Enriched Rice with Vegetable Germs via Helical Screw Mixing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional rice processing methods remove valuable nutritive substances, particularly from the germ, resulting in rice that is low in protein and other essential nutrients, and the added challenge is to enrich refined rice without affecting its aesthetic and cooking characteristics.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves mixing rice grains with vegetable germs, such as rice, wheat, or other Gramineae germs, using a mixer with an endless helical screw to ensure adhesion or partial incorporation into the rice grains immediately before packing, thereby maintaining nutritional benefits and cooking properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If conventional rice processing methods are used to remove the germ, then the rice is easier to store and has longer shelf life, but the nutritional value is significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidnutritional value

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the germ from the rice grain during processing, separates it, and then re-adds it back to the refined rice. This allows the rice to maintain the benefits of refinement (longer shelf life) while recovering the nutritional value that would otherwise be lost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The germ is temporarily discarded during the refinement process but then recovered and re-introduced to the final product. This principle allows the rice to be refined for storage stability while recovering the nutritious germ component to restore nutritional value.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Quantity of substance

If the germ is re-added to refined rice after processing, then the nutritional value is restored, but the germ may separate during cooking and packaging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritional valueVSAvoiduniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The germ is mixed with the refined rice immediately before packing, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the rice grains. This preliminary mixing action prevents subsequent separation during storage and cooking by establishing homogeneity at the point of final product formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention emphasizes achieving homogeneous distribution of germ throughout the refined rice grains through careful mixing. This homogeneity ensures that the nutritional enrichment is uniform and prevents separation during subsequent handling, cooking, and packaging operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Quantity of substance

If brown rice is produced to maintain nutritive substances, then the nutritional value is preserved, but the cooking time increases significantly and aesthetic appearance is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutritional valueVSAvoidcooking time

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the nutritive components (germ) from the rice grain during processing, then re-adds only the essential germ portion to refined rice. This allows recovery of nutritional value without requiring the entire brown rice structure, thus maintaining fast cooking times and aesthetic appearance while preserving nutrition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by selectively restoring only the germ portion (which contains the concentrated nutrients) to the refined rice, rather than requiring the entire brown rice structure. This localized enrichment maintains the desirable properties of white rice while adding nutritional value.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 enriches rice with nutritive substances, ensuring they remain intact during cooking and packaging, enhancing nutritional value without altering the rice's appearance or cooking time.

Implementation Method 1

mixing rice grains with vegetable germs, such as germs of rice, wheat, grain or other vegetables... using a mixer with an endless helical screw to ensure adhesion or partial incorporation into the rice grains

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS8597711B2Method for enriching rice and product obtained thereby

Publication Date: 2013.12.03 RONDOLINO SOC COOP AGRI

AI summary

A method for enriching rice, comprising the steps of: providing an amount of rice grains; providing an amount of vegetable germs, for instance germs of rice, wheat and/or maize; mixing said rice grains and said germs so as to make at least part of said germs adhere to and/or become at least partially incorporated into said rice grains. The invention also concerns a rice mixture enriched with vegetable germs, at least part of said germs being at least partially incorporated into the rice grains.