Food Processor with Sugar-Type Identification for Balanced Sweetness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food processing technologies, such as blenders and juicers, do not effectively manage sugar content in juices and smoothies, leading to excessive sugar intake as consumers often add sugar or sweet fruits/vegetables to achieve desired taste, contradicting health recommendations to reduce sugar consumption.
Innovation Solution
A food processor equipped with an ingredient identification module to determine if sucrose or fructose is the dominant sugar in the ingredients, and a processing unit that adjusts the processing protocol by adding specific fruits, vegetables, fluids, or temperature to balance sugar content without adding extra sweeteners, ensuring a healthy and tasty product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If consumers add sugar or sweet fruits/vegetables to achieve desired taste, then taste requirements are met, but sugar intake increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The ingredient identification module performs preliminary analysis of the sugar composition in the food product before processing. By determining whether sucrose or fructose is the dominant sugar in advance, the system can pre-determine the appropriate processing protocol, preventing excessive sugar intake from the outset while still ensuring taste satisfaction through targeted adjustments.
2Device complexity
If traditional blenders or juicers are used without ingredient analysis, then processing is simple, but sugar content cannot be effectively managed
Solution Approach 1:
The ingredient identification module provides feedback information about the dominant sugar type (sucrose or fructose) in the food product. This feedback enables the processing unit to automatically adjust the processing protocol, creating a closed-loop system that manages sugar content effectively while maintaining operational simplicity for the user.
3Quantity of substance
If low-calorie sweeteners are added to replace traditional sugar, then sugar intake is reduced, but health benefits are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding low-calorie sweeteners, the system changes the processing parameters based on the dominant sugar type identified. By adjusting processing protocols specific to sucrose or fructose dominance, the system reduces sugar content through physical and chemical processing changes rather than chemical substitution, achieving both sugar reduction and health benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a food processor (10). It is described to hold (110) a first food product in a food chamber, wherein food processing means are configured to process at least the first food product in the food chamber. An ingredient identification module determines (120) if either sucrose or fructose is the dominant sugar in the first food product to be processed. A processing unit determines (130) a processing protocol for processing the first food product, wherein determination of the processing protocol comprises utilization of the determined dominant sugar in the first food product. The food processing means processes (140) at least the first food product in the food chamber.