Frozen Vegetable Granule Processing with Hot Water Scalding
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a method to prepare frozen cut vegetables that maintains their organoleptic and nutritional properties while ensuring they remain consistent and non-wet upon thawing, with a long shelf life and low production costs.
Innovation Solution
The method involves washing, mechanical treatment, cutting into granules, scalding with hot water, air drying, manual sorting, and individually quick freezing (IQF) of vegetables, followed by packaging and optional addition of precooked seasoning, using a container that is recyclable and compostable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If vegetables are frozen after cutting, then shelf life is extended, but texture and consistency deteriorate upon thawing
Solution Approach 1:
The vegetables undergo blanching before freezing, which is a preliminary treatment that deactivates enzymes and stabilizes cellular structures. This preliminary action prevents degradation during storage, allowing the vegetables to maintain their texture and consistency even after thawing, thus resolving the contradiction between extended shelf life and texture stability.
2Loss of time
If vegetables are cut into small granules, then cooking speed increases, but surface area increases leading to greater moisture loss
Solution Approach 1:
The blanching process changes the physical-chemical parameters of the vegetable granules by partially cooking them and altering their cellular structure. This parameter change creates a protective effect that reduces moisture loss during subsequent freezing and thawing, allowing small granule size (which reduces cooking time) without excessive moisture loss.
3Reliability
If blanching temperature is increased, then enzyme deactivation improves, but nutritional properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise blanching parameters (temperature and time) that optimize the balance between enzyme deactivation and nutrient preservation. By carefully controlling these parameters, the process achieves sufficient enzyme inactivation to prevent degradation during storage while minimizing nutrient loss, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability of enzyme deactivation and preservation of nutritional content.
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
This method preserves the nutritional and organoleptic properties of fresh vegetables, providing a product that is easy to prepare, maintains consistency upon thawing, and has a shelf life of at least 18 months, while being cost-effective and safe.
Implementation Method 1
immersing said granules in water at a temperature comprised between 75° C. and 85° C. for a predefined time; scalding, with jets of hot water at a temperature comprised between 75° C. and 85° C., said granules
Implementation Method 2
air drying said granules
Implementation Method 3
freezing said granules by means of a freezer at a temperature comprised between −18° C. and −30° C.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for preparing cut and frozen vegetables including the step of washing the vegetables in order to eliminate any residues of soil or other substances and materials that may have accumulated during picking. In a subsequent step, it is necessary to subject the vegetables to a mechanical treatment in order to isolate their edible part. One then proceeds by cutting the vegetables into granules with sizes comprised between 30 mm3 and 60 mm3 by using a cutting device. At this point, one proceeds by immersing the granules in water for a predefined limited time. At a later time, one proceeds by scalding, with jets of hot water, the granules and air drying them.