Insect Larvae Preparation with Binding Agent for Structured Food
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing edible insect larvae into solid food products like minced meat, sausages, and hamburgers are inefficient, as homogenized insect larvae mixes do not lend themselves well to forming structured products with acceptable organoleptic quality.
Innovation Solution
A liquid, viscous, or dry rehydratable preparation based on homogenized edible insect larvae with a binding agent, such as hydrophilic proteins like egg protein or starch, is used, where the binding agent is added in a ratio of 1 to 30 grams per 100 grams of insect larvae, allowing for coagulation and physical processing into solid or hierarchically structured food products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If homogenized insect larvae mixes are used, then the preparation can be easily processed into various food product forms, but the structural and organoleptic quality becomes unacceptable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a binding agent as an intermediary substance between the homogenized insect larvae and the final food product structure. The binding agent (1-30g per 100g larvae) acts as a mediator that enables the homogenized mixture to form structured products like minced meat, sausages, and hamburgers while maintaining acceptable organoleptic quality. This resolves the contradiction by allowing easy processing through homogenization while restoring structural integrity through the binding agent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining homogenized insect larvae with binding agents to achieve both processability and structural quality. The composite formulation allows the mixture to be easily processed into various food forms while the binding agent components provide the necessary structural framework and organoleptic properties, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
2Shape
If binding agents are added to homogenized insect larvae, then solid structured food products can be formed, but the complexity of the preparation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the binding agent concentration (1-30g per 100g larvae) to achieve the desired solid structured form. By optimizing this parameter, the patent transforms the homogenized mixture into structured food products without requiring complex preparation procedures. The binding agent ratio is the key parameter that enables structure formation while keeping the overall preparation relatively simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If insect larvae are processed into unrecognizable preparations, then consumer acceptance improves, but the ability to form solid wet food products decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The binding agent serves as an intermediary that enables the transformation of recognizable insect larvae into unrecognizable, consumer-acceptable preparations while simultaneously providing the structural framework needed to form solid wet food products. The binding agent masks the insect origin while enabling product formation, thus resolving both aspects of the contradiction.
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 enables the production of insect-based food products with structural and organoleptic qualities comparable to traditional meat products, facilitating the acceptance of entomophagy by transforming insect larvae into solid, palatable, and textured food forms.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid preparation is coagulated. This coagulation is preferably achieved by heating.
Implementation Method 2
This coagulation is preferably achieved by heating.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
AI summary
The current invention concerns a liquid, viscous or dry, rehydratable preparation, on the basis of homogenised dead edible insect larvae and a binding agent that is added in a ratio of 1 to 30 gram dry matter binding agent per 100 gram homogenised dead edible insect larvae. The current invention also concerns the use of this preparation for the preparation of insect-based feed and/or food products, whereby the liquid preparation is coagulated, preferably by heating. The invention also concerns a method for making a preparation of homogenized edible insect larvae to which binding agents are added in a ratio of 1 to 30 gram binding agent on a dry matter basis per 100 gram dead homogenised edible insect larvae. The current invention concerns a premix with homogenised insect larvae and a hydrophilic protein binding agent in the ratio of 1 to 30 gram binding agent on dry matter basis per 100 gram of insect larvae matrix.