Edible Film Formulation Process for Oily Component Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Edible films with oily components face stability issues during storage, leading to agglomeration and surface dryness problems, which affect precise dosing and mechanical strength, requiring vacuum processing that increases production effort.

Innovation Solution

A film formulation process incorporating starch, polyethylene glycol, glycerin, polyvinyl alcohol, defoamer, emulsifier, and water, with homogenization and tempering to prevent oily component escape and bubble formation, allowing normal pressure processing and maintaining mechanical stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If edible films with oily components are stored for longer periods, then the oily ingredients emerge from the film or agglomerate, but this causes the film surface to feel non-dry and reduces mechanical stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage periodVSAvoidfilm surface stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating defoamers and emulsifiers into the film formulation before storage. These substances pre-establish protective mechanisms that prevent oily component migration and agglomeration during storage, maintaining film surface dryness and stability throughout the storage period without requiring post-processing interventions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses defoamers and emulsifiers as intermediary substances that mediate between the oily components and the film matrix. These intermediaries prevent direct interaction between oily ingredients and the film surface, thereby preventing emergence and agglomeration while maintaining surface dryness during extended storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If vacuum processing is used to remove air pockets from the film formulation, then air pockets are reduced, but this increases production effort and complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair pocket eliminationVSAvoidproduction process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the extraction principle by removing air pockets from the film formulation during the mixing stage through degassing procedures, rather than requiring vacuum processing during later production stages. This extracts the harmful air pockets early in the process, eliminating the need for complex vacuum equipment in subsequent operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing degassing of the film formulation before casting and processing. This preliminary removal of air pockets prevents their formation during subsequent production steps, eliminating the need for vacuum processing equipment and simplifying the overall production process while maintaining high manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If oily components are incorporated into edible films, then taste and bioactive properties are improved, but this leads to ingredient migration and agglomeration during storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetaste and bioactive effectivenessVSAvoidingredient distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses emulsifiers as intermediary substances that facilitate the incorporation of oily components into the film matrix while preventing their migration and agglomeration. The emulsifiers create stable emulsions that maintain uniform distribution of oily ingredients throughout the film, preserving both taste/bioactive properties and compositional stability during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies composite materials by creating a multi-component film formulation that includes starch, polyethylene glycol, glycerin, polyvinyl alcohol, emulsifiers, and oily components. This composite structure integrates oily ingredients into a stable matrix, preventing migration and agglomeration while maintaining the desired taste and bioactive properties throughout the storage period.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 produces edible films with a stable, uniform, and dry surface even after long storage, enabling precise dosing and reduced air pockets, enhancing flexibility and precision in ingredient delivery.

Implementation Method 1

The use of an emulsifier that disperses the oily component prevents the oily component from escaping from the edible film or agglomeration in the long term.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEmulsion: Emulsion

Implementation Method 2

the defoamer prevents bubble formation, so that the process according to the invention can in many cases be carried out with good results under normal ambient pressure.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntifoam: Antifoam

Implementation Method 3

b) homogenizing and tempering the solution obtained in step (a) to a temperature of at least 70 °C, preferably to 80 °C to 85 °C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHomogenization:

Data Source

PatentEP2866592B1Method for producing a film formulation for an edible film, and the use thereof
Publication Date: 2016.07.27 OPTIMAGS DR ZIMMERMANN

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a film formulation for an edible film, having the following steps: (a) producing a solution A by means of a stirring process at a temperature ranging from 20 ?C to 100 ?C, wherein the solution A contains starch, polyethylene glycol, glycerin, polyvinyl alcohol, at least one defoamer, sugar, at least one oily component, at least one emulsifier, and water as a solvent, (b) homogenizing the solution obtained in step (a) and bringing the temperature of same up to a temperature of approximately 80 ?C, and (c) cooling the solution obtained in step (b). The invention further relates to an edible film and to the use thereof.