Infant Formula Tablet Compression Fat Mobility Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nutritional compositions in powdered or liquid forms face issues such as spilling, messiness, limited shelf life, and difficulty in transportation due to the mobility of fats during compression, leading to poor dissolution rates in compressed solid forms.
Innovation Solution
A process involving cooling powdered nutritional compositions, contacting them with a fine particulate mist, and compressing under controlled pressure to create a solid form that is readily dissolvable in water, while managing fat mobility and oxidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If classical compression methods with pressure and adjuvants are used to create compressed forms from powders, then the powder can be compacted into tablets, but the fats in nutritional formulas are squeezed out during compression, limiting tablet dissolution properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling compression pressure within a specific range (1-100 psi) and adjusting moisture content (6-17%) to prevent fat extrusion while enabling tablet formation. This resolves the contradiction by finding optimal parameter values that achieve both manufacturability and dissolution properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-cooling the powdered nutritional composition to below 11°C before compression and adding moisture beforehand. This preliminary treatment stabilizes the fat structure and prepares the powder for compression without causing fat extrusion, thereby maintaining dissolution properties.
2Ease of operation
If powdered nutritional composition is compressed into solid form, then convenience and shelf life are improved, but dissolution rate becomes slow due to fat mobility during compression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes physical parameters by controlling compression pressure (1-100 psi) and moisture content (6-17%) to create tablets that maintain porosity and surface area for rapid dissolution while providing the convenience of solid form.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary cooling below 11°C and moisture addition before compression to prevent fat mobility that would otherwise slow dissolution. This preliminary treatment ensures the compressed tablet dissolves rapidly while maintaining convenience.
3Ease of operation
If liquid nutritional compositions are used, then no mixing is required, but they are difficult to transport, have limited shelf life, and can spill easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies phase transition by converting the liquid nutritional composition into a solid compressed tablet form. This phase change provides the convenience of ready-to-use format while dramatically improving shelf life, transportability, and spill resistance.
4Shape
If powdered nutritional composition is compressed, then a solid convenient form is achieved, but fat mobility during compression limits dissolution properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes physical parameters by controlling compression pressure (1-100 psi) and moisture content (6-17%) to create solid tablets that maintain adequate porosity and surface area for rapid dissolution while achieving the desired solid form.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary cooling below 11°C and moisture addition before compression to stabilize fat structure and prevent fat mobility during compression. This ensures the solid tablet form is achieved without compromising dissolution properties.
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 process results in a compressed solid nutritional composition that is convenient, stable, and easily dissolvable, improving usability and shelf life by controlling fat mobility and reducing oxidation.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the powdered nutritional composition to a temperature below 11°C
Implementation Method 2
contacting the cooled powdered nutritional composition with moisture by spraying it with a fine particulate mist
Implementation Method 3
compressing the powdered nutritional composition under a pressure of 6895-689475 Pa (1-100 pounds per square inch (psi); 0.07-6.89 bars)
Implementation Method 4
drying the compressed powdered nutritional composition
Data Source
AI summary
A nutritional compositions in a compressed solid form comprising about 5 to about 35% by weight of protein, about 5 to about 50% by weight percent of fat, and about 40 to about 70% by weight percent of carbohydrate, wherein the compressed solid form is readily dissolvable in water and has a moisture level of 4 to 17%. The nutritional composition, in certain embodiments, eliminates the need for scooping powder into narrow bottles, eliminates the need for transportation of loose powders for later reconstitution, and provides more precise serving sizes to ensure proper delivery of nutrients per feeding, while remaining readily dissolvable upon contact with a liquid. The disclosure further provides process for preparing a nutritional composition in a compressed solid form comprising cooling a powdered nutritional composition, contacting the cooled powdered nutritional composition with moisture, compressing the powdered nutritional composition under pressure, and drying the nutritional composition.