Eutectic Menthol Cooling Agent Liquid Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Menthol and physiological cooling agents, being solid at room temperature, pose challenges in consumer products due to their intense flavor and cooling effects, leading to uneven distribution and texture issues when added as crystalline materials, especially when insufficient liquid flavor or solvent is available to dissolve them.
Innovation Solution
A method of combining menthol with physiological cooling agents such as N-substituted p-menthane carboxamides and acyclic carboxamides, heating them to form a liquid composition that remains stable at room temperature, allowing for a uniform and flexible incorporation into consumer products without additional solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If menthol and physiological cooling agents are added as solid crystalline materials, then intense flavor and cooling effects are achieved, but uneven distribution and rough texture occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of menthol and cooling agents from solid to liquid by forming a eutectic mixture. This parameter change allows the materials to be uniformly distributed throughout the confection matrix without crystallization issues, resolving the contradiction between achieving high concentration and maintaining uniform distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite liquid flavoring composition consisting of menthol combined with physiological cooling agents (such as WS-3, WS-23, or other carboxamides) in specific ratios. This composite material exhibits eutectic behavior, allowing the components to remain liquid at lower temperatures and distribute uniformly in the confection product.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional solvent is added to dissolve solid cooling agents, then uniform distribution is improved, but product formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the need for additional solvents by utilizing the eutectic mixture property of menthol and cooling agents themselves. The combination of these materials creates a liquid phase at operating temperatures, eliminating the requirement for separate solvent ingredients and simplifying the overall formulation.
3Ease of manufacture
If ground mixture of solid cooling agents is used, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but finished product defects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state from solid ground mixture to liquid eutectic mixture. This parameter change maintains manufacturing flexibility (the liquid can be easily mixed and distributed) while eliminating the quality defects associated with solid particles, such as rough texture, uneven flavor distribution, and product defects.
4Ease of operation
If liquid flavoring composition is used, then ease of incorporation is improved, but stability at room temperature deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition principles through eutectic mixture formation. The combination of menthol and cooling agents creates a composition with a depressed melting point, allowing it to remain in the liquid phase at room temperature. This phase behavior ensures both ease of incorporation and compositional stability without requiring additional solvents or refrigeration.
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 resulting liquid flavoring composition maintains a stable liquid form for extended periods, enabling even distribution and enhanced cooling effects in consumer products, overcoming the limitations of crystalline additives and increasing manufacturing flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The menthol and the at least one physiological cooling agent are heated to form a liquid composition
Implementation Method 2
a mixture of menthol and one or more physiological cooling agents can be melted and cooled to form a liquid composition that is stable for a period of time at a temperature lower than the melting temperatures of the individual components
Data Source
AI summary
A method of preparing a liquid flavoring composition includes combining menthol and at least one physiological cooling agent selected from the group consisting of N-substituted p-menthane carboxamides, acyclic carboxamides, menthyl succinate and combinations thereof. The menthol and the at least one physiological cooling agent are heated to form a liquid composition. The composition of the menthol and the at least one physiological cooling agent is cooled to about 25° C. while maintaining the composition in a liquid state to create the liquid flavoring composition.