Flowable Food Composition Using Water-Holding and Lubricating Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food condiments, such as pickle relish and sauerkraut, suffer from inconvenience and undesirable mouthfeel due to high gum content, leading to sliminess and water release, which detracts from the consumer experience.
Innovation Solution
A flowable food composition is created using a combination of water-holding agents, like insoluble fibers, and lubricating agents, such as food gums and oils, to absorb excess liquid and improve texture, allowing for convenient dispensing from flexible containers without the need for excessive gums.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high percentage of food gums are used in condiment products, then water-holding and lubrication functions are improved, but mouthfeel becomes slimy and texture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the lubricating agent by selecting specific food gums (carrageenan, xanthan, guar, alginate, pectin, CMC, tara, gellan, konjac, methycellulose, hydroxy propyl methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, gum Arabic, gelatin, or locust bean starch) and controlling their concentration within 0.01-3.0% by weight. This parameter optimization allows achieving adequate water-holding and lubrication functions while avoiding excessive gum content that causes sliminess.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite food composition combining multiple ingredients: base food product, water-holding agent (fiber containing 20% or more insoluble fiber components), lubricating agent (food gum, starch, or oil), and optional acidulant. This composite approach allows each component to contribute its specific function - the fiber provides structure and water-holding capacity, the food gum provides lubrication and flowability, and together they achieve desirable mouthfeel without the sliminess of high-gum formulations.
2Reliability
If high percentage of food gums are used in condiment products, then lubrication function is improved, but flowability and ease of dispensing are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameter of the lubricating agent (food gum, starch, or oil) within 0.01-3.0% by weight of the total product. This parameter control ensures sufficient lubrication for smooth flow from the container while preventing excessive gum content that would cause thickening and poor flowability. The fiber component (20% or more insoluble fiber) also contributes to maintaining appropriate viscosity and flow characteristics.
3Reliability
If excessive food gums are used to maintain product consistency, then water-holding capacity is improved, but free water release increases during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the water-holding mechanism from relying solely on food gums to using insoluble fiber (20% or more insoluble fiber components) as the primary water-holding agent. The fiber absorbs and holds free water through its porous structure and capillary action, while the food gum (0.01-3.0% by weight) provides lubrication. This parameter substitution reduces free water release during storage while maintaining adequate water-holding capacity and product consistency.
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 composition maintains desirable sensory attributes, ensuring a clean mouthfeel and improved flowability, reducing waste and enhancing the consumer experience by allowing easy use and storage.
Implementation Method 1
the water-holding agent absorbs free or excess free liquid in a product while providing body and a matrix for the water to be held within the condiment
Implementation Method 2
a lubricating ingredient (also known as a hydrocolloid) such as food gums, starches, or oils, increase viscosity of aqueous solutions and help provide the texture, gelling and lubrication characteristics of foods
Data Source
AI summary
A flowable food composition product utilizing a novel blend of ingredients and a method for creating the same is provided. The flowable food composition includes a food product having a liquid component, such as a condiment like sauerkraut, that is combined with a water-holding agent and a lubricating agent to allow the food composition to flow from a flexible squeeze-type bottle. The method for creating this food product comprises adding a water-holding agent and a lubricating agent to a raw food material which, in some cases, has been strained and chopped, enabling the mixture to become flowable from a flexible package, such as a plastic squeeze bottle.