Fermented Milk Lactose Reduction via pH-Stable Lactase
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing fermented milk products fail to effectively reduce lactose content while maintaining sweetness and texture, and often result in post-acidification issues, which are problematic for lactose-intolerant consumers.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a starter culture with lactose-deficient lactic acid bacteria and a low pH stable lactase, where the lactase is added during or after fermentation to convert lactose into glucose and galactose, reducing lactose content and post-acidification, and enhancing sweetness and texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional lactase is used to reduce lactose content, then lactose content is reduced, but the lactase loses activity at low pH during fermentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting a lactase enzyme with optimized pH stability characteristics. The low pH stable lactase maintains catalytic activity across a broader pH range (pH 3-6), allowing it to function effectively during the acidic fermentation process while converting lactose to glucose and galactose. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between lactose reduction and enzyme stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If lactose-deficient lactic acid bacteria are used, then post-acidification is reduced, but lactose content is not effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two functional components: lactose-deficient lactic acid bacteria (which control post-acidification by metabolizing non-lactose carbohydrates) and low pH stable lactase (which converts lactose to glucose and galactose). This combination allows simultaneous achievement of reduced post-acidification and effective lactose reduction, as each component performs its specialized function without interfering with the other.
3Quantity of substance
If fermentation is extended to reduce lactose, then lactose content is reduced, but sweetness is lost due to lactose depletion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/biological process of extended fermentation (which depletes all carbohydrates including sweet ones) with an enzymatic system. The low pH stable lactase specifically targets and converts lactose to glucose and galactose, which are sweeter than lactose. This substitution allows lactose reduction while simultaneously enhancing sweetness, as the enzymatic conversion produces sweeter monosaccharides rather than depleting all carbohydrates.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If non-lactose carbohydrate is added to support lactose-deficient bacteria, then bacterial growth is maintained, but post-acidification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lactose metabolism function from the lactic acid bacteria by using lactose-deficient strains that cannot metabolize lactose. Instead, these bacteria metabolize added non-lactose carbohydrates (like glucose or sucrose), while the low pH stable lactase separately handles lactose conversion. This separation allows controlled use of non-lactose carbohydrates for bacterial growth without the bacteria converting them to excessive acid during post-fermentation storage, as the lactase continues to convert remaining lactose independently.
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 process results in fermented milk products with reduced lactose content, increased sweetness, and improved texture, catering to lactose-intolerant consumers while maintaining product quality.
Implementation Method 1
a low pH stable lactase added to the process either at the start, during or at the end of the fermentation step, wherein the low pH stable lactase retains its activity at a pH of 5.0 and a temperature of 37 °C
Implementation Method 2
the starter culture comprises at least one lactose-deficient strain, which is capable of metabolizing a non-lactose carbohydrate
Data Source
AI summary
A fermented milk product comprising the starter culture of step 3) and the low pH stable lactase added in step 4) produced by the process comprising the steps of: 1) adding a starter culture comprising at least one lactic acid bacteria strain to a milk base, 2) fermenting the milk for a period of time until a target pH is reached, 3) wherein the starter culture comprises at least one lactose-deficient strain, which is capable of metabolizing a non-lactose carbohydrate, and 4) adding a low pH stable lactase to the process either at the start, during or at the end of the fermentation step, wherein the low pH stable lactase retains its activity at a pH of 5.0 and a temperature of 37°C at a level of at least 5% as compared to its activity at the optimum pH of the lactase.