Two-Step Insect Cooking for Spore Elimination and Color Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for processing insects for food or feed production fail to effectively eliminate resistant pathogens like Bacillus cereus spores and often result in discoloration, which are critical for food safety and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A two-step heating process involving temperatures of 40°C to 105°C with specific durations for each step, combined with cooling and fluid handling, to activate and inactivate pathogens while minimizing discoloration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single high-temperature cooking step is used to kill pathogens, then pathogen elimination is effective, but resistant spores survive and product discoloration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking process is divided into two distinct steps: a first cooking step at a lower temperature (40-105°C) for a longer duration to activate spores without causing excessive discoloration, followed by a second cooking step at a higher temperature to eliminate both vegetative pathogens and activated spores. This segmentation allows each step to target specific aspects of pathogen destruction while minimizing negative effects on product appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The first cooking step performs a preliminary action by activating resistant spores into vegetative cells at a controlled lower temperature. This preliminary activation converts the highly resistant spore form into vulnerable vegetative cells, which are then easily eliminated in the second cooking step. This preliminary action makes the final pathogen elimination more effective while avoiding the need for prolonged high-temperature exposure that causes discoloration.
2Reliability
If heating temperature is increased to kill resistant spores, then pathogen elimination improves, but product quality and color are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into two temperature zones: a first zone (40-105°C) that preserves product color while activating spores, and a second zone (higher temperature) that eliminates activated spores. This segmentation allows the majority of the treatment time to occur at lower temperatures, preserving product appearance, while still achieving complete spore elimination in the final step.
Solution Approach 2:
The process utilizes parameter changes by varying both temperature and time across two distinct heating phases. The first phase uses lower temperature (40-105°C) with longer duration to activate spores without significant discoloration, while the second phase uses higher temperature with shorter duration to eliminate activated spores. This dynamic parameter adjustment optimizes both pathogen elimination and product quality preservation.
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
Effectively eliminates resistant pathogens and preserves the appearance of insects, ensuring a safer and more appealing food product.
Implementation Method 1
the first heating step is preferably performed at a temperature of 75°C to 105°C and preferably has a duration of 5 to 15 minutes, more preferably 8-12 minutes. In the first heating step - besides inactivation of vegetative microorganisms and the larvae itself (if provided alive) - the resistant forms of the pathogens, namely spores, are activated, so that they will germinate and become vegetative cells after cooling.
Implementation Method 2
The cooling step is preferably performed at a temperature of 10°C to 30°C, more preferably 20-25°C and preferably has a duration of 10 to 45 minutes, more preferably 25-35 minutes. After cooling activated spores to a certain temperature range, they germinate and become vegetative cells after a certain time.
Implementation Method 3
The second heating step is preferably performed at a temperature of 75°C to 105°C and has a duration of 10 seconds to 5 minutes, preferably, 10 seconds to 1.5 minutes. In the second heating step the vegetative cells of pathogens resulting from spore germination during cooling are inactivated.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for processing insects or insect larvae. The method comprises a first heating step of heating the insects or insect larvae in a first fluid at a temperature of 40°C to 105°C, a cooling step of cooling the insects or insect larvae in a second fluid and a second heating step of heating the insects or insect larvae in a third fluid at a temperature of 40°C to 105°C, wherein the second heating step is performed after the cooling step.