Fermented Propionate Powder Blends for Taste and Flow Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fermentation-produced propionate powders, primarily composed of calcium propionate, sodium propionate, or potassium propionate, suffer from issues related to taste, smell, and flow properties, limiting their effectiveness as preservatives in food and cosmetic products.
Innovation Solution
A fermentation-produced propionate powder comprising a combination of calcium propionate, sodium propionate, and potassium propionate, with specific molar ratios and concentrations, is produced by incubating a substrate with propionic acid-producing microorganisms and controlling pH with alkaline water-soluble salts, followed by blending different propionate powders to enhance properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If propionate powder is produced by single-organism fermentation, then production process is simple, but product quality (taste, smell, flow properties) is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fermentation processes using different microorganisms (Propionibacterium freudenreichii and Propionibacterium shermanii) to produce a mixed propionate powder containing both calcium propionate and sodium propionate. This merging of biological systems allows simultaneous production of multiple propionate salts with complementary properties, resolving the contradiction between simple production and high product quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite propionate powder material containing multiple propionate salt components (calcium propionate and sodium propionate) in specific ratios. This composite approach combines the advantages of individual propionate salts - calcium propionate for preservative efficacy and sodium propionate for improved solubility and flow properties - thereby achieving superior overall product quality while maintaining a relatively simple fermentation-based production process.
2Reliability
If propionate powder contains high calcium propionate content, then preservative effectiveness is high, but solubility and flow properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of the propionate powder by controlling the molar ratio of calcium propionate to sodium propionate within specific ranges (calcium propionate: 2.0-4.0 mmol/g, sodium propionate: 1.0-2.0 mmol/g). This parameter optimization maintains high preservative effectiveness from calcium propionate while incorporating sufficient sodium propionate to improve solubility and flow properties, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
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 propionate powder exhibits improved taste, smell, and flow properties, making it more effective as a preservative in food and cosmetic products, particularly in bakery and processed meat products.
Implementation Method 1
incubating a suitable substrate with propionic acid producing micro-organisms while adding an alkalising agent to maintain pH within the range of 5.0 to 7.5
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a fermentation-produced propionate powder comprising 25-60 wt. % propionic acid equivalent, 3-16 wt. % acetic acid equivalent, 2-12 wt % succinic acid equivalent, 0.1-0.8 mol Ca2+ per mol of propionate, 0-1.0 mol Na+ per mol of propionate, and 0-1.0 mol K+ per mol of propionate. Methods of preparing a food or cosmetic product containing the fermentation-produced propionate powder are also provided.