Fish Soluble Amino Acid Processing With Acidification and Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing fish-based fertilizers fail to adequately address bacterial growth, particularly from Clostridium perfringens spores, and require pH adjustments and stringent sterile conditions, limiting scalability and environmental friendliness.
Innovation Solution
A method involving acidification to pH < 4.5 followed by heating at 75°C to 100°C for less than 1 hour, combined with filtration, to effectively reduce bacterial loads without degrading amino acids, enabling an aqueous solution with high peptide content and low bacterial proliferation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If heating is applied to eliminate microorganisms, then bacterial content is reduced, but amino acids may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the heating temperature to 75-100°C and controlling the duration to 5-60 minutes. This specific parameter range is sufficient to eliminate pathogenic bacteria while preserving amino acid integrity, avoiding the excessive heat treatment that would cause amino acid degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary acidification to pH < 4.5 before heating. This preliminary action creates unfavorable conditions for bacterial growth and enhances the effectiveness of subsequent heat treatment, allowing milder heating conditions that preserve amino acids while still achieving bacterial elimination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pH adjustment is performed during enzymatic treatment, then bacterial growth is controlled, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs pH adjustment as a preliminary action before the enzymatic hydrolysis step. By setting the initial pH to < 4.5, the process creates conditions that inhibit bacterial growth throughout the subsequent steps, eliminating the need for complex pH monitoring and adjustment during the enzymatic treatment phase.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sterile environment is maintained during hydrolysis, then bacterial contamination is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-service by using the acidification step (pH < 4.5) to create a self-inhibiting environment for bacterial growth. This chemical barrier provides passive protection throughout the enzymatic hydrolysis process, eliminating the need for expensive sterile containment systems and complex sterilization protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of low pH into a beneficial protective mechanism. The acidification step, which could be seen as a harsh condition, is instead used to create a protective environment that prevents bacterial contamination throughout the process, turning a potential stressor into a protective barrier.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If high temperature treatment is applied to eliminate spores, then pathogenic bacteria are reduced, but amino acid stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the temperature parameter to a maximum of 100°C and controls the treatment duration to 5-60 minutes. This parameter optimization achieves effective spore elimination while preserving amino acid stability, avoiding the excessive temperature and time combinations that would cause amino acid degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary acidification to pH < 4.5 before thermal treatment. This preliminary action enhances the effectiveness of the subsequent heat treatment, allowing lower temperatures and shorter durations to achieve spore elimination, thereby preserving amino acid stability.
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 method produces a stable, reproducible, and economically viable aqueous solution with reduced bacterial content, suitable for use as a plant biostimulant, enhancing plant growth and resilience under abiotic stress.
Implementation Method 1
The pH is lowered to a value lower than 4.5 by adding at least one acid
Implementation Method 2
heating to a temperature greater than or equal to 75°C and less than 100°C for a duration greater than or equal to 5 minutes
Implementation Method 3
filtering is carried out to obtain said solution
Implementation Method 4
at least one protease having proteolytic activity at said given temperature is added to it
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing an aqueous solution containing amino acids from fish soluble matter. Characteristically, according to the invention, said fish soluble matter being at a given temperature, at least one protease having proteolytic activity at said given temperature is added thereto without modifying the pH; the pH is reduced to a value of less than 4.5 by adding at least one acid; and heating is carried out at a temperature greater than or equal to 75°C and less than 100°C for a period greater than or equal to 5 minutes and filtration is performed to obtain said solution.