Instant Soup Freeze-Drying for Texture Preservation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing egg and edible bird's nest soup with fermented glutinous rice require complex cooking processes and are not convenient for carrying, as they must be consumed immediately after preparation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving steaming glutinous rice, fermenting it with distiller's yeast, separating wine juice from rice dregs, vacuum-packing, and freeze-drying dehydrated egg or bird's nest shreds to create an instant soup that can be brewed with hot water, maintaining flavor and texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional egg/edible bird's nest soup with fermented glutinous rice is prepared using conventional methods, then the soup has authentic flavor and nutritional value, but the cooking process is complicated and the soup must be consumed immediately after preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The soup is divided into separate components (egg/bird's nest, fermented glutinous rice, broth) that are processed and packaged independently. The egg and bird's nest are dehydrated and freeze-dried separately, while the fermented rice is processed into a separate component. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for storage and later recombined through simple brewing.
Solution Approach 2:
All cooking and preparation steps are performed in advance during manufacturing. The egg and bird's nest are pre-cooked, dehydrated, and freeze-dried. The glutinous rice is pre-fermented. These preliminary actions eliminate the need for complex cooking operations at the consumer level, requiring only simple brewing with hot water.
2Ease of operation
If the soup is prepared in advance and stored for later consumption, then convenience is improved, but the flavor and texture deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The egg and bird's nest undergo dehydration to remove water, then freeze-drying to convert ice directly to vapor. This phase transition process preserves the structural integrity and nutritional components while enabling long-term storage. When brewed, the rapid rehydration restores the original texture and flavor without degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging is designed as a single-use container that maintains product quality during storage and transport. The vacuum-sealed packaging protects the dehydrated components from moisture and contamination until the moment of use, ensuring consistent quality without requiring complex preservation additives.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If dehydrated egg and bird's nest are processed to reduce water content for storage, then storage stability is improved, but the texture and shape may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The freeze-drying process transforms ice directly into water vapor through sublimation, preserving the three-dimensional structure of the egg and bird's nest. This phase transition removes water while maintaining the original shape and texture, unlike conventional drying methods that cause shrinkage and deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical process of freeze-drying replaces conventional thermal drying methods. By using freezing and vacuum conditions instead of high-heat drying, the structural integrity of the protein matrices in egg and bird's nest is preserved, maintaining their characteristic texture and shape after rehydration.
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 allows for a convenient, instant egg and edible bird's nest soup that is fresh, sweet, and crumb-free, with preserved shape and texture, enabling immediate consumption after hot water brewing.
Implementation Method 1
separating the wine juice from the rice dregs in the fermented glutinous rice wine obtained from step 2 through a centrifugal separator
Implementation Method 2
placing the frozen mixture of the rice dregs and the egg droppings/edible bird's nest shreds into a vacuum freeze drier, and vacuum freeze-drying for 30-36 hours
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing an instant egg/edible bird's nest soup with fermented glutinous rice, comprising the steps of preparing the fermented glutinous rice wine, separating the wine juice from the rice dregs, preparing the dehydrated egg droppings/edible bird's nest shreds, vacuum freeze drying and vacuum packing; the instant egg/edible bird's-nest soup with fermented glutinous rice manufactured according to the method of the present invention is easily portable, and can be immediately consumed after being brewed in hot water; the flavor of the brewed egg/edible bird's nest soup with fermented glutinous rice is fresh and sweet; the shape of the rice dregs and the egg droppings/edible bird's nest shreds can be perfectly kept, and the rice dregs and egg droppings/edible bird's nest shreds are soft and good-tasting.