Long-Chain Inulin Extraction and Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inulins used in food and cosmetic products face issues with processing properties such as viscosity, thermal stability, emulsifiability, and prebiotic effectiveness, and contain unwanted by-products like monosaccharides and fructooligosaccharides that interfere with processing and product quality.
Innovation Solution
A specifically long-chain inulin with an average degree of polymerization between 65 and 81, characterized by its spray-dried form, improved fermentation properties, and reduced content of monosaccharides and fructooligosaccharides, which enhances stability, emulsifiability, and prebiotic effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If inulin is extracted with hot water from plant tissue, then inulin can be obtained for use in food products, but the extract contains crude inulin along with monosaccharides, disaccharides, and fructooligosaccharides that interfere with further processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by selectively removing unwanted components (mono- and disaccharides, fructooligosaccharides) from the inulin extract through enzymatic treatment and filtration, isolating the desired high-chain-length inulin while eliminating interfering substances that affect processing and product quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the degree of polymerization parameter by selecting and isolating inulin fractions with DPw > 60 (particularly DPw 65-81) from the crude extract, thereby altering the molecular weight distribution to achieve superior viscosity, thermal stability, and prebiotic effects while reducing unwanted by-products
2Reliability
If conventional inulin is used in food products, then it provides fat substitution and prebiotic effects, but it has unsatisfactory processing properties including viscosity, thermal stability, and emulsifiability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chain length parameter by isolating high molecular weight inulin fractions with DPw 65-81, which fundamentally alters the rheological and functional properties to achieve superior viscosity, thermal stability, and emulsifiability while maintaining prebiotic effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent produces a refined inulin product that combines the desirable prebiotic properties of natural inulin with improved processing characteristics, creating a composite functional material that outperforms conventional inulin in both biological and technological applications
3Ease of manufacture
If crude inulin is used in food products, then it is readily available from plant extraction, but the high proportion of reducing sugars causes unwanted browning reactions and off-flavors during thermal processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes reducing sugars (mono- and disaccharides, fructooligosaccharides) from the crude inulin extract through enzymatic hydrolysis and filtration processes, eliminating the substances responsible for Maillard reactions and off-flavor formation during thermal processing while preserving the desired inulin
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of reducing sugars by using controlled enzymatic hydrolysis to break down fructooligosaccharides into smaller units that can then be selectively removed, transforming the problematic component into a removable intermediate that facilitates purification of the stable inulin fraction
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 long-chain inulin exhibits superior thermal and acid stability, improved processing properties, and a stronger prebiotic effect, reducing gas formation and enhancing bifidobacteria generation, making it suitable for industrial applications in food and cosmetics.
Implementation Method 1
The inulin is spray-dried
Implementation Method 2
spray-dried form
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a long-chain inulin and its preparation from artichoke roots, to its use in foodstuffs and cosmetic preparations and to foodstuffs and cosmetic preparations which comprise the long-chain inulin.