Liquid Egg White Beverage Stabilization via pH Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current non-dairy milk alternatives lack the nutritional content and stability of animal milk, particularly in terms of protein, and often have an artificial taste due to added additives, while liquid egg derivatives are difficult to produce without coagulation at high temperatures.

Innovation Solution

A method to produce a liquid, white, and neutral-tasting egg white with improved stability, involving heating, acidification, addition of aminopeptidase, and pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization, maintaining its liquid state and neutral flavor, similar to milk or yogurt.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If egg white is subjected to high temperature treatment to pasteurize it, then microbial safety is improved, but the egg white coagulates and loses its liquid state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemicrobial safetyVSAvoidliquid state
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the pH of egg white to an acidic range (pH 4.0-6.0) before pasteurization. This pH adjustment prevents coagulation during high temperature treatment while maintaining microbial safety. The acidic environment stabilizes the protein structure against thermal denaturation that would otherwise cause coagulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs preliminary action by adjusting the pH of egg white before subjecting it to pasteurization. This pre-treatment step prepares the egg white to resist coagulation during the subsequent high temperature process, ensuring both safety and liquid state preservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If vegetable milk alternatives are used to replace animal milk, then lactose-free and cholesterol-free properties are improved, but nutritional content (especially protein) and stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelactose and cholesterol contentVSAvoidprotein content
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the beneficial properties of egg white (high protein content, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals) while eliminating the harmful factors associated with dairy milk (lactose and cholesterol). By using egg white as the base material, the invention achieves a lactose-free and cholesterol-free product with superior protein content compared to vegetable alternatives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Shape

If additives are added to vegetable milk to simulate animal milk texture, then texture similarity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and perceived artificiality increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetexture similarity to milkVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses parameter changes (pH adjustment to acidic range) to naturally modify the properties of egg white, achieving a texture and consistency similar to milk without requiring multiple additives. This simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining product similarity to animal milk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 resulting product is a stable, high-protein, lactose-free, and cholesterol-free beverage with improved bioavailability and shelf life, suitable for those intolerant to dairy, mimicking the texture and taste of milk or yogurt without coagulation at high temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

adding an aminopeptidase and incubating at a temperature of 45 °C to 55 °C for at least 1 hour

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnzymatic hydrolysis: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

f1) homogenizing and then pasteurizing, or f2) pasteurizing and then homogenizing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPasteurization: Heat Treatment

Data Source

PatentEP4208039B1Drinkable egg white
Publication Date: 2024.08.21 INTERLAAP CORP
  • EP4208039B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4208039B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP4208039B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a liquid egg white, with novel organoleptic and texture and/or rheological characteristics. It also relates to the methods to produce it and to compositions and food products comprising it.