Deep-Ocean Bittern Mineral Composition for Equol-Producing Bacteria
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intestinal flora-improving foods, such as those fermented with lactic acid bacteria, face challenges in production and storage due to the need to promote targeted beneficial bacteria while suppressing harmful ones, and conventional functional waters rely on bittern for taste improvement rather than specific intestinal flora benefits.
Innovation Solution
Development of intestinal flora-improving health food containing bittern from deep-ocean water, with specific magnesium and calcium content ratios, incorporated into foods like tofu, natto, miso, or as a supplement, to enhance the proliferation of Equol-producing bacteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fermented foods with lactic acid bacteria are used to improve intestinal flora, then the ratio of good bacteria increases, but the production and storage become difficult due to the need to suppress harmful bacteria
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial intestinal flora improvement effect from complex fermented foods and isolates it to bittern, a specific mineral component. By taking out only the essential active ingredient (bittern) from the complex food matrix, the solution simplifies production while maintaining the health benefit of improving intestinal flora balance without the difficulties of suppressing harmful bacteria during fermentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from biological fermentation processes to mineral composition. Instead of relying on lactic acid bacteria fermentation which requires controlled conditions to suppress harmful bacteria, the invention uses bittern with specific mineral parameters (magnesium, calcium, potassium contents) to achieve intestinal flora improvement. This parameter-based approach simplifies manufacturing and storage.
2Ease of operation
If bittern is added to functional water to improve taste, then the taste is mildened, but the intestinal flora improvement effect is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies and utilizes specific mineral parameters in bittern (magnesium: 200-800 mg/100g, calcium: 100-400 mg/100g, potassium: 50-200 mg/100g) that are essential for intestinal flora improvement. By focusing on these specific parameter ranges rather than general bittern addition, the invention achieves reliable intestinal flora improvement while the taste mildening effect is maintained as a secondary benefit.
3Quantity of substance
If fermented foods are used to increase good bacteria, then the total number of good bacteria increases, but the suppression of harmful bacteria becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the traditional fermented food approach, which struggles to suppress harmful bacteria, into a mineral-based solution where bittern promotes good bacteria growth without directly suppressing harmful bacteria. The beneficial effect is achieved through the mineral composition of bittern that creates a favorable environment for good bacteria, transforming the problem of harmful bacteria suppression into a simpler promotion of beneficial bacteria through mineral nutrition.
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 use of bittern in these health foods effectively improves intestinal flora balance by increasing and activating Equol-producing bacteria, leading to enhanced health benefits, including improved digestion and potential prevention of diseases like breast cancer and osteoporosis.
Implementation Method 1
the food disclosed in the Japanese Patent No. 5502449 is described to increase the total number and the ratio of good bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) while decreasing the total number and the ratio of bad bacteria and Escherichia coli bacteria
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides intestinal flora-improving health food which improves intestinal flora by containing bittern derived from deep-ocean water to increase and activate Equol-producing bacteria. The intestinal flora-improving health food comprises 0.8 wt % to 1.5 wt % of bittern relative to the total weight of the health food, wherein the bittern per 100 g comprises 2500 mg to 6000 mg of magnesium content and 500 mg to 2000 mg of calcium content; wherein the proportion of magnesium content to calcium content in the bittern is 2 to 7, and wherein the hardness of the bittern is at 144000 mg/L to 383000 mg/L.