Egg-like Food Production via Segmented Mixing and Beating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to mass-produce egg-like foods in thin film or pleat shapes with consistent quality, making it challenging to replicate the appearance and texture of traditional egg foods on a large scale.

Innovation Solution

A production method involving the mixing, stirring, and beating of a mixture containing plant-derived raw materials, a paste material, and a coagulation accelerator, which forms a bag-shaped egg-like food that can be opened to create thin film or pleat shapes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional mixing methods are used to produce egg-like food, then the production process is simple, but the production efficiency is low and consistent quality cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidmixing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mixing process is divided into multiple stages: first mixing plant-derived raw material and paste material, then adding coagulation accelerator in a separate mixing step. This segmentation allows each component to be properly integrated and controlled, improving production efficiency while maintaining process manageability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The paste material and coagulation accelerator are pre-mixed before being added to the plant-derived raw material. This preliminary action ensures uniform distribution of coagulation agents, enabling consistent gel-like structure formation and improving product quality reproducibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If gel-like material is added to the mixture, then the texture and appearance of egg-like food is improved, but the stirring and crushing operations become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetexture consistencyVSAvoidstirring and crushing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The gel-like material is formed in advance by mixing paste material and coagulation accelerator before incorporating it into the main mixture. This preliminary gel formation allows the gel-like material to be pre-structured, making subsequent stirring and crushing operations more manageable while maintaining texture consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If the mixture is stirred thoroughly to achieve uniform consistency, then the homogeneity is improved, but the production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemixture homogeneityVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The mixing process is segmented into distinct phases: initial mixing of plant-derived raw material and paste material, followed by separate addition and mixing of coagulation accelerator. This segmentation achieves uniform consistency more efficiently by addressing each component's mixing requirements at optimal times, reducing overall production time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mixing process continues without interruption through sequential addition of ingredients, with each mixing action building upon the previous one. This continuous approach ensures homogeneous distribution of all components while minimizing idle time, achieving both uniform consistency and production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 the efficient mass-production of egg-like foods with a thin film or pleat shape, achieving consistent quality and texture similar to traditional egg foods.

Implementation Method 1

a paste material and a coagulation accelerator are mixed to obtain at least a mixture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGelation: Gel

Data Source

PatentEP4516117A1Production method of egg-like food, and method for forming thin film of egg-like food
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 KAGOME
  • EP4516117A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4516117A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4516117A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A production method of an egg-like food according to the present invention includes at least mixing and stirring. In the mixing, at least a plant-derived raw material, a paste material, and a coagulation accelerator are mixed to obtain at least a mixture. During stirring, the mixture is stirred to obtain at least one of a pleat-shaped egg-like food or a thin film-shaped egg-like food. The present invention further includes beating. In the beating, the mixture is beaten at the same time as being stirred.