Hygroscopic Salt Coating for Dehydrated Microorganism Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current coating methods for dehydrated microorganisms fail to maintain viability and stability under high temperature and high humidity conditions, which are common in food, feed, and consumer healthcare products, leading to reduced effectiveness over time.
Innovation Solution
A coating comprising at least 25% hygroscopic salt, combined with optional non-hygroscopic salts and other ingredients, provides enhanced resistance to moisture and heat, ensuring the viability and stability of dehydrated microorganisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional coating materials (fats, shellac, HPMC) are used to protect dehydrated microorganisms, then moisture barrier protection is provided, but viability and stability are not maintained under high temperature and high humidity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the coating material from conventional hydrophobic materials (fats, shellac, HPMC) to hygroscopic salts (such as calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, lithium chloride). This parameter change transforms the coating's interaction with moisture from repulsion to controlled absorption, enabling viability maintenance under high temperature and humidity conditions while providing moisture barrier protection.
2Reliability
If low storage temperatures are used to maintain viability and stability, then microorganism survival is improved, but storage flexibility and application range are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The hygroscopic salt coating serves multiple functions simultaneously: it absorbs excess moisture to maintain optimal water activity for microorganism survival, provides thermal mass to buffer temperature fluctuations, and creates a protective microenvironment. This self-service capability allows the coating to maintain viability and stability without requiring controlled low-temperature storage, thereby providing storage flexibility and expanding application range.
3Ease of manufacture
If dehydrated microorganisms are exposed to high temperature and high humidity processing conditions, then product manufacturing is simplified, but microorganism viability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hygroscopic salt coating is applied beforehand to dehydrated microorganisms to create a protective buffer against subsequent high temperature and high humidity processing conditions. The coating absorbs moisture and provides thermal protection, cushioning the microorganisms from damaging effects during manufacturing processes such as extrusion, pelleting, or high-temperature storage, thereby maintaining viability while enabling simplified processing.
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 coating significantly improves the survival rate and shelf-life of dehydrated microorganisms, maintaining their activity and stability in challenging environmental conditions, making them suitable for use in various products.
Implementation Method 1
the addition of at least one hygroscopic salt layer surrounding the dehydrated microorganisms enhances the survival rate (i.e. viability) of these dehydrated microorganisms, especially in high humidity and/or high temperature conditions
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to coated dehydrated microorganisms comprising a dehydrated microorganism surrounded by at least one coating, said coating comprising by dry weight at least 25% of hygroscopic salt(s) and wherein the pH of the coating is compatible with viability of the coated dehydrated microorganism. The coating can be partially crystalline, the salt(s) in the coating having preferably a crystallinity degree of up to 60% once applied onto the dehydrated microorganism. The present invention also relates to liquid coating compositions, methods for coating and protecting a dehydrated microorganism. Finally, the present invention relates to a method for the preparation of food products, feed products, consumer healthcare products or agri-products as well as to a food product, feed product, a consumer healthcare product or an agri-product containing such coated dehydrated microorganisms.