Biotech Sugar Reduction in Fruit Educts via pH Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for reducing sugar content in fruit products often result in unbalanced taste and sensory issues due to the degradation of essential ingredients, and typically require undesirable additives like flavorings and colorings to compensate for the loss of sweetness and acidity.
Innovation Solution
A biotechnological method involving enzymatic and fermentative processes that adjust the pH value of sugar-reduced fruit products to a higher level than the original fruit educts, using enzymes like invertase, glucose isomerase, glucose oxidase, and catalase to convert sucrose and fructose into glucose and gluconic acid, while controlling oxygen levels to preserve nutritional content and achieve a balanced acid-sugar ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional methods are used to reduce sugar content in fruit products, then sugar content is reduced, but taste balance and sensory quality deteriorate due to degradation of essential ingredients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting pH levels during the reduction process to maintain taste balance. Specifically, the pH is controlled to remain between 3.0-4.5 during enzymatic treatment, preventing excessive acidification that would occur with conventional methods. This parameter control allows sugar reduction while preserving the natural flavor profile of the fruit product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses enzymatic reactions as intermediaries to convert sugars into other compounds. Enzymes such as glucose oxidase and catalase are employed to mediate the conversion of glucose into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which are then further processed. This intermediary enzymatic approach allows for controlled sugar reduction without the harsh conditions that degrade flavor compounds.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional methods are used to reduce sugar content, then sugar content is reduced, but additional additives like flavorings and colorings are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by using the fruit product's own components to maintain flavor and color during sugar reduction. The natural pigments, acids, and aromatic compounds present in the fruit are preserved through controlled enzymatic treatment, allowing the product to self-maintain its sensory qualities without external additives. The fruit's inherent properties are leveraged to compensate for sugar loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent selectively removes only the sugar components while preserving other essential ingredients through targeted enzymatic action. By using specific enzymes that act primarily on sugar molecules, the method extracts unwanted sugars while leaving flavor compounds, vitamins, and natural pigments intact, eliminating the need for compensatory additives.
3Quantity of substance
If enzymatic and fermentative processes are used to reduce sugars, then sugar content is reduced by up to 80%, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sugar reduction process into distinct enzymatic and fermentative stages, each targeting specific sugar types. The first stage uses enzymes to convert glucose and fructose, while the second stage employs fermentation for remaining sugars. This segmentation allows for optimized control of each stage independently, managing complexity through modular process design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by seamlessly transitioning from enzymatic conversion to fermentative processes. The products of the enzymatic stage serve as substrates for the fermentative stage, creating a continuous sugar reduction pathway. This continuous action maximizes sugar removal efficiency while consolidating process steps to manage overall complexity.
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 effectively reduces sugar content by up to 80% while maintaining the natural flavor and nutritional value of fruit products, achieving a balanced taste without the need for additional flavorings or colorings, thus providing a healthier and more palatable reduced-sugar fruit product.
Implementation Method 1
enzymatic conversion of sucrose to glucose and fructose by means of invertase
Implementation Method 2
enzymatic conversion of fructose to glucose by means of glucose isomerase
Implementation Method 3
enzymatic breakdown of glucose to form gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide by means of glucose oxidase
Implementation Method 4
catalase to convert the hydrogen peroxide produced into water and oxygen
Implementation Method 5
fermentative conversion of fructose and/or glucose into sweetening sugar alcohols
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and to a device for the biotechnological reduction of sugars in fruit educts for the purpose of obtaining reduced-sugar fruit products, which method is characterized by enzymatic and/or fermentative reaction processes. The method is characterized by a control process by means of which the pH value in the reduced-sugar fruit product is controlled to a predefined higher value as compared with the pH value in the fruit educt such that, during reduction of the sugars by at least 30 wt% to less than 40 wt%, the pH is increased between 0.6 and 1.0 pH units; or that, during reduction of the sugars by at least 40 wt% to less than 50 wt%, the pH value is increased between 0.7 and 1.1 pH units; or that, during reduction of the sugars by at least 50 wt% to less than 65 wt%, the pH value is increased between 0.8 and 1.2 pH units; or that, during reduction of the sugars by at least 65 wt% to less than 80 wt%, the pH value is increased between 0.9 and 1.3 pH units; or that, during reduction of the sugars by at least 80 wt%, the pH value is increased between 1.0 and 1.3 pH units; wherein the aforementioned pH values can also respectively turn out to be 0.1 or up to 0.2 pH units higher or lower; and/or wherein, in the case of sugar alcohols formed by fermentation having a proportion by weight of up to 3 wt%, the elevation in pH with the simultaneous reduction of sugars can turn out to be up to 0.3 pH units lower as compared with a purely enzymatic process, wherein the two values preferably correlate with one another, in particular linearly. By means of the invention, in particular reduced-sugar fruit products such as fruit purees or fruit preparations or fruit powder or smoothies or fruit or vegetable juice (no matter whether bottled undiluted as direct juice or re-diluted as fruit juice from fruit juice concentrate) or comparable fruit beverages that can be characterized as alcohol free can be obtained.