Indigestible Dextrin Production Using Activated Carbon Decoloring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of indigestible dextrin is hindered by the challenge of effectively suppressing coloring during the manufacturing process, which increases production costs and affects the quality of the final product due to the need for extensive purification steps and the use of bleaching agents or enzyme reactions that can alter the molecular structure.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating activated carbon during at least one of the liquefying or saccharifying steps in the production process of indigestible dextrin to efficiently suppress coloration, thereby reducing the load on purification steps and maintaining the quality of the product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If activated carbon is added after completion of the reaction for removing colored substances, then decoloring effect is achieved, but a large load is applied to the purification step when the degree of coloring is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding activated carbon at the beginning of the liquefying step or saccharifying step, before the harmful coloring reactions (caramelization and Maillard reaction) occur during heating. This prevents colored substances from forming in the first place, rather than attempting to remove them after they have been generated. As a result, the purification step burden is significantly reduced because there are far fewer colored substances to remove.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide are used for decoloring polydextrose, then decoloring effect is achieved, but the structure itself is changed because a carbonyl group is produced by oxidation reaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of activated carbon (which could adsorb useful substances) into a benefit by using it as a preventive measure. By adding activated carbon before heating, it adsorbs colored substances as they form during the reaction, preventing their accumulation. This approach achieves decoloring without the harmful oxidation side effects that would alter the molecular structure, as activated carbon physically adsorbs rather than chemically reacts with the dextrin molecules.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If glucose oxidase is used for oxidizing polyglucose and polydextrose, then decoloring effect is achieved, but much time and labor and cost are required due to aeration and pH control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the decoloring function from complex enzymatic oxidation processes (using glucose oxidase, aeration, and pH control) and simplifies it to a single step: adding activated carbon. This extraction of the essential decoloring function eliminates the need for time-consuming aeration and pH control operations, reducing both processing time and operational complexity while maintaining effective decoloring.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If hydrogenation is performed in the presence of Raney nickel catalyst for decoloring, then decoloring effect is achieved, but a reducing terminal is alcoholized and a different material is produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses activated carbon as an intermediary substance that facilitates decoloring without directly participating in chemical reactions that would alter the dextrin structure. Unlike Raney nickel catalyst which chemically reduces and alcoholizes the reducing terminals, activated carbon acts as a physical adsorbent that traps colored substances through its porous structure, allowing the dextrin molecules to remain chemically unchanged while achieving effective decoloring.
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 significantly reduces the degree of coloring in the final product, leading to cost savings and improved quality by minimizing the need for additional purification steps and extending the life of ion-exchange resins, while maintaining the enzymatic reaction efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The coloring of a product is significantly suppressed by performing at least one of a liquefying step and a saccharifying step in the presence of activated carbon
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for producing indigestible dextrin which is inexpensive and can simply and efficiently suppress coloring. The method for producing indigestible dextrin includes the steps of liquefying pyrodextrin and saccharifying pyrodextrin, wherein at least one of the liquefying step and the saccharifying step is performed in the presence of activated carbon.