Edible Sorbent Concentration of Plant Bioactives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for concentrating and isolating bioactive compounds from plant foods are costly and not considered 'natural' or 'organic', as they rely on expensive synthetic resins and organic solvents, which are not suitable for food manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
An ingestible sorbing material, such as ground edible materials, is used to bind and retain sorbable natural products from plant juices or dairy products, allowing for a one-step concentration and separation of these compounds while avoiding high-calorie sugars and fats, and immobilizing them in a healthy food matrix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ion-exchange chromatography is used to concentrate and isolate bioactive compounds, then concentration and isolation effectiveness is improved, but cost increases and suitability for food manufacturing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive synthetic ion-exchange resins with inexpensive, edible plant materials such as wheat bran, rice bran, and other agricultural byproducts that can be safely consumed. These natural sorbents achieve effective concentration and isolation of bioactive compounds without requiring costly synthetic materials, making the process suitable for food manufacturing while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces edible plant materials as intermediary sorbents that mediate between the bioactive compounds and the final product. These natural materials temporarily bind to the compounds of interest through adsorption, enabling separation and concentration, then can be safely consumed as part of the final food product or removed, serving as a harmless intermediary that replaces harmful synthetic chemicals.
2Productivity
If synthetic resins and organic solvents are used for extraction, then concentration effectiveness is improved, but naturalness and organic certification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts potentially harmful synthetic chemicals into beneficial natural materials by replacing synthetic resins and organic solvents with edible plant-based sorbents. These natural materials provide the same concentration effectiveness while being inherently safe for consumption, thus converting a harmful extraction process into a beneficial, natural process that maintains both productivity and organic certification eligibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the extraction system by substituting synthetic materials with natural ones. This involves changing the chemical composition parameters from synthetic polymers and organic solvents to natural plant materials with appropriate adsorption properties, thereby maintaining concentration effectiveness while eliminating harmful factors and enabling organic certification.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional extraction methods are used, then all compounds are extracted, but separation of beneficial compounds from high-calorie sugars and fats deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting plant materials with specific adsorption characteristics that target particular bioactive compounds while leaving others untouched. Different plant-based sorbents have different affinities for different compounds, allowing selective binding of beneficial compounds (such as polyphenols, flavonoids, or proteins) while leaving high-calorie sugars and fats in the liquid phase,从而实现 selective separation while maintaining extraction completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of plant-based materials such as bran and fiber-rich agricultural byproducts. These porous materials provide large surface areas for adsorption while their specific pore structures and chemical compositions enable selective binding of bioactive compounds. The porous nature allows complete extraction of compounds that can bind to the material while excluding larger molecules like fats and excessive sugars, achieving both extraction completeness and separation selectivity.
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 enables efficient and cost-effective concentration of bioactive compounds, maintaining their health benefits while avoiding the use of synthetic materials, making it suitable for food production and providing a natural, organic alternative.
Implementation Method 1
ingestible sorbing material effectively binds and retains sorbable natural products
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is an enriched substance containing a ground edible material comprising one or more concentrated bioactive natural products from plant juice, as well as methods of producing such enriched substances and methods of using such solids to provide beneficial effects to humans or other animals. Enriched foods comprising the enriched substance(s) are also provided. Also provided are non-sorbed natural products such as sugars, fats oils, and carotenoids found in the non-sorbed plant liquor fraction of plant juice.