Konjac Mannooligosaccharide Composition With Low Sulfur Dioxide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing konjac flour-derived products containing mannose and/or mannooligosaccharide face challenges in reducing sulfur dioxide content below the 0.03 g/kg limit set by the Food Sanitation Law, making them unsuitable for market distribution as food products.
Innovation Solution
Decompose glucomannan from konjac potatoes using enzymes or acids, followed by heat treatment at temperatures of 105 °C or higher to reduce sulfur dioxide content in the resulting mannose and/or mannooligosaccharide composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If konjac flour is produced by flame drying using heavy oil as fuel, then the production process is simple and cost-effective, but the sulfur dioxide content remains high (0.9 g/kg or less) which exceeds the food safety standard of 0.03 g/kg
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the drying temperature to be 105°C or higher during the flame drying process. This temperature parameter change enables the decomposition of glucomannan and subsequent reduction of sulfur dioxide content to 0.03 g/kg or less, while still using the simple and cost-effective flame drying method with heavy oil fuel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical refinement process with an enzymatic decomposition process using hemicellulase. This substitution not only produces mannose and mannooligosaccharide but also facilitates sulfur dioxide reduction to meet food safety standards, maintaining ease of manufacture while improving product safety.
2Productivity
If refined powder is used directly as konjac product, then the product can be produced quickly, but the sulfur dioxide content (0.9 g/kg) exceeds the food safety standard of 0.03 g/kg making it unsuitable for market distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating the sulfur dioxide reduction process (heating at 105°C or higher) into the production process itself, rather than treating it as a post-processing step. This allows the refined powder to be converted into a safe food product directly during manufacturing, maintaining productivity while ensuring compliance with food safety standards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hemicellulase is added to refined powder to produce mannose and mannooligosaccharide, then the functional composition is created, but the sulfur dioxide content remains at levels that exceed food safety standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated process: enzymatic decomposition by hemicellulase to produce mannose and mannooligosaccharide, plus thermal treatment at 105°C or higher to reduce sulfur dioxide content. This combination achieves both functional composition creation and safety compliance simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and harmful factors.
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 sulfur dioxide content is effectively reduced to 0.03 g/kg or less, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations and enabling safe distribution of the composition as food products.
Implementation Method 1
a method of producing mannose by adding hemicellulase to a refined powder of konjac potatoes
Implementation Method 2
decompose glucomannan from konjac potatoes using enzymes or acids
Implementation Method 3
subjecting the resulting composition to heat treatment at a temperature of 105 °C or higher
Implementation Method 4
the sulfur dioxide content in the composition can be reduced by decomposing glucomannan derived from konjac potatoes, which are a raw material, followed by subjecting the resulting composition to heat treatment at a temperature of 105 °C or higher
Data Source
AI summary
The objective of the present invention is to provide a functional composition containing mannose and/or mannooligosaccharide and having the reduced sulfur dioxide content. The objective can be achieved to decompose konjac flour derived from konjac potatoes, which is a raw material to obtain a composition containing mannose and/or mannooligosaccharide followed by subjecting the composition to heat treatment at a temperature of 105 °C or higher to reduce the sulfur dioxide content in the functional composition. The functional composition with sulfur dioxide (sulfurous acid) reduced can be distributed as foods and beverages without any legal or regulatory problem.