Fermented Seaweed and Plant Food for Nutrient Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a challenge in providing human food products that effectively improve intestinal absorption of nutrients, particularly for older adults and athletes, where nutrient absorption efficiency decreases with age and physical activity.
Innovation Solution
A human food product comprising a basic food item combined with an ingredient that includes one or more health-enhancing microorganisms and a combination of fermented seaweed and plant materials, which enhances intestinal absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional food products are consumed, then basic nutritional needs are met, but intestinal absorption efficiency decreases with age and physical activity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition of the food product through fermentation. The fermented seaweed and plant materials undergo biochemical transformations that alter their molecular structure, making nutrients more bioavailable and easier to absorb in the intestinal tract, thereby improving absorption efficiency regardless of age or physical activity level
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining multiple fermented components (seaweed materials, plant materials, and health-enhancing microorganisms) into a single food product. This composite approach creates synergistic effects where the combination of fermented substances enhances intestinal absorption more effectively than individual components alone, addressing both age-related and activity-related absorption declines
2Quantity of substance
If food portion sizes are reduced to assist with obesity management, then calorie intake decreases, but nutritional adsorption becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fermentation process changes the physical and chemical parameters of the food components, increasing the surface area and bioavailability of nutrients. This allows for more efficient extraction and absorption of nutrition from smaller food portions, enabling calorie reduction while maintaining adequate nutritional intake through enhanced intestinal adsorption efficiency
3Reliability
If older adults consume regular food products, then basic nutrition is provided, but nutrient uptake becomes less efficient due to metabolic changes
Solution Approach 1:
The fermentation process performs preliminary biochemical actions on the food components before consumption. Health-enhancing microorganisms pre-digest and transform complex nutrients into more accessible forms during the fermentation process, reducing the metabolic burden on older adults and improving nutrient uptake efficiency despite age-related metabolic slowdown
Solution Approach 2:
Fermentation alters key parameters of the food matrix including molecular weight, solubility, and bioavailability of nutrients. These parameter changes make nutrients more readily absorbable and metabolizable for older adults whose digestive and metabolic systems have naturally declined, thereby improving both uptake efficiency and metabolic utilization
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 food product significantly improves nutritional uptake and intestinal villi height, leading to enhanced nutrient absorption and reduced incidence of diarrhea, thus addressing the challenge of decreased nutrient absorption with age and increased physical activity.
Implementation Method 1
an ingredient, wherein the ingredient comprising one or more health-enhancing microorganism and a combination of at least one fermented seaweed material and at least one fermented plant material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a human food comprising a basic food product and an ingredient, wherein the ingredient comprising one or more health-enhancing microorganism and a combination of at least one fermented seaweed material and at least one fermented plant material.