Garlic Marinating Process Using Controlled Water Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Garlic's unpleasant flavor and smell, along with reduced digestibility after cooking, discourage consumption of its therapeutic benefits, and existing preservation methods like high-temperature water heating and high-salt brining impair organoleptic properties.

Innovation Solution

A garlic marinating process involving peeling garlic cloves with controlled salt concentration (10-25%) and citric acid (0.5%), using a desalter to reduce salt concentration to 2% through water exchange and controlled temperature (45-50°C) to maintain chemical structure, followed by marinating in a vinegar solution with antioxidants, and subsequent seasoning with black pepper, crushed tomato, parsley, and linseed, then packaging in sunflower oil with curcuma.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If garlic is preserved using high-temperature water heating (90-100°C) and high-salt brining (20-30% salinity), then the preservation effect is improved, but the organoleptic characteristics and digestibility of garlic are impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepreservation effectVSAvoidorganoleptic characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters of preservation by using low-temperature water exchange (reducing salt from 20-30% to 2%) instead of high-temperature heating and high-salt brining. This parameter change maintains preservation effectiveness while preserving organoleptic characteristics and digestibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces water as an intermediary medium to gradually exchange and reduce salt concentration through multiple water changes, rather than using direct high-salt brining. This intermediary approach allows controlled salt reduction without the harsh effects of high salinity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If garlic is consumed to benefit from therapeutic properties, then health benefits are improved, but unpleasant flavor and smell discourage consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapeutic propertiesVSAvoidunpleasant flavor and smell
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of high salt concentration (which causes dehydration and unpleasant taste) into a benefit by using controlled water exchange to gradually reduce salt to 2%. This creates a pleasant-tasting product that maintains therapeutic properties while eliminating the discouraging unpleasant flavor and smell.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 process eliminates garlic's unpleasant flavor and smell, enhances digestibility, and maintains beneficial properties, allowing for a pleasant taste and versatile use in dishes while preserving nutritional benefits.

Implementation Method 1

the drinking water contained in the desalter is changed by introducing new drinking water in the desalter by means of the ball valve and by draining the salt drinking water contained in the desalter through the lower opening of the desalter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOsmosis: Osmosis

Implementation Method 2

the drinking water contained in the desalter is mixed by the recirculation pumps of the desalter, in such a way that all garlic cloves have the same salt concentration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

air is blown in the desalter by the air blower of the desalter, in such a way to create bubbling intended to make the garlic fumes evaporate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

the drinking water contained in the desalter is heated to a temperature comprised between 45° and 50° in order to maintain a chemical-physical structure of the garlic cloves

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3654781B1Garlic marinating process
Publication Date: 2021.03.31 GIACCHETTI MAURIZIO

AI summary

A marinating process of garlic cloves, comprising the step of immersing the peeled garlic cloves in a receptacle with drinking water; during the step of immersing the garlic cloves in the drinking water, changing the drinking water, mixing the drinking water contained in the receptacle, blowing air in the receptacle and heating the drinking water to a temperature comprised between 45° and 50°; then letting the drinking water flow out of the receptacle, introducing a solution of drinking water, vinegar and anti-oxidants in the receptacle, letting the garlic cloves marinate in the solution and draining the garlic cloves in order to eliminate the solution.