Defibrated Vegetable Protein Fibers With Length-Preserving Gap Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of commercially available defibrated products of fibrous vegetable protein that maintain sufficient fiber length, which are necessary to impart excellent texture to food and serve as a versatile cooking material.
Innovation Solution
The production method involves processing textured fibrous vegetable protein in a gap between two surfaces to achieve fibers with a number average length of 10 mm or more and a content of fibers with an aspect ratio of less than 5 being 80% or less, using a grinding device like a stone mill or rotary stone mill without blades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional processing methods are used to fibrillate fibrous vegetable protein, then the protein can be processed into textured forms, but the fiber length is excessively shortened and the fibers cannot be individualized while maintaining sufficient length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters by controlling the gap width between grinding surfaces (0.1-10 mm) and adjusting the relative speed between surfaces (10-1000 mm/s). These parameter changes enable fibrillation that individualizes fibers while maintaining length (10 mm or more), resolving the contradiction between fiber length preservation and fibrillation effectiveness.
2Manufacturing precision
If the fibrous vegetable protein is processed to individualize fibers, then the texture of food can be improved, but the production efficiency decreases due to the complexity of maintaining fiber length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical fibrillation systems with a simplified gap-based grinding mechanism. By using two surfaces with a controlled gap (0.1-10 mm) moving relative to each other, the system achieves fiber individualization without requiring complex blade mechanisms, thereby improving production efficiency while maintaining manufacturing precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If blade-based grinding devices are used to process textured vegetable protein, then the protein can be broken down, but the fibers are cut into excessively short pieces losing the fibrous structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the blade component from the grinding device, using only two surfaces with a controlled gap. This extraction of the cutting element eliminates fiber cutting while maintaining processing capability, allowing the fibrous structure to be preserved through friction-based fibrillation rather than blade-based cutting.
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 efficiently produces a defibrated product that can impart excellent texture to food, serving as a cooking material for various fibrous food substitutes, including meats and vegetables, while maintaining high production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
processing a textured fibrous vegetable protein in a gap between a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface and moving relative to the first surface
Implementation Method 2
processing a textured fibrous vegetable protein in a gap between a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface and moving relative to the first surface
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a vegetable protein material capable of producing a food product having excellent texture; and a method for producing a vegetable protein material capable of producing a food product having excellent texture. A defibrated product of the textured fibrous vegetable protein, wherein a number average length of the contained fibers is 10 mm or more, and the content of fibers having an aspect ratio of less than 5 is 80% or less on a number basis; and a method for producing a defibrated product of a textured fibrous vegetable protein, including a step of processing a textured fibrous vegetable protein in a gap between a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface and moving relative to the first surface.