Encapsulated Flavor Capsules Prevent Lipid Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flavor compounds in food products are prone to evaporation during production, distribution, and storage, and existing encapsulation methods fail to ensure timely release during consumption, leading to poor flavor perception.
Innovation Solution
Flavor-capsules based on a micro-organism, a matrix component, and at least one flavor are mixed with a lipid, allowing retention of hydrophobic flavors and immediate release upon contact with water in the oral cavity, preventing diffusion into the lipid environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If flavors are dispersed in lipid base, then flavor load is high, but flavors are not released during consumption and are swallowed together with fat droplets
Solution Approach 1:
The flavor is segmented from the lipid base by encapsulating it within flavor capsules. The capsules contain the flavor compounds separated from the external lipid environment, allowing the flavor to be held in a concentrated form while preventing premature release into the fat matrix during storage and manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The flavor capsule acts as an intermediary structure between the flavor compound and the lipid base. The capsule wall serves as a barrier that prevents direct contact and diffusion of flavor into the lipid, while the encapsulated flavor remains accessible for release under specific conditions (contact with water/saliva in the oral cavity).
2Reliability
If complex encapsulation systems are employed, then flavors are retained during storage, but timely release during chewing is difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulation system utilizes changes in physical parameters (contact with water/saliva) to trigger flavor release. The capsule structure is designed to be stable under storage conditions but undergoes a parameter change when exposed to the aqueous environment of the oral cavity, causing the flavor to be released on demand.
3Reliability
If flavors are released too early from encapsulation matrix, then flavors are lost through evaporation, but if not released, then they do not add to flavor profile during consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The flavor is preliminarily protected within the capsule structure during storage and manufacturing processes. The encapsulation matrix is designed to maintain integrity under these conditions, preventing evaporation and loss. The preliminary protection is maintained until the product reaches the oral cavity, where the protective action is deliberately terminated to enable flavor release.
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 method effectively stabilizes flavors during storage and manufacturing, ensuring enhanced flavor intensity during consumption by releasing flavors only when exposed to saliva, thereby improving the flavor profile of food products.
Implementation Method 1
even hydrophobic flavors are retained in the flavor-capsules and do not diffuse into the surrounding lipid environment
Implementation Method 2
the flavors are immediately released from the flavor capsules. Food products or food ingredients comprising lipids and further comprising flavor-capsules based on a micro-organism, a matrix component and at least one flavor provide a remarkable flavor impact or overall flavor intensity upon consumption
Implementation Method 3
In this form, flavors remain encapsulated and evaporation of volatile flavors is prevented even if the lipid or the food product comprising the flavor-capsules is exposed to above-ambient temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to food ingredients, or entire food products, which comprise fats or oils, and, dispersed with the fat or oil, flavor capsules. The flavor capsules comprise a micro-organism, a surrounding matrix component and at least one flavor, which is mainly present within the micro-organism. The food or food ingredients may be used as such, or be used as coatings or fillings of conventional food products. The fat or oil based food ingredient of the invention has increased flavor intensity if compared to similar food ingredients in which the flavor is not encapsulated. The flavors are immediately released upon consumption of the food or food ingredient. Owing to the particular encapsulation of flavors, the food ingredient is largely resistant to flavor evaporation due to elevated temperatures during food manufacturing processes.