Frozen Noodle Coating Solution Prevents Freezer Burn

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for preventing freezer burn in frozen noodles are inefficient and require excessive facilities or do not fully satisfy the need for effective prevention, as they either involve complex pre-treatment processes or do not provide adequate protection against surface dehydration and discoloration.

Innovation Solution

Attaching a coating liquid containing water, common salt, fats, and a thickening agent to cooked noodles before freezing, which can be done simultaneously or separately, to create a barrier that prevents freezer burn.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a contact-type water quality-improving agent with specific composition is prepared and applied through a water permeating apparatus, then freezer burn prevention is achieved, but excessive facilities and long pre-treatment time are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezer burn preventionVSAvoidfacilities required

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential protective components (water, common salt, fats and oils, and thickening agent) from the complex water quality-improving agent system and applies them directly as a coating solution on cooked noodles, eliminating the need for complex water permeating apparatus while maintaining freezer burn prevention effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The coating solution is applied to cooked noodles before freezing in advance, creating a protective layer that prevents freezer burn during storage, thereby eliminating the need for complex pre-treatment processes and specialized facilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a thickening agent sparingly soluble in cold water is blended in a coating mixture, then some freezer burn prevention is achieved, but a fully satisfying effect could not be obtained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezer burn preventionVSAvoidprotection effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite coating solution containing water, common salt, fats and oils, and thickening agent that work synergistically together. The combination of these components provides superior freezer burn prevention compared to using a single thickening agent, as the fats and oils form a barrier while the thickening agent maintains coating adhesion and uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the solubility parameter of the thickening agent by selecting agents that are soluble or dispersible in the coating mixture conditions, ensuring proper coating formation. This allows the thickening agent to function effectively in preventing freezer burn without the limitations of cold water insolubility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a coating liquid containing water, common salt, fats and oils and a thickening agent is attached to cooked noodles, then freezer burn is effectively prevented, but the process requires simultaneous or separate attachment steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezer burn resistanceVSAvoidproduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple protective components (water, common salt, fats and oils, and thickening agent) into a single coating solution that can be applied in one step, eliminating the need for separate attachment steps and improving production efficiency while maintaining effective freezer burn prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 effectively prevents freezer burn in frozen noodles by maintaining their thickness and color, making them more resistant to dehydration and discoloration, thus enhancing their commercial value and quality.

Implementation Method 1

attaching at least water, common salt, fats and oils and a thickening agent to cooked noodles before freezing, an excellent result can be obtained

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface coating barrier: Coatings

Implementation Method 2

a thickening agent, which is sparingly soluble in cold water but soluble in hot water, is blended in a coating mixture

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThickening: Viscometer

Implementation Method 3

at least water, common salt, fats and oils and a thickening agent are simultaneously or separately attached to cooked noodles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Data Source

PatentEP2201847B1Frozen noodles, method of producing the frozen noodles and coating solution for preventing freezer burn

Publication Date: 2013.06.19 NISSHIN FOODS INC

AI summary

To provide frozen noodles that is substantially resistant to freezer burn. Frozen noodles characterized in that they are a frozen object of cooked noodles that are attached with a coating liquid including water, common salt, fats and oils and a thickening agent; a method of producing frozen noodles characterized in that at least water, common salt, fats and oils and a thickening agent are simultaneously or separatelyattachedto cookednoodles and the resulting noodles are frozen, and; a coating liquid for the prevention of freezer burn of frozen noodles characterized in that it includes water, common salt, fats and oils and a thickening agent.