Enzyme Food Composition for Microbial Control in Aqueous Form
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food compositions that include enzymes dissolved in water face challenges in maintaining enzyme activity while suppressing microbial growth and ensuring the quality of the manufactured food is not impaired.
Innovation Solution
Adjusting moisture content, pH, salt equivalent amount, undissociated acetic acid, and ethanol content within specific ranges, along with incorporating enzymes that react with predetermined substrates, to create a synergistic effect that enhances enzyme activity and texture improvement in food products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the enzyme is added as a food composition with high moisture content to ensure uniform enzyme action, then the enzyme activity is improved, but the growth of microorganisms that cause food deterioration is promoted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling multiple parameters of the food composition: moisture content (20-90% w/w), pH (4.6-8.8), salt equivalent amount (3-54 g per 100g water), undissociated acetic acid content (0.03-4 g per 100g water), and ethanol content (5-20 g per 100g water). This multi-parameter optimization creates a environment that maintains enzyme activity while suppressing microbial growth through the combined effects of these controlled parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite food composition system that combines multiple components (enzyme, buffer, salt, organic acid, ethanol) in specific proportions. This composite approach leverages the synergistic effects of different substances: the buffer maintains pH for enzyme stability, the salt controls microbial growth, the organic acid provides additional preservation, and ethanol contributes to both preservation and texture improvement, collectively solving the contradiction between enzyme activity and microbial suppression.
2Reliability
If the pH is adjusted to maintain enzyme activity, then the enzyme stability is improved, but the flavor of the manufactured food may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains pH within the range of 4.6-8.8, which is optimal for enzyme stability and activity. This pH range is carefully selected to ensure enzyme function while avoiding extreme acidity or alkalinity that would compromise food flavor. The buffer system further stabilizes this pH range during storage and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a buffer as an intermediary substance that mediates between the need for stable pH (for enzyme activity) and food flavor quality. The buffer acts as a pH regulator that prevents extreme pH shifts, thereby maintaining enzyme stability without allowing the pH to reach levels that would adversely affect food flavor. This intermediary buffer system decouples the direct relationship between pH adjustment and flavor impact.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the salt equivalent amount is increased to suppress microbial growth, then the preservation is improved, but the enzyme activity may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls salt equivalent amount within the range of 3-54 g per 100g water. This optimized salt concentration is sufficient to suppress microbial growth through osmotic pressure effects while remaining within tolerances that do not denature or inhibit enzyme activity. The precise control of this parameter resolves the contradiction between preservation and enzyme function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses salt as a natural preservation agent that copies the function of more aggressive preservatives but with milder effects. Salt provides microbial suppression through osmotic pressure without the harsh chemical effects that would damage enzymes, effectively copying the preservation function in a biocompatible manner that maintains enzyme activity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the undissociated acetic acid content and ethanol content are adjusted to suppress microbial growth, then the preservation is improved, but the texture improvement effect may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes undissociated acetic acid content (0.03-4 g per 100g water) and ethanol content (5-20 g per 100g water) within specific ranges. These concentrations are sufficient to create a preservative environment that suppresses microbial growth while maintaining the synergistic texturizing effect with sodium and enzymes. The balanced formulation ensures both preservation and texture improvement without compromising either function.
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 approach maintains enzyme activity, suppresses microbial growth, and improves texture in food products, particularly those using grains as raw materials, without compromising flavor.
Implementation Method 1
by including an enzyme that reacts with a predetermined substrate in the food composition, a texture-improving effect can be obtained
Implementation Method 2
by adjusting the undissociated acetic acid content and/or ethanol content to predetermined ranges, it is possible to maintain enzyme activity while suppressing the growth of microorganisms that cause food deterioration
Implementation Method 3
Literature 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 03-139278) discloses that the stability of glucose oxidase can be maintained by a phosphate buffer
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to maintain the enzyme activity while suppressing the proliferation of microorganisms that cause the deterioration of food in a state in which an enzyme is dissolved in water. The present invention provides a food composition satisfying all of the following requirements (a)-(d). (a) The moisture content in terms of wet mass is at least 20 w/w%. (b) The pH at 20°C under 1 atm is higher than 4.6. (c) At least one enzyme having an optimal pH of at least 4.0 is contained. (d) The following requirement (i) and/or requirement (ii) is satisfied. Requirement (i): When the sodium chloride equivalent per 100 g of water of the food composition is Xg and the undissociated acetic acid content per 100 g of water of the food composition is Yg, the following expression is satisfied. 4Y+X≥10 (X≥3 and 4≥Y>0.03) Requirement (ii): The sodium chloride equivalent per 100 g of water of the food composition is at least 3.0 g, and the ethanol content per 100 g of water of the food composition is at least 8.0 g.