Highly Refined Cellulose Prebiotic Delivery System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Probiotics are sensitive to heat and stomach acid, making them ineffective before digestion, and individuals without dairy in their diet face challenges in consuming adequate amounts, while prebiotics provide stable benefits but are difficult to ingest in sufficient quantities through food alone.
Innovation Solution
The use of highly refined cellulose (HRC) materials as a stable and persistent delivery system for prebiotics, either alone or in combination with probiotics, to enhance their delivery and efficacy, including as a thickening agent in fluids to assist with dysphagia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If prebiotic fiber is consumed through food sources alone, then natural intake is achieved, but sufficient quantities are difficult to ingest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses highly refined cellulose as a carrier material to deliver prebiotic fiber and probiotics. This intermediary system allows the prebiotics to be transported through the digestive system intact to the colon, bypassing the limitation of oral digestion and enabling sufficient quantity delivery without requiring consumption of large volumes of food sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms prebiotic fiber into highly refined cellulose form, changing its physical parameters to achieve water retention capacity of at least 25 g H2O/g dry product. This parameter change enables the prebiotic to form a gel-like substance that can be easily ingested in sufficient quantities while maintaining its functional properties.
2Reliability
If probiotics are administered, then live bacteria are provided, but they are killed by heat and stomach acid before reaching the gut
Solution Approach 1:
The highly refined cellulose acts as a protective intermediary that shields probiotics from harmful factors. The gel-like substance formed by the prebiotic carrier protects the probiotics during passage through the stomach, allowing them to reach the colon alive and functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares a protective prebiotic carrier system in advance that will protect probiotics before they encounter harmful conditions. The highly refined cellulose is pre-formed with water retention capacity to create a protective gel matrix that will safeguard the probiotics during their journey through the digestive system.
3Quantity of substance
If dairy products are consumed for probiotics, then adequate probiotic amounts are obtained, but this is difficult for non-dairy consumers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal delivery system using highly refined cellulose that can deliver probiotics and prebiotics independently of dairy products. This multi-functional approach allows the system to serve as both a probiotic carrier and a prebiotic source, making it compatible with any dietary preference including vegan and non-dairy diets.
4Stability of the object's composition
If highly refined cellulose is used as prebiotic delivery system, then stability and persistence are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex chemical stabilization methods with a physical-chemical approach using water retention capacity. The highly refined cellulose naturally forms a gel-like substance through hydrogen bonding with water, providing stability without requiring complex manufacturing processes or additional chemical agents.
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 method stabilizes prebiotic and probiotic agents, providing extended benefits and improving the delivery and stability of prebiotics, making it easier to consume sufficient prebiotic fiber and probiotics, while also addressing swallowing difficulties associated with dysphagia.
Implementation Method 1
having an alkaline water retention capacity of at least about 25 g H2O/g dry highly refined cellulose product
Implementation Method 2
The highly refined cellulose may be a mixture of active probiotic agents stabilized by at least 0.1% by weight of highly refined cellulose prebiotic fiber material with respect to the probiotic agents. The mixture may be mixed into existing low viscosity food and thicken the food to increase viscosity to point where swallowing with dysphagia is moderated.
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology may include a stabilized mass of highly refined cellulose fiber as a prebiotic composition alone or with a probiotic composition. The prebiotic composition may comprise both the prebiotic material blended with and stabilized by highly refined cellulose fiber material. The prebiotic components may be combined with at least 1% by weight of combined probiotic as highly refined cellulose in a blend with the probiotic. The mass may flow as a liquid, may be in a frozen state or may be in a dried powder state or dried solid mass.