Frozen Vegetable Packaging with Recyclable EVOH and Microwave Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for healthy, high-quality frozen agricultural food products with reduced environmental impact, suitable for microwave cooking, and minimal waste, while ensuring safety and cost-effectiveness is not adequately met by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A process involving preventive soil analysis, selection of non-GMO seeds and mycelia, periodic checks for diseases, targeted plant protection, and thermo-mechanical treatment of vegetables and mushrooms, followed by packaging in recyclable and compostable materials, ensuring residual pesticide levels below 0.01 mg/kg and traceability, with waste conversion into digestate for fertilizer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional agricultural practices are used for producing frozen vegetables and mushrooms, then productivity and yield are improved, but environmental impact increases and waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by converting agricultural waste (vegetable and mushroom residues) into digestate through anaerobic digestion. This digestate is then reused as fertilizer in subsequent cultivation cycles, creating a closed-loop system that recovers nutrients and minimizes waste disposal, thereby reducing environmental impact while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by strictly controlling pesticide residue levels to below 0.01 mg/kg through optimized plant protection protocols. This parameter control transforms the cultivation approach from conventional high-chemical-input farming to a controlled-low-residue system, reducing environmental pollution while maintaining crop yield through precise monitoring and targeted treatments
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional packaging materials are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but environmental impact increases and microwave compatibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by using packaging composed of multiple layers including biodegradable polymers, paper, and plastic films. This composite structure provides the necessary mechanical strength, barrier properties, and microwave compatibility while incorporating environmentally friendly materials that can be partially recycled or biodegraded, balancing cost, performance, and environmental concerns
3Productivity
If extensive plant protection treatments are applied, then productivity is improved, but pesticide residue in products increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by performing periodic spot checks to measure residual concentrations of active plant protection ingredients throughout the cultivation cycle. This monitoring system provides real-time feedback that allows及时调整 of protection strategies, ensuring residues remain below 0.01 mg/kg while maintaining productivity through targeted, minimal interventions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by using plant protection treatments only when and where necessary, rather than blanket applications. Treatments are targeted at specific infestation areas and timed to minimize residue accumulation, achieving adequate crop protection with minimal chemical input and lower environmental impact
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 process minimizes environmental impact, reduces industrial waste, ensures safe and healthy products, and provides cost-effective, recyclable packaging, while maintaining high yield and quality, thereby addressing consumer concerns and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
placing the intermediate product within a container constituted at least partially by at least one material selected among ethylene vinyl alcohols (EVOH), polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), lignin, Cartene, corn-derived polymers plant- derived cellulose, paper, cardboard
Implementation Method 2
applying a freezing step
Implementation Method 3
subjecting the vegetables and mushrooms to a thermo-mechanical treatment for the separation of an intermediate product
Data Source
AI summary
A frozen packaged agricultural food product comprising: - frozen vegetables and mushrooms, subjected beforehand to a thermo-mechanical treatment for the separation of an intermediate product, which has a residual concentration of active plant protection ingredients lower than a predefined threshold, from a waste intended for an industrial transformation with low environmental impact; - a container constituted at least partially by at least one material selected among ethylene vinyl alcohols (EVOH), polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), lignin, Cartene, corn-derived polymers, cellulose (plant- derived), paper, cardboard, said container being of a type that can be recycled, is resistant to microwaves and therefore suitable to be used as a cooking vessel and as a plate in which the vegetables contained therein are consumed after microwave cooking.