Fat-Encapsulated Microbial Cultures for Dairy Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Microbial cultures, such as lactic acid bacteria, face challenges in maintaining viability during post-pasteurization and storage, especially under ambient conditions, due to post-acidification, which affects their effectiveness and consumer experience in dairy products like yoghurt.

Innovation Solution

Encapsulating microbial cultures in a fat matrix with a melting point of at least 25°C, providing a protective coating that absorbs heat and reduces metabolic activity, thereby maintaining viability and stability during post-pasteurization and storage at ambient temperatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If microbial cultures are added to dairy products and undergo post-pasteurization, then shelf life is extended, but microbial viability is significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidmicrobial viability

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The microbial cultures are pre-encapsulated in a protective fat matrix coating before being added to the dairy product. This preliminary protective action ensures that the microbes are shielded from the damaging effects of post-pasteurization heat treatment, allowing them to survive and maintain viability while still enabling the product to undergo shelf-life-extending post-pasteurization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A fat matrix coating is applied beforehand to cushion and protect the microbial cultures from thermal damage during post-pasteurization. The coating acts as a protective barrier that absorbs or mitigates the harsh thermal conditions, preserving microbial viability while allowing the post-pasteurization process to extend shelf life

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Use of energy by stationary object

If microbial cultures are stored at ambient temperature, then refrigeration costs are reduced, but post-acidification increases and reduces viability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefrigeration energyVSAvoidmicrobial viability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The microbial cultures are pre-encapsulated in a protective fat matrix coating that slows down metabolic activity and acid production. This preliminary protective measure allows the cultures to be stored at ambient temperature without excessive post-acidification, reducing refrigeration energy requirements while maintaining viability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The fat matrix coating changes the physical and chemical parameters of the microbial culture environment, creating a protective barrier that reduces the rate of lactic acid production. This parameter change enables ambient temperature storage by slowing metabolic activity enough to prevent excessive post-acidification while maintaining consumer safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If sterile in-line mixing is used to add probiotics after post-pasteurization, then microbial viability is maintained, but production line complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrobial viabilityVSAvoidproduction line complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The microbial cultures are pre-encapsulated in a protective fat matrix coating that enables them to survive post-pasteurization without requiring sterile in-line mixing equipment. This preliminary protective action eliminates the need for complex post-pasteurization addition systems, maintaining simplicity in existing production lines while preserving viability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the protective function from the production process itself and embeds it in the microbial culture formulation (fat matrix coating). This allows the cultures to be added using simple, existing equipment rather than requiring extraction of the post-pasteurization step or addition of complex sterile mixing equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 fat-encapsulated microbial cultures effectively survive post-pasteurization and exhibit reduced post-acidification, maintaining high viability and stability for extended periods, enabling their use in existing production lines without the need for sterile in-line mixing and enhancing the shelf life of dairy products.

Implementation Method 1

providing a protective coating that absorbs heat and reduces metabolic activity, thereby maintaining viability and stability during post-pasteurization and storage at ambient temperatures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

Encapsulating microbial cultures in a fat matrix with a melting point of at least 25°C, providing a protective coating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS20240023568A1Fat encapsulated microbial cultures

Publication Date: 2024.01.25 CHR HANSEN AS

AI summary

The present invention relates to encapsulation of microbial cultures to improve the robustness and stability upon storage. In particular, the present invention relates to dry preparations of microbial cultures, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), coated by a fat-matrix that increase survivability and mitigate post-acidification upon storage at ambient temperature for extended periods of time.