Infusible Fruit Piece Coating with Peel Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dried fruit pieces tend to aggregate and become sticky, causing handling and manufacturing challenges in the production of infusible beverage products, and existing solutions like microcrystalline cellulose are undesirable to consumers.
Innovation Solution
Coating dried fruit pieces with fruit peel particles less than 1.5 mm in diameter, particularly citrus peel, to reduce stickiness and prevent aggregation during handling and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dried fruit pieces are used in infusible beverage products, then the product has appealing taste and aroma, but the fruit pieces aggregate and become sticky during handling and storage
Solution Approach 1:
A coating material is applied as an intermediary layer between the dried fruit pieces and the environment. This coating prevents direct contact between fruit pieces, reducing aggregation and stickiness while maintaining the natural appearance and taste of the fruit pieces themselves
Solution Approach 2:
The surface properties of the dried fruit pieces are modified by changing their physical state through coating application. The coating alters the surface energy and moisture absorption characteristics, transforming the sticky surface into a non-sticky coated surface that resists aggregation
2Reliability
If microcrystalline cellulose is used to reduce stickiness, then the handling properties improve, but consumers perceive the additive as undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The coating material is derived from fruit peel itself, allowing the fruit piece to essentially coat itself or be coated with a material that is already part of the natural fruit structure. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external additives that consumers would perceive as unnatural
Solution Approach 2:
Fruit peel, which would otherwise be discarded as waste during fruit processing, is recovered and utilized as the coating material. This transforms a waste product into a functional ingredient that solves the stickiness problem while maintaining consumer acceptance due to its natural origin
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 use of fruit peel particles effectively reduces the stickiness and aggregation of dried fruit pieces, improving handling properties and maintaining a natural appearance, while being sustainable and consumer-acceptable.
Implementation Method 1
coating fruit pieces with coating particles to provide coated fruit pieces
Implementation Method 2
drying the coated fruit pieces to a moisture content of less than 30 wt %
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an infusible beverage ingredient comprising dried fruit pieces, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing fruit pieces and coating particles; (b) mixing the fruit pieces and the coating particles to provide coated fruit pieces; and then (c) drying the coated fruit pieces to a moisture content of less than 30 wt %, preferably to a moisture content of 0.1 to 10 wt % wherein the coating particles comprise particles of fruit peel which are less than 1.5 mm in diameter.