Edible Oxygen Detection Composition for Food Packaging Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oxygen detecting compositions used in packaging for foods and pharmaceuticals are not safe for direct contact with the human body due to the presence of non-edible components like organic solvents and binder resins, posing safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
An oxygen detecting composition comprising an oxidation-reduction colorant, edible colorants, reducing sugars, edible reduction promoters, edible humectants, and an edible thickener, which can be applied or printed onto edible base materials like inkjet label paper, using solvents such as ethanol and water, ensuring safety and effective oxygen detection through color change.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional oxygen detecting composition is used, then oxygen detection capability is achieved, but safety for direct contact with human body deteriorates due to non-edible components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by completely reformulating the chemical composition of the oxygen detecting agent. It replaces non-edible components (organic solvents, binder resins) with edible alternatives (edible solvents, edible binders, food-grade additives), transforming the material parameters while preserving the oxygen detection function through redox colorant mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite edible material system combining multiple food-grade components: redox colorants, edible colorants, reducing sugars, edible binders, edible solvents, and food-grade additives. This composite structure maintains oxygen detection capability while ensuring safety for direct contact with foods and pharmaceuticals.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If edible components are used to ensure safety, then safety for direct contact with human body is improved, but oxygen detection capability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes parameters of edible components to achieve both safety and detection capability. It specifies precise concentration ranges for redox colorants (0.01-10% by mass), reducing sugars (1-50% by mass), and other additives to ensure rapid color change response while maintaining edible safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces edible reducing sugars and edible reduction promoters as intermediary substances that facilitate the redox reaction between oxygen and redox colorants. These intermediaries enable rapid oxygen detection through color change while being completely safe for consumption, bridging the gap between safety and detection performance.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If complex edible components are used, then safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies manufacturing by establishing clear parameter specifications for each edible component, including concentration ranges and compatibility requirements. This standardized approach enables straightforward formulation and production while ensuring safety and performance consistency.
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 composition provides quick and safe detection of oxygen presence or absence through color change, being suitable for use in packaging foods and pharmaceuticals, with improved coloring and discoloration properties, ensuring safety and efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
an oxygen detecting body utilizes a redox dye, which reversibly changes color by the oxidation-reduction, and reversibly changes color in response to the presence or absence of atmospheric oxygen
Implementation Method 2
an oxygen detecting composition contains an oxidation-reduction (redox) colorant; an edible colorant; a reducing sugar; an edible reduction promoter
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
[Problem] To provide: a composition for oxygen detection, which has excellent oxygen detection characteristic (ability), and which is safer than conventional compositions for oxygen detection, thereby being able to be sealed in packages containing food, pharmaceutical products or the like without anxiety; and an oxygen detector onto which this composition for oxygen detection is applied or printed. [Solution] This composition 2 for oxygen detection contains a redox dye, a food dye, a reducing sugar, an edible reduction promoter and an edible humectant in the composition, and enables quick detection of the presence or absence of oxygen by means of color change. Since this composition 2 for oxygen detection is composed only of food, a pharmaceutical product and edible components allowed to be used for the food or pharmaceutical product, this composition 2 for oxygen detection is safe to the human body.