Textured Insect Protein Flakes Through Oblique Slurry Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for converting insect larvae into edible protein products result in untextured slurry or undesirable clumps, are not scalable, and require manual operator intervention, making them unsuitable for continuous production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the reduction of insect larvae to a pulp, mixing with a hydrocolloid that gelates with metal cations, and injecting the slurry under pressure at an oblique angle into an aqueous metal cation solution to form textured flakes, using a system with controlled metal cation concentration and separation, rinsing, and dewatering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If insect larvae are ground into a pulp, then the insect appearance is removed, but the product becomes an untextured slurry which consumers find unappealing
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrocolloid is mixed with the insect pulp in advance before gelation occurs. This preliminary mixing ensures uniform distribution of the gelling agent throughout the slurry, which enables subsequent formation of a uniform gel structure with desirable texture characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical and chemical parameters of the slurry are changed by adding hydrocolloid and metal cations, transforming the untextured liquid slurry into a gelated product with firm texture. The gelation process changes the viscosity and structural properties of the material.
2Shape
If gelling agents are added to pulped larvae to improve texture, then the product becomes gelated, but large clumps and aggregates form with ungelated slurry in the center
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrocolloid is pre-mixed with the insect pulp before gelation to ensure uniform distribution throughout the slurry. This preliminary action prevents localized concentration variations that would cause uneven gelation and core-un gelated regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding metal cation solution to the slurry (which causes localized gelation and clumping), the slurry is injected into the metal cation solution. This inversion ensures the slurry is surrounded by gelation agents from all sides, enabling uniform gelation throughout the entire volume.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual stirring is used to achieve uniform gelation, then gelation uniformity improves, but the process cannot be scaled and requires operator intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The injection direction is inverted so that slurry is injected into the metal cation solution rather than vice versa. This inversion enables uniform gelation through automated injection processes, eliminating the need for manual stirring while maintaining gelation uniformity and enabling continuous production.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical stirring is replaced with an automated injection system that delivers the slurry into the metal cation solution in a controlled manner. This substitution maintains mixing efficiency and gelation uniformity while enabling automation and continuous production.
4Ease of operation
If the slurry is injected perpendicular to the liquid surface, then injection is simple, but strands with liquid cores form instead of uniform flakes
Solution Approach 1:
The injection angle is changed from perpendicular (symmetric) to oblique (asymmetric). This asymmetric injection angle causes the slurry jet to spread and flatten upon contact with the metal cation solution surface, forming flat flakes rather than cylindrical strands with liquid cores.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection geometry transitions from vertical (one-dimensional penetration) to oblique (two-dimensional spreading). This dimensional change causes the slurry to distribute across the solution surface at an angle, creating flattened flake structures instead of vertical strands.
5Productivity
If continuous production is implemented, then productivity increases, but equipment clogging occurs without operator intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The injection direction is inverted to prevent gelation within the injection system. By injecting slurry into the metal cation solution rather than adding solution to slurry, the system avoids forming gelated material in pipes and equipment, enabling continuous operation without clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The gelation process is extracted from the injection system and relocated to the receiving solution. This separation ensures that gelation occurs only after the slurry exits the injection equipment, preventing clogging in pipes, pumps, and injection nozzles while enabling continuous production.
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
Produces textured edible protein flakes with substantially all hydrocolloid gelated, scalable, and continuous production without operator interference, avoiding equipment clogging and ensuring uniform texture.
Implementation Method 1
mixing the pulp with a hydrocolloid that gelates with metal cations in aqueous solution to form a protein-hydrocolloid slurry
Implementation Method 2
injecting the slurry under pressure from outside of the aqueous solution of a metal cation with a valency of at least 2 into the aqueous solution at an oblique angle with respect to a liquid surface of the aqueous solution
Implementation Method 3
in which flakes substantially all hydrocolloid has been gelated with the metal cations
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
AI summary
The invention relates to a process and a system for producing a textured edible protein product derived from insect larvae or worms. The process comprises a) reducing the insect larvae or worms in size to obtain a pulp, b) mixing the pulp with a hydrocolloid that gelates with metal cations in aqueous solution to form a protein-hydrocolloid slurry, and c) injecting the protein-hydrocolloid slurry into an aqueous solution of a metal cation with a valency of at least 2 to form the textured edible protein product. In step c) the protein-hydrocolloid slurry is jetted under pressure from outside of the aqueous solution of a metal cation with a valency of at least 2 into the aqueous solution at an oblique angle with respect to a liquid surface of the aqueous solution, thereby producing flakes of the textured edible protein product in the aqueous solution, in which flakes substantially all hydrocolloid has been gelated with the metal cations.