Dehydrated Honey Product Vacuum Drying Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Honey's limited shelf-life due to crystallization and high water content, which affects its texture and susceptibility to microbial growth, makes it challenging to produce a stable honey product with extended shelf-life and preserved taste and color.
Innovation Solution
A process involving heating liquid honey to 98°C under 27 inHg pressure to achieve a moisture content below 1%, followed by cooling and packaging in a water-impermeable membrane to prevent reabsorption, resulting in a solid honey product that retains the original taste and color.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If honey is submitted to vacuum drying, lyophilization, extrusion drying, thin film drying, or spray-drying to reduce moisture content, then the water content is reduced, but the resulting product still contains high moisture content due to honey's hygroscopic nature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by subjecting honey to controlled heating at specific temperatures (98-100°C) under vacuum conditions, transforming the physical state and chemical composition to achieve permanent moisture removal. This thermal treatment parameter change enables complete dehydration while preserving honey quality, resolving the contradiction between moisture reduction and shelf-life extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by heating honey to evaporate water under vacuum conditions. The water in honey undergoes phase change from liquid to vapor, and the vacuum environment facilitates this transition by lowering the boiling point. This phase transition mechanism enables complete moisture removal without crystallization, achieving both low moisture content and extended shelf-life.
2Quantity of substance
If honey is subjected to high temperatures for prolonged periods to remove water, then moisture content is reduced, but the chemically-physical and palatable characteristics of honey are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transitions by using vacuum conditions to lower the boiling point of water, enabling moisture removal at moderate temperatures (98-100°C) rather than high temperatures. This phase change mechanism allows efficient dehydration while preserving honey's chemical-physical characteristics and palatability, resolving the contradiction between moisture removal and quality preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert environment by applying vacuum conditions during the dehydration process. This vacuum atmosphere prevents oxidation and other chemical reactions that would degrade honey quality at high temperatures. The inert vacuum environment enables moisture removal while maintaining honey's original chemical-physical characteristics and flavor.
3Ease of manufacture
If honey is packaged and stored as liquid to maintain its properties, then taste and color are preserved, but its application in the food industry is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming honey from liquid to solid state through controlled dehydration. This physical state change expands honey's applicability in the food industry while preserving its taste and color through gentle vacuum drying at moderate temperatures. The solid form enables new applications in confectionery, pharmaceuticals, and food processing while maintaining quality.
4Ease of manufacture
If honey is left as liquid honey, then it maintains its original properties, but it crystallizes within days, weeks or months modifying texture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by removing water from honey to achieve a solid state with altered physical properties. This dehydration process prevents crystallization by changing the concentration and physical state of sugars, thereby stabilizing texture while preserving original taste and color. The solid dehydrated form remains stable without crystallization.
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 process effectively extends the shelf-life of honey to over a year without crystallization, maintaining its palatable characteristics and preventing microbial growth, allowing for use in beverages and respiratory care products.
Implementation Method 1
heating a liquid honey to a temperature of at least 98° C. to obtain a heated liquid honey; applying a pressure of at least 27 inHg to the heated liquid honey to obtain a dehydrated honey product
Implementation Method 2
The process involves heating liquid honey to 98°C under 27 inHg pressure to achieve a moisture content below 1%
Implementation Method 3
cooling the dehydrated honey to ambient temperature to obtain the solid honey product
Implementation Method 4
The honey product can optionally be wrapped in a water-impermeable package that limits the reabsorption of water by the honey product
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a honey product having a low water content. The honey product retains the physical and palatable properties of untreated honey while having a prolonged shelf-life. It can be advantageously used to sweeten beverages (such as hot beverages) and in the manufacture of throat lozenges and/or confectionery.