Food Composition with Carbohydrate Matrix for Flavor Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food compositions fail to achieve a coincident and congruent release of flavor and aroma substances, leading to an unauthentic and unrounded taste experience in flavored food products.
Innovation Solution
A food composition is developed with a core component coated in a carbohydrate matrix that includes a sugar alcohol, allowing for a high loading of flavoring and aromatic substances, enabling simultaneous and intense sensory perception by encapsulating hygroscopic core materials and creating a moisture barrier for controlled release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If flavoring and aroma substances are added to foods, then the flavour profile is improved and strengthened, but the release of flavour and aroma substances is not coincident, leading to an unauthentic taste experience
Solution Approach 1:
The composition is segmented into distinct functional components: hygroscopic core particles (e.g., citric acid) and a coating layer containing encapsulated aroma substances. This segmentation allows independent optimization of flavour and aroma release mechanisms, enabling them to occur coincidentally when the product is consumed.
Solution Approach 2:
The aroma substances are nested within the coating matrix that surrounds the core particles. The coating acts as a carrier that releases aroma in synchronisation with the dissolution of the core, creating a nested structure where the inner core and outer coating work together to achieve coincident release.
2Reliability
If the coating is made moisture stable, then the composition is stable during storage, but the release of flavour and aroma substances is delayed or desynchronised
Solution Approach 1:
The coating material parameters are specifically selected to balance stability and release: using carriers like maltodextrin with appropriate DE values, sugars, and proteins that provide moisture stability during storage but become soluble and release aroma quickly upon contact with saliva or moisture during consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating exhibits dynamic behavior: it remains stable and protective during storage conditions, but transitions to a release state when exposed to the moisture and temperature conditions of the oral cavity, enabling timed release that is synchronised with flavour perception.
3Quantity of substance
If a carbohydrate matrix is used to encapsulate aroma, then the aroma is protected and can be released, but without sugar alcohols the release is not coincident with flavour substances
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is formulated as a composite material containing multiple components including carbohydrate matrices (maltodextrin, starch), sugars (sucrose, glucose), proteins (whey protein, gelatin), and crucially sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol). This composite structure provides encapsulation protection while the sugar alcohols specifically contribute to osmotic pressure regulation and coincident release timing.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the coating have different functional qualities: the carbohydrate matrix provides structural integrity and encapsulation, the proteins provide film-forming properties and stability, while the sugar alcohols are distributed to regulate osmotic pressure and water activity, creating local quality variations that collectively achieve coincident release.
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 achieves a synergistic taste effect with a long-lasting flavor impression by ensuring the simultaneous release of core and aroma components, replicating the natural taste of fruits and enhancing the sensory experience.
Implementation Method 1
a core component (2) and a coating (3), wherein the coating (3) comprises a carbohydrate matrix in which at least one flavouring agent is enclosed
Implementation Method 2
creating a moisture barrier for controlled release
Implementation Method 3
allowing for a high loading of flavoring and aromatic substances, enabling simultaneous and intense sensory perception
Implementation Method 4
The composition achieves a synergistic taste effect with a long-lasting flavor impression by ensuring the simultaneous release of core and aroma components
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a food composition, a process for the production of the food composition, a food composition producible by the method according to the invention, the use of the food composition and products comprising the food composition according to the invention.