Green Coffee Bean Cell Wall Breakdown via Supercritical CO2
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coffee bean roasting processes break down chlorogenic acid, reducing its availability in roasted coffee, as CO2 gas and water vapor produced during roasting smolder inside the bean and degrade this beneficial compound.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a penetration step where CO2 fluid is introduced into green coffee beans at controlled temperatures and pressures to break down the cell walls, followed by a pressure relief step to allow CO2 and water vapor to escape, preserving chlorogenic acid during the roasting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional roasting process is used to heat coffee green bean, then the coffee bean undergoes physical and chemical reaction to form special smell, but CO2 gas and water vapor smolder inside the bean and break down chlorogenic acid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating the green coffee beans with supercritical CO2 fluid before roasting. This pre-treatment creates micro-channels in the cell walls, allowing CO2 and water vapor to escape during roasting, thereby preventing the breakdown of chlorogenic acid while still achieving the desired roasting effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of CO2 by using it in supercritical state (specific temperature and pressure ranges) for the pre-treatment process. This parameter change allows CO2 to penetrate the bean structure effectively, creating the necessary micro-channels without damaging the chlorogenic acid before the roasting process begins.
2Strength
If green coffee bean cell wall is intact, then the bean maintains structural integrity, but CO2 gas and water vapor cannot escape rapidly during roasting
Solution Approach 1:
The supercritical CO2 pre-treatment performs preliminary action by creating micro-channels in the cell walls before roasting. This preliminary structural modification allows rapid gas escape during roasting while the overall cell wall structure remains intact, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and gas escape speed.
3Manufacturing precision
If CO2 fluid penetration time is extended to ensure thorough penetration, then cell wall breakdown is more effective, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by optimizing the temperature and pressure conditions of the supercritical CO2 fluid to achieve effective cell wall penetration and breakdown within a short time frame (3-30 minutes). The supercritical state parameters enable rapid and thorough penetration without requiring extended processing times.
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 results in roasted coffee beans retaining a significantly higher amount of chlorogenic acid, enhancing its health benefits for consumers.
Implementation Method 1
a carbon dioxide (CO2) fluid is contacted to a sample of coffee green bean inside a chamber at a temperature of 28-50° C. and a pressure of 950-3,500 psi for 3-30 minutes to allow the CO2 fluid to penetrate into the sample of coffee green bean
Implementation Method 2
the pressure in the chamber is reduced to normal pressure in a time period of 2-15 minutes, allowing the CO2 fluid penetrated into the sample of coffee green bean to break down cell wall of the sample of coffee green bean
Data Source
AI summary
In the penetration step, a carbon dioxide fluid is contacted to a sample of coffee green bean inside a chamber at a temperature of 28-50° C. and a pressure of 950-3,500 psi for 3-30 minutes to allow the carbon dioxide fluid to penetrate into the sample of coffee green bean. In a pressure relief step, the pressure in the chamber is reduced to normal pressure in a time period of 2-15 minutes, allowing the carbon dioxide fluid penetrated into the sample of coffee green bean to break down cell wall of the sample of coffee green bean to obtain a sample of coffee green bean with broken cell wall.