Malt-Based Cereal Beverage Enzymatic Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing grain drinks face challenges such as the use of synthetic enzymes, which disrupt ecological balance, and fermentation processes that are difficult to scale industrially, leading to increased organic by-products and poor taste profiles.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing malt as a natural enzyme carrier, where grain or malt starting products with at least 5% malt are mechanically crushed and mixed with water, then heated to initiate enzymatic conversion, followed by solid-liquid separation using a decanter centrifuge, eliminating the need for additional enzymes and enhancing taste and ecological sustainability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If synthetic enzymes are used to convert starch into sugar, then the conversion efficiency is improved, but the ecological footprint deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The malted grain itself provides the necessary enzymes through its natural germination process, eliminating the need for externally added synthetic enzymes. The system uses its own biological resources to perform the conversion function, thereby resolving the contradiction between conversion efficiency and ecological sustainability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and utilizes the natural enzymes already present in malted grain, separating this beneficial enzymatic activity from the harmful synthetic enzyme additives. By taking out and leveraging the naturally occurring enzymes during the malting process, the patent achieves effective starch conversion without synthetic additives.
2Productivity
If fermentation is carried out over multiple time intervals of 12 hours, then the enzymatic conversion is improved, but the production complexity and risk of organic byproducts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the key parameter of process duration from multiple 12-hour intervals to a single continuous process of 3-8 hours. This parameter change is achieved by optimizing the enzymatic activity conditions through controlled heating and the use of malted grain, thereby simplifying the process while maintaining or improving conversion completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The malting process is performed in advance before the main production process. This preliminary action pre-activates the enzymes in the grain, so that during the subsequent heating and mixing stages, the enzymatic conversion can proceed rapidly and completely without requiring multiple extended fermentation intervals, thus reducing overall process complexity.
3Ease of operation
If hot water at 80°C is added to terminate enzymatic activity, then the enzymatic conversion is stopped, but the ecological sustainability deteriorates due to high energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The enzymatic conversion is maintained continuously throughout the heating and mixing process without interruption. The process is designed so that enzymatic activity persists during the entire 3-8 hour period, eliminating the need for separate steps to terminate enzyme activity. This continuous approach maintains operational simplicity while reducing energy waste associated with temperature cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of viewing the continued enzymatic activity during heating as a problem requiring termination, the invention converts this into a benefit by allowing the enzymes to complete their conversion work during the entire process duration. The heating that would normally be seen as potentially harmful to enzyme activity is instead utilized to extend and enhance the beneficial enzymatic conversion, eliminating the need for energy-intensive termination steps.
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
This approach results in an organic, ecologically improved grain drink with a more pleasant taste, suitable for human and animal consumption, and potentially as a food additive, while avoiding synthetic enzyme use and reducing gluten contamination, with enhanced β-glucan content for cholesterol-lowering benefits.
Implementation Method 1
enzymes, which convert starch into sugar or oligosaccharides
Implementation Method 2
enzymatic conversion of substances contained in the starting product into substances with higher water solubility
Implementation Method 3
a decanter centrifuge or a nozzle separator is particularly suitable for this task
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A process for producing a cereal beverage, characterized by the following steps: A. Providing (101) a cereal and/or malt starting material (1), wherein the starting material (1) contains at least 5 wt.% malt; B. Mechanically grinding (102) the starting material (1) and adding water to form an aqueous suspension (2); C. Setting the temperature to more than 35°C to initiate and/or accelerate an enzymatic conversion (103) of substances contained in the starting material into substances with higher water solubility; D. Solid-liquid separation (104) of the suspension into at least one solid phase (3) and one liquid phase (4), wherein the liquid phase (4) is formulated as a cereal beverage for human and animal nutrition.