Heat Treated Algae Off-Flavor Reduction

The patent applies preliminary action by performing heat treatment on algae before incorporating them into food products. The algae are subjected to controlled heating at specific temperatures and durations to pre-eliminate off-flavor compounds, thereby allowing higher algae content to be added to foods without introducing unpleasant tastes. This preliminary processing step resolves the contradiction by preparing the algae in advance to remove harmful sensory properties.

The patent utilizes parameter changes by optimizing heat treatment conditions (temperature, time, and atmosphere) to selectively degrade off-flavor compounds while preserving nutritional components. By carefully controlling these parameters, the process achieves degradation of unwanted compounds without compromising the beneficial nutrients, thus enabling higher algae content with improved flavor profile.

The patent optimizes heat treatment parameters including temperature range, treatment duration, and atmospheric conditions to selectively target off-flavor compounds while minimizing degradation of nutritional components. This controlled parameter adjustment allows effective flavor improvement without significant loss of nutritional value.

The patent employs rapid heat treatment methods that quickly pass through temperature zones where nutritional degradation occurs most rapidly. By using short treatment times at elevated temperatures or controlled heating rates, the process efficiently removes off-flavors while minimizing the exposure time that would cause nutritional component degradation.