Reconstitutable Dehydrated Milk Sheets for Rapid Rehydration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dehydration methods for milk lack the ability to create structured, thin solid forms that are easily rehydratable, making transportation and storage cumbersome and limiting shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A reconstitutable sheet comprising dehydrated milk substance, water-soluble polymer, and predetermined portion size, which can be reconstituted into liquid milk by agitating in an appropriate volume of liquid, using methods like printing, casting, or extrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If spray drying or freeze-drying is used to dehydrate milk, then the milk can be stored in a solid form, but the ability to create structured, thin solid forms that are easily rehydratable is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical form of dehydrated milk from traditional powder or granule parameters to a thin sheet form with specific dimensional parameters (thickness, area, shape). This parameter change enables both extended shelf life through dehydration and improved rehydratability through the thin sheet structure that allows rapid water penetration, resolving the contradiction between storage stability and ease of reconstitution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional powder or granule forms to a two-dimensional sheet form. This dimensional change provides a large surface area to volume ratio that facilitates rapid rehydration while maintaining the compact storage benefits of dehydration. The sheet format allows water to penetrate uniformly across the entire surface, improving rehydratability while preserving shelf life.
2Quantity of substance
If liquid milk is stored and transported, then it maintains its nutritional properties, but it becomes cumbersome to transport and store with limited shelf life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition from liquid milk to dehydrated sheet form through controlled water removal. This phase change concentrates the nutritional content in a compact, stable form that is easy to transport and store. The thin sheet structure maintains nutritional integrity while eliminating the cumbersome nature of liquid storage and transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of milk from liquid to solid sheet form, reducing volume and weight while concentrating nutrients. This parameter transformation enables easy transportation and storage without compromising nutritional content, as the sheet form preserves the essential nutritional components of milk in a stable, portable format.
3Ease of operation
If dehydrated milk is made into a solid form, then it becomes easy to store and transport, but the ability to create thin solid forms that are easily rehydratable is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin film technology to create dehydrated milk sheets with controlled thickness. This thin film structure provides an excellent surface area to volume ratio that enables rapid rehydration while maintaining the compact, easy-to-transport characteristics of dehydrated forms. The flexible sheet format can be easily handled, stored, and reconstituted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates thin solid forms by transitioning to a two-dimensional sheet structure rather than traditional three-dimensional powder or granule forms. This dimensional approach achieves the desired thinness while maintaining structural integrity for easy handling and storage. The sheet format enables rapid rehydration through efficient water penetration across the thin structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a reconstitutable sheet comprising a dehydrated substance that can be reconstituted to a hydrated form, offering a groundbreaking approach to water-based food processing and storage. Versatile sheet making methods, such as printing methods, and efficient reconstitution processes pave the way for a revolution in dairy and alternate milk and all water-based edibles and non-edible product consumption, distribution, and storage.