Enzyme System Reduces Bread Crumb Elasticity Without Emulsifiers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial bread products often contain chemical emulsifiers like sodium stearoyl lactylate and distilled monoglycerides, which decrease crumb elasticity and are not tolerated by all consumers, leading to allergies and storage issues.

Innovation Solution

The use of a raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, lipase, and phospholipase in dough preparation to reduce crumb elasticity without the need for emulsifiers, providing similar eating properties at a lower cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If chemical emulsifiers (sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, or distilled monoglycerides) are added to dough, then crumb elasticity is decreased and handling properties are improved, but consumer tolerance is reduced due to allergies and incompatibility reactions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling and process-abilityVSAvoidallergies and incompatibility reactions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes chemical emulsifiers from the bread formulation entirely and replaces them with an enzyme system (raw starch degrading alpha-amylase combined with lipase and phospholipase). This extraction of harmful substances while maintaining the desired functional effects directly resolves the contradiction between improved handling and consumer safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the dough system by using enzymatic activity instead of chemical emulsifiers. The enzyme combination modifies starch, lipid, and phospholipid structures to achieve the same emulsifying and handling-improving effects without the harmful chemical substances, thus resolving the allergy issue while maintaining processability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If chemical emulsifiers are used in bread formulation, then crumb elasticity is decreased and mouth-feel is improved, but storage stability is reduced due to clumping at increased temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrumb mouth-feelVSAvoidstorage stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the unstable chemical emulsifiers from the system and replaces them with enzymatically modified components that are inherently more stable. The enzyme-treated dough components remain stable during storage and do not exhibit the clumping behavior associated with chemical emulsifiers at elevated temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses enzymes as temporary catalysts that perform their function during dough preparation and baking, then are consumed or deactivated. This replaces the need for stable chemical emulsifiers that must remain active throughout storage, resolving the storage stability issue while maintaining the desired mouth-feel properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If emulsifiers are removed from bread formulation, then consumer safety is improved, but crumb elasticity and handling properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsumer safetyVSAvoidcrumb elasticity and handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an enzyme system as an intermediary that mediates between the requirement for good handling properties and the need to avoid chemical emulsifiers. The raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, lipase, and phospholipase work together to modify dough components, achieving the desired crumb elasticity and handling characteristics without direct use of harmful emulsifiers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite enzymatic system combining multiple enzymes (raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, lipase, and phospholipase) that work synergistically to replace the function of chemical emulsifiers. This composite approach achieves the desired handling and elasticity properties while maintaining consumer safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Productivity

If chemical emulsifiers are used to improve bread appearance and crumb structure, then processing efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes expensive chemical emulsifiers from the formulation and replaces them with enzymatic treatments that can be applied using existing processing equipment. This extraction of costly substances while maintaining processing efficiency directly addresses the cost problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces chemical systems (emulsifiers) with enzymatic systems that operate under milder conditions and can be integrated into existing mechanical processing workflows. This substitution reduces the need for additional chemical handling, storage, and dosing infrastructure, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 effectively decreases crumb elasticity and improves the shelf life of baked products, offering improved storage properties and sensory attributes comparable to emulsifier-containing breads without the drawbacks of chemical emulsifiers.

Implementation Method 1

adding a raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, a lipase and a phospholipase to dough ingredients

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzymatic hydrolysis: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

adding a raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, a lipase and a phospholipase to dough ingredients

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLipase enzymatic action: Enzyme

Implementation Method 3

adding a raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, a lipase and a phospholipase to dough ingredients

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhospholipase enzymatic action: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS20240251804A1Methods and Compositions for Preparing Bread
Publication Date: 2024.08.01 NOVOZYMES AS

AI summary

The present invention provides a method of producing a baked product having reduced crumb elasticity, said method comprising adding a raw starch degrading alpha-amylase, a lipase and a phospholipase to dough ingredients comprising flour, water, and yeast and mixing to prepare a dough; leavening the dough; and baking the dough to obtain the baked product.