegetable material is segmented into granulated particles with controlled size distribution (0.5mm to 5mm). This segmentation allows the vegetable matter to be divided into numerous small granules that can disperse more easily in liquid compared to large powder aggregates, thereby maintaining high vegetable content while improving dispersibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The physical parameters of the dark-green vegetable material are changed through granulation processing. The material transitions from a fine powder state to a granulated state with specific size ranges. This parameter change in particle morphology and size distribution enables the beverage to maintain high vegetable content while achieving excellent dispersibility and reduced tickling sensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If the content of dark-green vegetable in powder beverage is increased, then the nutritional value is improved, but the drinkability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent of dark-green vegetableVSAvoiddrinkability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the vegetable material into uniformly sized granules (0.5mm to 5mm), the granulated product dissolves and disperses more uniformly in liquid, reducing the tickling sensation in the throat and improving overall drinkability while maintaining high vegetable content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The granulation process changes the physical parameters of the vegetable material, creating particles with optimal size and morphology. This parameter change ensures that even at high vegetable content (50-100%), the beverage remains pleasant to drink with minimal tickling sensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If dark-green vegetable is processed into powder state, then the storage and handling is simplified, but the dispersibility and drinkability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage and handlingVSAvoiddispersibility and drinkability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The vegetable material is segmented into granulated particles rather than remaining as fine powder. This segmentation maintains the ease of storage and handling associated with powdered forms while dramatically improving dispersibility and drinkability through controlled particle size and morphology.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state of the vegetable material is changed from fine powder to granulated particles through granulation processing. This parameter change in particle morphology enables the material to maintain powder-form advantages (storage, handling) while achieving excellent dispersibility and drinkability that plain powder cannot provide.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 granulated product achieves excellent dispersibility and drinkability, allowing for efficient nutrient intake and improved consumer experience, even with high vegetable content, by forming a stable and easily mixable powder beverage.

Implementation Method 1

a step of injecting the crushed powder of dark-green vegetable in a fluidized-bed granulator, supplying air for fluidization

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluidization: Fluidisation

Implementation Method 2

spraying water, and then drying

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpray: Spray

Implementation Method 3

supplying hot air for drying

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS20240180202A1Granulated product
Publication Date: 2024.06.06 TOYO SHINYAKU KK

AI summary

It is to provide a granulated product comprising a dark-green vegetable, and having excellent dispersibility and drinkability.According to the present invention, by using dark-green vegetable for granulation in the process of developing an oral composition comprising a dark-green vegetable, it is possible to provide a granulated product having excellent dispersibility and drinkability.